The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-09-04
THORNTON ADAMS SENT ON.
PRELIMINARY HEARING BEFORE
SQUIRE ATLEE.

Mich Evidence and Argument In the
Rcssieitcfter Murder Case sully
brought In as One of the wiin-sses-
Pocket-boot sniineo-A Long Session.
FOR nearly nine hours yesterday prisoner
counsel, magistrate. spectators. and re-
porters lis'erct 20 evidence and heard ar
shments in the preliminary examination OF
Thornton Adams, young white man,
charged with the murder SammoX Ross
deitcher on the night OF July lst at Mr..
Jacob Feitig's place in IienricO county. II
was half-past II o'clock when the case be-
gan at the Ienrico county courthouse. IL
was ten minutes after seven when squire
Atlee stated that he would. upon the
evidence submitted, send the case on TO the
grand Jury. Throughout the whole time
the courtroom was filed with spectators.
most of whom were white men. and much
interest was taken.
| About 10 O'Clock the crowd began 10
gather, and shortly after that time Captain
George u. Wise. one Of the counsel for the
prisoner, made his appearance. lie was
met in the courtyard by Adams, ana the
two held a bricl consultation. Several
county officials and the commonwealth
counsel also held a conference in Mr..
! Thomas office.
At II 80 the case was called. Squire Atlec
presiding. The prosecution was represented
| by Commonwealth Thomas. as
sisted by Messrs. Harvey Wilson and ID.
&. Richardson. Hon. George ID. Wise and
! Mr.. W. W. Cosby, Jr., appeared for the de-
Tense. The witnesses for both sides were
called and sworn, with the exception of
Sully.
FIRST WITNESS.
Mr.. Hugh l.. Davis. superintendent of the
| county pOor-hOusp, was the first witness
called. He stated that Rossdeitcher was
hrou ght TO the poor-house on the evening OF
July ID. about sunset, by Mr.. Jacob Feltig.
He told him that such a proceeding was ir-
regular. but that if Mr.. Feitig would see tine
olerseer Of the district about the matter. II
would be alright. Mr.. feitig stated that
! ROssdeitcher had been wounded the night
before. The MAGISTRATE called the next day
and said that he was perfectly satisfied
with the proceedings. ON Monday,
the 2lst, MOX took walk remained
at the almshousc on Tuesday; wednesday,
| left i'm the morning and returned I'm the
afternoon about o'clock with several
watches. which he said he got from Mr..
Feitig. Thursday he was suffering, ate
very little breakfast, and later went To bed.
| He was i'm so much pain he tumbled on the
bed. | went for Or. Marcy and brought
him 10 the almshOuse. He pronounced
MOX a very sick man; but, as ne has been
attended by DR.. Bryant, DIR. Marcy pre-
ferred that DR.. Bryant should attend him.
DR.. Bryant was called. sunday Ross
deitcher died about ( O'Clock. ! notified
the coroner on that day, which was july
9th. The coroner held an inquest. Ross
deitcher was small. but very well devel-
oped and quite muscular.
CROSS-EXAMINED.
On cross.eXamination. Mr.. Davis stated
that he had never seen HOssdeitcher before. |
Two watches, knife, a watch-key, an
old clOck-key, and piece of pencil were
taken from ROssdeitcher's clothing and de-
livered 10 Mr.. Fetig When asked by Mr..
Wise what were ROssdeitcher's statements |
as to who killed him when he recovered sufli- !
GENTLY TO talk, the prosecution objected |
on the ground that it was not part of the
res gestae. Mr.. Richardson cOntending that |
as the statement was not that of sworn /
witness il was inadmissable.
Mr. Cosby cOntended that the declaration |
Of the wounded man, though clearly mad /
MISSILE to charge person with the crime, /
it was as clearly competent for the purpose /
Of exculpating the defendant.
MI upildN tIiliNA tuttA u a NiAh'7' N''
incompetent for one purpose he was lncom- |
petent for all. That the Constitution pro |
vided that the accused should be confronted |
with his accusers, and that as ROssdcitcher |
was dead and made no ante mortem state |
ment his mere declarations could not be |
used either for or against the prisoner.
Mr.. Wise. Tor the prisoner, said that As |
the wounded man had. for awhile com |
pletely recovered from the attack, i'm so far |
a. his ability to retail cohercntly the details |
of the assault upon him. Why eX-
claimed Mr.. Wise "he was talking and /
walking about your county for week, and !
he was able to do all this 10y himself The /
man was perfectly lucid. and his statements
made during that condition were admiss-
bic 30 establish the innocence Of one person, /
while nadmssible for the purpose Of estal'- /
fishing the guilt of another.
After argument, squire Atlee decided 10
exclude the statements made by Ross
deitcher a. to who hit him.
THE CORONER.
Dr. \. l.. Leitwich. the County Coroner, |
gave a detailed account Of the post-mOrtem |
and "A description OF the wound. His tcsti- |
mony was practically the same a that pub |
lished in The TIMES August 18th, when the |
EeifiV case WAS heard