The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-11-30

Yesterday afternoon tho mayors
court was the scene OF fcrvid eloquence,
contrary expositions Of the law and
number of dramatic incidents, all of
which arose at the preliminary examina-
ton of Thomas Fortune and C. l.. Craw-
ley, charged with the abduction Of ono
Esteline King with intent to defile her.
Tho trial was begun by both Squire
Howerton and Judge Williams, sitting
as committal magistrates, but before
tho long-draw-out testimony was half
over Mr.. Howcrton was compelled to
leave to attend an adjourned inquest,
and Judge Williams disposed of the
case.
b. Lacy IIoge and Eston Randolph
represented the prosecution and Messrs
Cocko and Woods tho defendants
The woman in the case does not
possess many traits to commend her to
tho sympathy of the public, and, SO far
from being pretty woman, sho was not
even interesting as to looks. As to her
charactcr-well, the least said about
that the better. She bore the close, and
even cruel, examination without drop
ping an eyelid: no modest blush suf-
fused her check, nor, when the bitterest
words that man can address to woman
were spoken to her, did she shed tear
or show dismay; and, when pressed to
acknowledge her infamous past, She took
refuge in adogged silence or gave an in
solent reply.
1T would be tirosomo to give in detail
tho evidence of the crow of train No. 4,
as 1T all trcnded i'll one direction, and
tho explanation they gave of the causes
which led them to deliver tho defend
ants up TO the officers of the law in Roa-
noko was credit TO themselves and the
road in whose service they are.
r.. G. Taylor. brakeman; Capt. Ed
Davis, conductor, and Newsboy Cakes,
of the train, all testified in substance
that they were attracted to the actions
of Fortune and Crawley soon after leay-
ing Radford; that they acted upon the
presumption that the girl was an in
nocent, unsophisticated country girl
whom the mon were seeking to de-
bauch, and acting thus they sought TO
protect her; Fortune had spoken to each
In turn. and asked them if either of them
,''N' " AiO vi Viz WAS, say
ing to Captain Davis that he could not
tell for the life of him whether she was
dissolutc person or an ignorant one.
Fortune had told Taylor he had given
her q letter to ono Rose Terrill, who
keeps disreputablo house in this CITY,
and this Taylor communicated to
Davis, who said that under those cir
cumstances he would see that she was
protected
The woman, Captain Davis said, had
not complained to him, but he under
stood his duty to tho company to DO to
Took out for and protect all passengers.
lie said that tho fact that sho was
travelling on a first-class ticket in a
smoking-car was nothing unusual, nor
did 1T call for comment.
On the cross-oXamination of Cakes.
the ncwsboy, quito q spat took place
between counsel as to the admission Of
evidence concerning the character of
tho King woman, logo and Randolph
contcndlng that the wOman's character
cut no figure in the case; that defend
ants had sought to debauch what they
thought was an innocent girl. and that
her previous reputation was not within
tho scope of this inquiry.
Officer Trout related what occurred at
the depot, and told of tho arrest and
what led to it, all of which has been re-
cited at length in these columns
Chief Morris ordered tho arrest of the
mon and he and Wolfe executed tho
order. Crawley told him after his
arrest that he intended to take the girl
to his home, and if she turned out to be
all right he intended to marry her.
lie said that he had taken charge of
the girl and given her refuge pending
tho examination out OF thy for
her apparently forlorn condition She
told him she was seeking homo and
honorable work.
The complainant then took the stand.
She said her name was Esteline King,
and that she had gone under the name
of Sarah Medley. She was not married
woman. Her father lives in Clay
county, w. Va.
She told TIMES reporter week ago
that her father lived in Columbus, Ohio,
but could not recall the name of q sin
gle street in that city.
The bulk Of her testimony was a
series of evasions, eouivocal answers,
and insolent replies, when she answered
at all, the whole being interpersed with
legal arguments on the part of defen-
dants' counsel and eloquent disserta-
lions upon the necessity of protection
from tho wiles of tho wicked on the
other side.
Salacious answers to pertinent ques-
lions were listened to with eager inter
est by the motley crowd of n-lookcrs,
but nothing was adduced from the
woman showing criminality on the part
OF Fortune and Gravity save tho fact
that Fortune had given her letter TO
Rose Terrill, and represented that
woman as keeping a nice house, from
whence she'could go in quest of employ
ment.