Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-14
I'd EDITION.
ARGUING THE CASE
The Hampton Murder Trial in the
Hands of the Lawyers.
ANOTHER ADVANCE IN WHEAT.
CLEAN, n. Y, STIRRED UP.
ARGUING THE CASE.

| Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
| HAMPTON, Va. Sept. l4.-When the Hams
trial was resumed in the Circuit Court here
this morning after the Sunday recess the large
court room was crowded to the doors with by
| far the largest audience that has
been in attendance on any day yet 1t
| was realized that the case is rapidly
| drawing to a close, and as the time approaches
when the fate OF one young man is left in the
hands of twelve of his fellow men the interest
in the result increases rapidly. Then large
part Of those on hand today were drawn by a
desire to hear Senator Voorhees, make the closing
address to the jury. 1t was generally supposed
| that this would be one of the ablest efforts of
his life, and the circumstances surrounding his
| appearance on the side of the commonwealth in
! this Virginia town we're such as to lend a far
greater interest to the case.
Mr.. LrPscoMB's ADDRESS.
| The first to address the jury today was Mr..
Lipscomb who has made such a splendid asso-
ciate to the commonwealth and who has for
/ the most part conducted the examinations for
his side throughout the trial.
| He was to be followed by Mr.Joseph Shilling
| ton. Judge Goode and then by Senator Voor-
| hees in the order named. The latter may not
| begin his Grafton until late this afternoon or
| until tomorrow.
The appearance of Senator Voorhees, in the
present trial is. perhaps. the most important
feature in connection with 1t. The Senator's
health is not of the best and it is probable that
nothing but such deep personal In
! terest in the case would ever have
| induced him to take part in the
prosecution of criminal case at this point in
| his careor. He was attached to the young man
| Hannegan, and the sad death of the latter
was a great shock to him. He has said at
| various times during the progress OF the
case that he here, not through
any spirit Of vindictiveness or desire for VEN
geance. but simply to aid in the attempt to
have Justice done the memory of q bright and
promising young man. The fact that he vol
unteered his services with no personal aims to
attain and came all the way from
Indiana to be present here from
has undoubtedly had a great effect with the
people of Hampton who are watching the out
come of the trial. So far he has not had much
of an opportunity to appear conspicuously
in the case and has left the brunt
of the work in tine hands of his
younger associates. He has occupied
a seat at the lawyers desk continually during
the case and has been Of material assistance by
his advice and counsel His appearance an
orator is naturally awaited with the utmost in
terest-
Mr.. LIPscoMB's IMPRESSIVE OPENING.
There was an unusually large number Of
ladies present in the court room this morning
from Hampton well as from Fort Monroe
and the Hygeia Hotel Many were seated in
side the railing and chairs were even placed on
the judges platform fo- their accommodation.
When the case was opened this
morning Mr.. Lipscomb arose and in
solemn, severe tones began with
a phrase that fairly startled his hearers:
Whose sheddeth mans blood by man shall
his blood be she'd" saith the law Of God, and
the same is the law of man and Of an iudignan:
spirit of justice. Yours Is O solemn and sacred
duty, and have failed to see anything Of bur-
lesque in 1this case save what one attorney
for the defense has introduced. We will strip
the mask Of comedy from this case and show
them that Ned Hannegan cannot be slain and
his SLAYER acquitted with a Jest. That man
seemed to forget that his client was in jeopardy,
yes in jeopardy, placed there by the words Of
two good and true men and q noble boy.
You desire, 1 know, to render just verdict
and a fair deliverance make; but what relevancy
to this case has 1t that Mr.. Wise father loved
to linger in Hampton or that Stonewall Jack
son recruited many Of his men from this his
toric town? Nothing; he has but thrown the
Jest book at the coffin Of Ned Hannegan.
This case is too serious for US to listen to the
mocking bird who has sung: Let him go, that man
who tried to clear his client with joke, that
man who loved Hampton SO well that he lives
in New York and only wants to come back when
he dies What place have the cap and bells in
this case? You are hear to try man for his
life. and that's no joke, forsooth. What is the
charge? Murder.
who q the defendant on that charge?
Thornton j. Hams, a man whose very father
admits that he is idler. Who is, or rather
who was the victim? Edward Hannegan. We
have had but little to do with the character
of that noble young man. but from what
has appeared You must know what manner of
man. he was. The only thing that has ever
been spoken against his good name was spoken
by his murderer and by a nomadic negro.
In q case of self-defense it is competent for
the defendant to show that the dead man was a
man of quarelsonle and evil nature. But they
could not have done that had they SO desired.
.Ah, Ned Hannegan they could kill You
but the better part of you they dare not assail.
Gentlemen, if you wish testimonial Of the
character Of the dead young boy seek it in the
tears of the defendants own mother as she sat
in the witness chair and told Of the friendship
the dead boy had for her SON.
Let me paint you q picture of Chesapeake
Bay-not Of the Great Eastern nor OF the
Monitor and the Merrimac. but of a canoe with
the pale face Of dying boy rising above the
gunwale Of the boat as he called for help.
LET me paint you picture OF the man who
shot Ned Hannegan as he scuiled his canoe out
from shore that his victims words might not
be heard.
am as good yirginian as Judge Goode
who lives in Washington with me- or as Capt.
Wise who lives in New York. l was born in
yirginia-but what relevancy has that to the
case in hand? The two young men in
the boat that day were not Virgin
ians and the case is being tried
by foreigners. But the question presented to
YOU is one OF murder and the fact that the prin-
cipals in this are or are not natives OF this
state must have 10 weight in your decision.
Gentlemen Of the jury, Thornton j. Hams
willed to shoot his pistol at Ned HanIegan and
the murder that ensued was willful in that it
was full OF Hains' will. Deliberation does
not need to precede the act by any
particular space Of time and may
be settled upon at the very instant OF the shoot
ing. The instructions the judge has given you
in this cover this question entirely, other
wise you might be in doubt to whether a
murder done SO quickly could be one of malice
and deliberation.
wILLFUL MURDER CLAIMED.
1--WE say this murder was willful malicious and
premeditated, and you, if you believe the tes-
timony of the witnesses, you must also come to
the opinion that the shooting of Ned Hannegan
was q willful, malicious and:premeditated muir
der. Who are these witnesses? Are they
n set Of nameless, wandering imbeciles,
irresponsible and untruthful? We ask you to
believe the story Of Commander Evans, a lame
legged virginian, who hmped upon the wit
ness stand to swear to the truth OF q circum-
stance he saw with his own eyes We ask you
to believe that honore6 sailor OF thirty