The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-10-22
The Evidence.

The Evidence.
The first witness examined yester-
day was Wash. Gutberie, colored, who
testified as follows: / work for w.
B. Dunnavant & Co. dive a tNsm,
and was 20 engaged on the 8 h of las
Septe mber. WIS at tbe shop the
day before Mr.. Duunevant was Killed
A little girl came and asked for Mr..
Will Dunnavant. | told her he had
gone to Mississippi. / had just started
mp the steps to 60 into the sEop, and
| thiuk it was about 2 O'Clock pm.
When / told her hs was not at hcms
she left. The little girl was Mr..
Meyers little girl. l know her
when l see her. She remarked her
mother wanted 10 see Mr.. Will Don
navaDt When she left size vert
back up the alley tswatd where Mr..
Mey'r lived.
The next State witness was Mr.. n =.
Picard. of the APPEAL, who testified /:
/ am a reporter on the Memphis
APPEAL. / saw the prisoaIr for The
first time on the day f the killing;
ssw him at the i'll about o'clock
pm. Mr.. Pickett, Mr.. 1'aylos and my.
salf went down TO the Jail together.
Meyer made a statement t. Mr..
Pickett in my presence. He said in
that statement ne came 10 Memphis
the night previous to the killing; or
rived at 10 O'Clock pm. by The
Charleston road; that be secreu d
himself in the title hall loom ad-
jpin,ng the front room, where be stayed
until tbs shooting OF currtd; he sid
his purpose 10 thus stcreting himself
was 10 watch his wife, whom he sus-
pected of iLfidelity by r, a.on OF one
CT more letters which he had received
while away from the city ;hedeprecsted
the idea of attempting 10 kill
Dunnavant; aid ha intended to catch
his wife and Dunnsvant in a suspicious
attitude, then induce Ddnnsvsnt to
give him { 1eyer) money enough to
leave t)wn with his children. He
also said he had only $40, aud t,lked
about being penniless. We saw the
Jsiler, t'ld him we wanted to zee
Meyer, He sent for the prisoner, and
We saw him in tle ante iolm. His
wife and child cameint the rom Just
as Wa had about got through the in
tervlew. His little girl spoke to him
and said, Papa, her9 is mamma come
to see you" They kissed and threw
themselves into each others arms aud
commenced TO weep. AS to how de.
tendaut got in ne no1te: He said to
US that be got here lats at night, wait
ed uutil he saw an opportunity, then
went into the little hsll room; that he
went as soon as it was safe to do go to
the safe aud got something to eat.
He said he passed the night reading
in the il tie 10 m.
Gees Erdmined.--I thought Meyer
approached US ct the Jail rather eau
tiou 'ly, seeming to be laboring under
apprehension. He betrayed consid-
cradle nervous az t .tion. He did say
he was adverse to murder aod did not
intend to kill Dunnavant. That he
wac 81 one time about TO Jump from
the window to escape Dunnavant.
did not understand from what he said
about ju npipg from the window that
he was 70 aGithted mentally over the
condition of his wife and children that
he would commit suicide, but that it
was to escape from Dunn avRnt. lie
said ro:hipg that / can remember
about his being educated averse 10
the killing Of any person, bot did say
he did not intend to kill Dunuavaut.
He id say his flmily or children
were ruined, will state / DONE
think the prisoner knew we were in
terviewinG him for jest as we were
going to leave Mr.. Pickett
took out his note book and
Meyer said you do rot
intend to publish what ] have said.
He also said TO us what he witnessed
in the room between Dunnavaat and
his wife. He sid Dunt avaDt came
and sat near his wife and put his hand |
upon her, snd then got up and walked |
and shut the door, and came back to |
his wife and threw her on the bed. |
That when he (Meyer) saw that he
could stand it no longer. That then
he said tn Dunnavaot "Hold up
there, " or Hold on there. Then Dun
navsnt rushed upon him. He re-
treated. Thai as Dunnavsnt press d
upon him the pistol was fred, be did
not know how. Then Dunnsvsnt
threw him Meyer down and took the
pistol, when Mrs. Meyer got it from
DunDavant.
Re cross Examined By Stdte. Meyer
stated to us that he presented the
pistol when he said TO Dunnavaut,
Hold up, there" " or Hold on, there"
[ saw the dead hody Of Dunnsvant at
5he undertaker's the next day.
The State next introduced Mr..
James Degnsn, who testified: ! am in
he wall psp.r and painting bUsintsS.
Ny place of businefs is now at 225
second stleet first door north Of the
teps going up in'o the rooms OF
Meyer, where Dunnavant was killed.
)n the 9th Of September last ] was
GETTING ready 10 move lnro this store.
,u had not moved. l had an en-
,agement with w. B DuF nsvant to
meet me- on september 8 h, about or
$50 o'clock p. ~, TO zee about fixing
he store for me. He met me accord
ng to the app9intmen, aud we talked
u the pavement in front Of the store,
t 225 Second street, about the work
wanted done. We differed $40
bout the price. While standing
here talking two little girls came up
nd shook hands with DunpavsnI,
skirg him when he got
sCk, and s;emsd glad to
90 him. The eldest said
D him her mother wanted TO see
i'm; that she had been after him
sveral times. He told her TO tell her
lother that he would c1me up in
wv minutes. l ssked Dunnavant who
be little girls were and he remarked {
nat they we're Mrs. Meyers children,
friend OF mine who lives upstairs.
We did not talk more thsn ten min {
ties. when Duunavant left. ] did not /
office where he went to. / saw no :
lore OF him until | heard be was !
lied about one hour sfterWard. / :
wv his brother John directly after / {
adj talked with Will and he asked me ]
ow Will and came out in our trade s
IL fla !; ~, y,a dinarpd e1O nc ., (.