Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1890-04-19
BLOOD ON HER SKIRT.
EVIDENCE AGAINST LEAF
FOREMAN DAMAGING.
THE CORONER'S JURY IN THE
CASE TO-DAY.
A Number Of Witnesses Sworn
and Tom Harris Discharged
From CustOdy-I.eah Bound
Over to Court.

The coroner's jury in the Harriet Viii
liams murder case met in the court house
this morning to hear the remainder OF
the testimony. The room was crowded.
A few minutes before it was opened the
two prisoners. Leah Foreman and Tom
Harris, entered the court accompanied
by Deputy Sheriff Jones, They took seats
on the prisoners bench. Neither of the
prisoners showed any agitation or nerv.
BUSINESS. The Foreman woman was
dressed entirely in black and wore a
straw hat from which foated profusion
Of Grape.
Dollie Warren was the first witness.
She swore to living near Leah Foreman
and to knowing Thos. Harris and Hnr-
riet Williams and stated that she never
knew fany difficulty between the three.
On the Sunday morning after the murder
Leah told the witness that if she knew
who killed her mother she would cut
them to pieces and feed them to the dogs.
The counsel went into lengthy exami-
nation to show what clothes Leah had
on Monday and it came out that on that
day the accused woman wore white
skirt and that there was blood on the
bottom it. She said she had gotten
it on her by falling in faint near the
bloody steps at the house and that she
hated to wear it to the funeral because
folks would think she killed her mother
A sensation was caused when Deputy
Sheriff Jones brought the skirt into the
room and handed it to the witness. The
latter thought she could identify it
She swore that the blood on the floor
was dry when she got to the scene of the
murder on Sunday morning.
Christina Young sworc that Harriet
had told her she was going to have some
trouble with her children. She did moi
know whether Harriet had any money
about her. The murdered woman hat
never told her so. 1t was the opinion q
the ncighbors that she had money. Sh,
had not heard of Leah's iainting at th
house. She did not see bloody skirt oi
Leah that day. She, the witness, hat
dragged her skirt over the blood on tn,
carpet but il was dry and did not staii
the garment.
Laura Bailey was called. She had seci
Leah on the night of the murder goin,
past her home on Old Depot street ant
toward the place where the murder wa
committed. When Leah passed the hous
she asked her to come in but the r"pl'
was she had no time. When asked whcr
she was going the accused woman replic'
that she was going to the devil and tina
il she was not seen any more the witncs
might know she was in hi.
Anna Miller also saw Leah on the Sat
urday night. She asked her why she di
not come and see her and the reply wa
that she didn't have time. Then Lea
replied apparently without cause tina
she was going to kill somebody or som'
body was going to kill her. The witncs
passed on.
Ida Haustcn and Mary Benson wcr
called The latter sworc that Leah ha
been at ncr house every night for Ion
time except the night Of the murder.
Barry Park told the story of the iint
ing of the body, and Of seeing Leah IL
night before near the old depot.
/. Jennie Williams. the sister Of the n
cused, sworc that the accused woma
drank and that she lived with Harr
without being married. She had seen Il
bloody skirt but could not identify Il
one in court. She sworc that that WI
not the one. She had not seen Leah fair
at the house. Knew that she did M
faint. The witness testified that Lea
: had once threatened to kill her and thu
she was afraid Of her. Her sister iaint'
! at the grave.
She testified that she would not bc
I gamer in property in the event of her 81
j. tcr's hanging and left the chair, havil
. materially weakened Leah's case.
= When Deputy Sheriff Jones' name WI
+ called there was stir in the court rooI
lie has had charge OF the case and sor
n startling testimony was expected. NJ
n Joncs told the story Of the case as he HI
i worked il UP and of the arrest Of To
= Harris and Leah Foreman. The latt
A had told him two stories Of her whc,
y abouts on that night and had also deni
!: the statements credited to her by I
= y Bailey and Miller women.
!. At the conclusion Of his testimony Tc
d Harris was discharged from custot
s. There was no evidence against him, u
y :, the case was given to the jury.
Ia During the trial Leah forcman's 70
e was measured and proved that II wo'
y exactly fit some tracks made in CO
|, field on the night Of the murder.
ID MIR. Hardwicke represented Harris.
&c was through his advice that the p'
~ oncr refused to talk when seen {
y days ago. lie has stoutly MAINTAIN
nc his innocence from the start and th
n. can be no doubt of Il. Locke Craig r
nc resented the solicitor. Leah foren
~ had no attorney.
C. At 3.30 o'clock the jury decided
re evidence sufficient to bind the Foren
n. n; woman over to the next term of the CT
Vi inal court. No formal verdict was agr
upon.