The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1886-06-18
COURT PROCEEDINGS
Lavlnia Johnson Convicted OF Ma
slaughter.
TRIAL OF A BOY FOR FORGERY.
Geo. j. Ii. Thompson Again on Trial.

CIVIL CASES.
| The case of VIM Il. Watson, executor, vs.
| Henry w. Archer and Lottie b. Watson. admin
strators, d. b. H., of James A. Watson, was given
BROUGHT ia sealed verdict in favor of the plain
till. Farnandis and Robinson for plaintiff II. w.
Archer, Jr., and VIM. Young for defendants.
| Moses Fox Va. Mary A. Fowner and Augustus
| Fowner, removed case from Baltimore county.
Verdict on Saturday for plaintiff. Mcintosh,
| der Yellott and Boarman for defendants
THE TRIAL OF LAvINIA JOHNSON.
| On Monday the criminal docket was taken up.
| the colored girl indicted for murder, by shooting
the little boy. Thomas W. H. McAtee. aged Ave
years, with pistol at the residence resi- of Mr. Johns
was tried before Judge Waters.
Mr.. Henry J; McAtee, an uncle of the little boy
| He testified as follows by means of a blackboar
upon which the questions and answers were
written: While engaged 10 mending the little
| boys shoe, in the basement of Mr.. Janney's resi-
| dence. he heard pistol shot or violent concus-
sion of the air. Turning his head he saw smoke
| lay pistol in the wndow-sill and run out of the
room. This occupied but an instant The girl
was partly behind him and the little boy in front
| of him, about L. or IA feet from the girl Turn
ing again he saw that the child was about to faint
and taking him by the arm he sank to the floor.
| Mr.. Johns H. Janney testified that the child
mother, the widow of Thomas b. McAtee. lives
on his place. He was in room above and
heard the pistol shot. Being told that little
| ney ran down to the basement and taking
the child up laid him on bed that was in the
| room. A messenger was sent for a physician,
but the child was dead before the messenger left
the place. The pistol had been carelessly left in
the window-sill by his colored coachman, who
was packing up to go away. The girl was head
strong and dlsobedent but he did not think she
| intended to kill the child.
DR.. James M. Magraw testified that the ball en-
tered the right shoulder blade and penetrated to
| the cavity of the chest.
Mrs Maria McAtee, the mother of the little
anl hat fnxu lnxra hnf.Na h.,Y. lin
| ed difficulty occurred at the wood-pile between
| Layinia Johnson and her children. The colored
girl asked her to whip little Iommie put she re-,
Florence sadler had also heard the girl twice
threaten to kill the boy After the coroners in
quest she also heard the girl say that now she
was satisfied She could not be hanged and did
nor mind going to the eo House Gus OF Correction;
Lavinia johnson herself who testified that she
did not know the pistol was loaded and snapped
| feet from her. She said she knew that pistols are
dangerous but had often snapped them. She dis
claimed any intention Of e pjurng the &c child
nader and for the prisoner by Mr.. Hopkins.
Judge Waters adjudged her guilty of man
| slaughter.
| BOY TRIED FOR FORGERY.
The case Of James A. Smelling, INDICTED for the
order on Robert Gully, of Havre dc. Grace, for
pair of pants. came up; also, on Monday: SHELL
ing was arrested in Fredericksburg, Va, and
brought back by Deputy Sheriff whiteford, on a
requisiton.
MT. Robert Gully, OF Havre de Grace. testified
| that Smelling bought pair OF pants from him,
| aud not having the money to pay for them gave
him an order purporting to be signed by his EN-
ployer, Mr.. Geo. L. Mitchell, and obtained the
pants. Upon presenting the order to Mr.. Mitch
ell. the latter pronounced 1t forgery.
| Mr.;Geo. L.. Mitchell testified that Smelling was
employed by him to deliver milk to customers In
ffavre dc Grace that he never gave him an order
on Mr.. Gully, and the order shown to him by Mr.
Gully was not in his hand writing.
For the defence Messrs. George Harris. Harry
r, Hopkins and II. II. Bradford testified that
Smelling had been in their employ and that they
honesty until this charge was made. Charles w .
Lee also testified that he had known Smelling for
some time, and had mover heard anything against
him.
Smelling himself testified in his own behalf. He