Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-01
AWARDED A NEW TRIAL.
Decision of the District Supreme Court
in the Case of VIM. Briggs.

In the Court in General Term, Chief Justice
Bingham and Justices Hagner, James, and
Bradley, this morning, in the case of Vim.
Briggs, convicted of the murder of VIM. Jones.
Justice Hagner delivered the opinion of the
court, revising the judgment below and award
ing new trial.
The court said that the claim was that if the
case was not one of excusable homicide it was
not beyond the grade of mansaughter. The
court referred to some of the evidence having
been ruled out in the trial below, noting that
witness had testified that Briggs fired the
first shot over Jones shoulder to intimIda :
him, and put the pistol back in his pocket.
from which he did not take it until the others
advanced upon him and then he fired the fatal
shots
The court said on the ground Of newly dis
covered evidence that the utmost diligence had
been used, but they would not split hairs when
the matter of a mans life was involved. AL
though the land is deluged with the blood shed
by murderers, and there should be some SYM
pathy with the victim, they should not in SO
serious case, affirm a judgment when it was
shown that the cause had not been thoroughly
tried. Upon the whole they were not satisfied
that the judgment should be affirmed. and it
was therefore set aside and the case remanded.
THE STORY OF BRIGGS LIFE.
VIM. Briggs is now about twenty-four or
vania county, Va, where he attended school
and worked on a farm for time He was then
regarded as very bright boy for one born of
slave parentage. His mother was slave of
Mr.. Garnet, of that county. Briggs can read
and write well. He came here about eight
years ago with his mother and sister, who now
live on 18th street. and he was advised to take
a course in Wayiand seminary. He was one of
the first to profess religion after he was SEN
fenced in January last.
THE MURDER FOR WHICH HE WAS SENTENCED.
Briggs was engaged with the deceased, VIM.
Jones and others at laboring work ON the Col
umbia road, near the head of 18th street on
May 80 last, 1t was claimed that Jones had
hat belonging to Briggs and the latter asked
for it when quarrel arose. Briggs smacked
Jones in the face and Jones and his brothers
followed him as he started away with stones;
Briggs went away and came back and the par
ties again engaged in an alteration upon which
Briggs fired two shots-the second one being
the fatal one. He then grabbed the hat that
led to the dispute and went to a police station
and gave himselfup Briggs claimed that he
was set upon by both the Jones' boys
and driven away; that he got his pistol be-
cause they had threatened to kill him and when
he returned both the Jones came at him with
stones; that he fired one shot over Jones
shoulder, but Jones kept coming after him,
when he fired the second time. He was in
dicted May % last, arraigned May 26. and the
court assigned Messrs. J. Mcdowell Darlington
and John Cruikshank to the defense. The trial
did not, however, take place till October %
and the following day Briggs was convicted.
few days afterward notice for new trial
was filed and on November "A was denied. De-
cember l motion for a rehearing was made
and subsequently overruled. and from the rul-
ings his case went up to the General Term.
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