Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1890-02-25
HAS A HEARING
CHARGED WITH ASSAULT1NG
MR.. MORRISON.
JOHN TROUT BEFORE TIE MAYOR.
Testimony OF Several Witnesses :
Statement OF tho decentralization for
Bail Overruied -sent ON to the
Grand Jury.

Bail Overruled-s Sent ON to the
Grand Jury.
John Trout had q preliminary ex
animation before, Mayor Carr yesser
day, on the daarge of feloni ,ly
cutting, with intent to kill. Mr.. r. H
s. Morrison on the night of February
10th, and was sent Oh await the
action : grand gary ii .pril.
The trial begail at Q o'clock and
lasted f6s nearly six an a-half hours.
The commonwealth was represented
by Messrs. Rush U. Derr and Everett
Perkins, and w. o. Hardaway, esq,
appeared for the prisoner. About
fifteen witnesses were examined, and
the burden of t',e testimony is given
below.
F. H. 8. Moi on: ION the night oil
February 10th about 10 o'clock, left
the Office of I.wyer Hardaway and
started down Third avenue. When |
arrived about opposite Myers fruit
stand, saw man cross the street and
20 into a vacant lot. AS passed that
point heard someone calling as il in
distress, saying: For Gods sake
come here.' When crossed to where
he was, the man said: God d-n you,
and struck at me. Saw something in
his hand, whether knife or razor
cannot say, it was doLe so quickly.
Could not identify the man, but he
was either a negro or white man
BACKED. After striking the blow he
ran. From the character OF the eI-
clamation supposed him to be in
distress. I never saw Trent until
arrested, and knew Of no personal an
i'm osity."
George W. Pea, a colored man en-
ployed in Corder's livery stable: "A
man came in our stable on the night
OF the 9th or 10th with q knife in bis
hand. asked him what was the
matter. He said, u have just cut a
lawyer all to pieces.n did not see him
again till 4 O'Clock next morning.
That man pointing to the prisoner
is the one who came to the stable. He
said he was ready to die, and IL a po-
liceman put his hands on him he
would cut him all to pieces. He did
not say who he cut nor why he had
done the cutting. Since chen a white
man came to me and said something
about leaving the city. I don't know
whether 1 would know him or not. He
asked me IL / was a Witness In the
case of Mr.. Trout land il ] would leave
the city"
j. J. Davis, manager Of Corder's
livery stable: ION the night OF the
/ attacs.- Mr.. Trout came into my room
about 1 O'Clock aud seeme1 TO be
either cold or restless. | asked him
what he wanted. He wanted me to
make fire, which was done. He
went to sleep, but after while he
reused himself up and asked me what
! thought of his case. ! did not know
what case he referred to, and paid no
attention to him. and he repeated
the question. l then said, wait
till morning and will take you to the
mayor, and he'll settle it, Hejumped
up, and ,cursing, came toward me with
a knife. I told him to stop, or l
would knock him down. He then
stopped and tried to smooth it over;
seemed to have been drinking. Asked
if Policeman Wooton was there. l
remember he said, i am not
always so drunk as people think"
Josh Napier: II remember the night
Mr.. Trout came to the stable. He
had his knife open and asked for Mr.
Davis. l stopped him and asked him
to shut up his knife. Told me the
police were after him, but didn't say
why. He said Officer Wooten should
not arrest him."
Special Policeman Pedigo: "The
warrant for the arrest of Trout was
placed in my hands for execution.
Found my man at Rorer mines, called
him out, shcok hands with him and
held on to him TIL I read the warrant.
He resisted when put the handouts
on. Asked me if wanted 1.-The knife"
Said he wasn't afraid of the mayors
court, but that it was the grand jury
he feared"
Lizzie Holland: II was in jail about
18th day of February. When Trout
was put in I asked him what he was
up for. Said he was charged with
cutting Mr.. Morrison, and wished he
had cut his ID throat. Told me
he did not call Mr.. Morrison to him.
! asked him where he cut him and he
refused to say anything MORE"
Mary Campbell: II was at cell door
with Lizzie Holland. She asked Trout
what he was put in for; if it wasn't for
cutting Lawyer Morrison. He said 1t
was, andi 7 had known it was going
to bring all this would have cut his
id heart OUT He said throat and
heart both at different times"
John Trout, the accused: Know
nothing about Mr.. Morrison. Never
saw him before. arrived in Roanoke
on the train that evening; was drunk.
l went to Corder's livery stable to see
Mr.. Davis. did not make any such
statement as George Pea states. There
is case now pending against me in
the Hastings court and 1t was to that
which / referred when talking to
Davis. When Officer Pedigo arrested
me l did not want to be handcuffed,
and told him I'd give up my knife.
Never denied this. Lizzie Hollands
statement is untrue. ! never said
anything OF the kind to her. / did
not tell any one at the stable that l
had cut a lawyer. Before / left for
the mines l traded my knife off to Mr..
LavelIe at Burks' saloon. If Isaw my
brother Joe that night l don't remem-
Der it."
Jesse Wertz: Il was in Jail when Mr..
Trout was put in. He did not tell
Lizzie Holland or Mary Campbell any
thing about the cutting, as / was
standing at the door of my cell, which
adioins that of Mr.. Trout
A motion was made by the prisoner,