Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-14

ROSE THE RESERVOIR KEEPER
TAKES THE WITNESS STAND.


the Discovery of the OOrpse-EVi-
dences OF Struggle Seen ia Foot
prints on the Embankment-LOnelin
of the Scene.
RICHMOND, May 1S.-The jury in the
Cluverius murder trial this morning was
photographed on the capitol grounds near
the City Hail. The sick juror had re-
covered and appeared perfectly we'll.
When the court opened the prisoner was
seen sitting on the left of his counsel and
near the reporters desk. His brother sat
next to him. After the court had signed
the bill Of exceptions made Monday TO the
jury panel, the taking OF testimony was
begun. l.. w. Rose, keeper Of the reser-
Voir where Lillian Madison's body was
found, was the first witness sworn. He
began by defining his duties and describe
ing the place and surroundings. He was
in the habit of making circuit of the
works twice a day around the walk on
the topof the bank of She reservoir.
FINDING OF THE CORPSE.
About o'clock on the morning of March
IA, in making his usual round, he found
ON the walk a woman's glove and a broken
shoe string. He looked into the water at
tbat point and noticed what appeared to
be IA portion of woman's dressFand leg
partly exposed. He Immediately called
an employe and found that II was the
body of a woman. Looking further he
discovered on the walk furrowed place
in the ground made by the footsteps OF a
woman, and behind them the tracks OF
mans feet, all indicating a struggle. The
witnoss went directly TO the office Of -Ae
water works and reported to the Superln-
tendent, and also Informed the Coroner.
The body was subsequently taken out OF
the water and carried off.
THE SIGNS OF THE STRUGGLE.
In answer to the question of the Com
mOnwealth's attorney, Mr.. Meredith, the
witness said that on the night of March
Is the water in the reservoir was about 90
inches below the waste water line, having
been drawn of for the purpose of repairs.
The evidence of the struggle on the walk
was about l3 feet from where the body
was found floating. Upon cross-eXamina-
tiOn by the defense, the witness stated
that there seemed to have been quite
struggle at the point named. After the
body had been taken out OF the water
severe confusion was visible over the
right eye. The inner walls Of the reser-
vOir were inclined towards the centre
at an angle of about As degrees,
falling IN might strike against the bricks.
The cross-questioning of the witness by
four Of the counsel for the defense was
prolonged and tedious and developed
nothing of special interest.
A DISMAL SPOT.
In reply to Mr.. Aylett, Of the counsel for
the prosecution, Rose said that the sur
roundings outside of the reservoir
grounds, particularly on the eastern and
southern sides, were dismal and peculiar
ly gloomy, especially at night; on the
eastern side being the city smallpox
hospital building not now in use) and on
the southern side the place where small
poX victims were buried. The picket
fence Immediately surrounding the reser-
vOir on top of the embankment WAS
three feet four inches high. Col. Aylett
asked the witness If he thought that a
woman in delicate condition could have
easily gotten over that fence. and If it was
likely that a lady without some escort
would approach the reservoir ut night
through such dismal surroundings. The
defense objected to such questions. and
the court ruled them not proper ones.
Further questioning brought out no new
facts.
THE BRUISES ON THE FACE.
II. T. Lucas. boss workman under Mr..
Rose, corrOborated that gentleman's tes-
umOny generally. NO one was admitted
to the grounds TO see the body untiPthe
Coroner came. The witness assisted in
taxing the body from the water, and
noticed a bruise over one eve, and also
that one lip was swollen. He could not
say how many tracks were visible when
tho evidence of the struggle was seen,
nor what were the respective sizes of the
shoes that made them. They were numer-
Gus, and had apparently been made by a
man and woman. The water was about
eighteen inches deep where the body was
lying In the mud.
HOW THE TRACKS LOOKED.
w. Trainham, an employe at the reser-
vOir, testified that he saw the body before
the Coroner came. II was in the water,
and a portion OF the dress and one OF the
feet were visible. The ground on the
walkway on top Of the embankment was
very much disturbed opposite TO where
the body was found. He saw the tracks
Of a man and a woman in the lower
grounds from the southeast corner OF the
outside fence, where one or two planks
were off. The tracks led along a ditch
near the fence, then across the open space
and up the reservoir embankment TO
where the ground in the walkway was
disturbed. Under cr0ss-eXamnatlOn tho
witness said that there never had been 4
phtu diDuR NutIe ne hhW the tracks.
TELL-TALE RED CLAY.
The soil was red clay with little or
nothing growing on It. The tracks APP
peared as though they had not been made
very long before be saw them. His atten-
tion was called 10 them by Hutchinson,
fellow workman. He went down % the
hole in the fence and followed the tracks
10 the top Of the embankment at the point
where the signs Of the scufle were found.
The distance was over fifty yards. The
witness had talked with his fellow work
men In the shop about the affair but never
called special attention TO the tracks. lie
had not appeared before the C0roner's
Jury In the case. The foot tracks up the
embankment were distinguished by marks
Of the red clay on the grass.
THE TRACKS WE'RE FRESH.
William Hutchinson, an empoye at the
reservoir, testified that he went up on the
reservoir bank before the body was taken
out and saw that the walk way was very
much disturbed by footprints. Subse-
quently he saw tracks from the southeast
corner Of the enclosure, extending from
the fence across the 10 yer grounds and
up the embankment 10 the walkway on
the top. He called Trnlnham's attention
20 them. The tracks were close together,
and were those Of male and female. He
saw them before the body was taken out
al the wafaf and thaV apomnd tO bn froah.