Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-07-27
The Barbour Trial.

The trial of Edwin Barbour charged, with
the killing of Ellis Williams, was continued
at Culpeper yesterday. The accused took
the stand to testify in his own behalf. The
witness said that on the moraing of March
l. 1883. he was at work in his Office, when
Paul Chaplin and Ellis Williams came in.
The latter walked up to the side of the table
witness was using as a desk, and said :
Edwin, are you responsible for what was
published in your paper this morning."
Witness said be was. Then Williams said ::
"How do you propose to settle it-with fists
or pistols Pr Witness replied that he pre-
ferred to leave it to mutual friends, and
named as his friends his brothers, ohm Sand
"Burney." Williams, astonished, said
"Who2" Witness replied: Burney; [
will send for him. Mr.. Chaplin is your friend,
and ought to have one present" Williams
said it must be settled then, whereupoD
witness ARISE from his seat and passed
around the table. AS he did 80, Williams
rushed at him and struck him on the side OF
his face just below the left eye. This, wit
ness said, stunned him for an instant, aud
when be recovered he saw Williams's hand
on his hip-pocket. Witness Immediately
drew his pistol and fred. Williams fred
about the same time; there might have been
a moments difference. The frat person
witness saw enter the room after the shoot
ing was his brother "BurDey," he rushed in
and threw his arms around Williams. Some
one, witness did not know who, shouted,
Stop shooting" He opened the chamber
CT bis pistol be had used and found in it only
one loaded cartridge. Real izing that he was
wounded, he at once made his way to Dr.
Lewis's Office. He bad met Williams about
three-quarters of an hour before the trouble.
They did not speak but looked each other
in the eye as they met and passed. 1t was
the first time Williams had refused to speak
to witness. DR.. Robinson had warned wit
ness that Williams had said the matter must
be settled at 10 o'clock that morning. Some
one had told witness that Mr.. Newhouse
heard Williams say that there would
shortly be an article in the Exponent
which would cause witness to retract or
fight. He had written to his brother, John
s. Barbour, jr., about the possibility oftrou.
BILE with Williams. Witness ssid that when
the correspondence was going on between
Mr.. George III. Williams and himself. Harri-
son advised witness to 90 armed, because
Mr.. George Williams was 10 the habit of
carrying a pistol and might attack him.
There was q little trouble between Mr.. Viii
lams and witness couple of years ago,
when witness was deputy postmaster; MIR.
Williams had complained OF the non deliv
cry OF papers.
On cross examination by Mr.. Wise wit
ness said that the pistol was loaded when be
borrowed it, He bad studied for the minis
try, but abandoned it last October when he
found bis means insufficient to properly ed
ucate himself Mr.. Wise having asked who
was the author of the Jack Clatterbuck"
letter, counsel for defense objected and the
court sustained the objection. Continuing,
witness said he would probably have fought
Williams anyhow had Williams provoked
him sufficiently by newspaper article. He
had thia contingency in mind when he wrote
to his brother. When Williams came into
the Adudnce Office witness said he thought
at once that there would be serious diff
Guilty. Williams was facing him with his
pistol in his hand when witness fired The
first shot,
A recess was taken at $50 and the jury
excused until 10 o'clock this morning. When
the court reassembled counsel on both sides
presented their drafts of instructions to the
court for revision, and they were argued.
Gen. Fields, for the defense. objected to Mr..
Wise closing for the prosecution, and char
acterized him as paid prosecutor for ven.
geance and not calm, unbiased seeker af.
ter justice. Acting Commonwealth Attor-
ney Bell charged the defense with fearing
the forensic ability and legal acumen of Mr..
Wise, and then the court overruled the mo.
tiop Mr. Wise objected to being spoken OF
as an imported and paid prosecutor seeking
vengeance rather than justice. Gen. Fields
replied that he did not intend to impute in
justice to Mr.. Wise, whom he honored, and
the court then adjourned.