Evening journal., 1891-02-07
LAID OVER UNTIL MONDAY
JURY IN M'PHERsoN's CASE WILL
THEN BE CHARGED,

When the Superior Court convene
Yesterday afternoon the case Of William
McPherson, who is ch Rrged with attempt
ing to fire the property Of Gaorge w
Bus and Sons Company, was continued
Emanuel 6ooding. who was on the wit
ness stand before the recess continued hi
evidence. Mr.. Emmons tried TO prove b.
this witness that the defendant was II
some respects man of unsound mind, bu
without much success. Charles g Guver
the stenogrGpher, was examined as TO thl
testimony given by Detective Jones q
the preliminary hearing in the Municipa
Coult, but as the witness RENE u bered bu
little OF the testimony and would not b
allowed to read from the notes the testi
mony did not amount 70 much
Henry Scott was examined and swor,
that on one occasion he was in McPher
sons company. They left the yard IN com
pany and when they returned he foune
a hre IL would have been impossibl,
for Mcpherson TO have lighted that FIRE
Robert Brown testified that he was :
blacksmith and examined Mr.. McPher-
sons shop. lie also went to the window
where Mr.. Jones was concealed but could
obtain very imperfect view OF either
shop or shed. James r. Ratlidge testi
ned to an interview which he had with
Detective Jones after the arrest Of Nc
Pherson The detective tsld him. he al
legged, a different story from that which
he told on the witness stand As Mr.
hatlidge did not know mRnv of the exact
words used by Mr.. Jones, Mr.. Davis did
not prosecute long cross examination.
John Stodda-d, assistant foreman In the
paper department Of the Pussy and Jones
Company testified to the infiammability
OF cotton STEPPED in oil and said that
where it was used there was constant
/ danger of spontaneous combustion.
William b. Lea testified that he had
at one tine been employed by the rail-
way company. He saw a number OF
fires at the yard of George W. Bush and
Sons Company during that time, mauy OF
which he believed were caused BY sparks
from the engine
William Z Bfinckley was examined as
to the character of the defendant for
peace and good order, which he said was
good. he had known the defendant all
his life
Samuel Moore knew the defend ant
from infancy and he was a man of good
character
At this point the crowded condition Of
the court room caused the jury to com
plsin Of the heat of the Temperature
Judge COmegys said thst the cont room
was intended for the use OF those having
business there and not for idle and
curious spectators.
Benjamin F. Sheppard testified to the
good character of the defendant.
James NJ. Saith, William Haley, Officer
sherer and Rev. Edwin Long, pastor Of
Greenhill Presbyterian Church, Of which
Mcpherson is member, gave the de-
fendsnt a good character.
Spencer Greenwood, colored, who
pleaded not guilty to the larceny % q
pair Of slippers, yesterday. withdrew
his plea and entered one Of guilty W.
Z. Smalley desired to examine witnesses
as to Greenwood s character, in order
that be might not receive the corporal
punishment, but the court would not
admit il. Subsequently. however. Judge
Ball was allowed 70 give the prisoner g
good trial In consequence the corporal
punishment was RENTED and the pris-
oner sentenced To one month imprison-
ment
The jury in the Mcpherson case was
then discharged until 10 o'clock this
morning.
CoUrs convened this morning at 9.I5
o'clock and proceeded 81 once 10 hear the
case of William Mcpherson. CHARGED
with attempted arson.
Clarence Dillon WAS recalled by the
state 70 contradict a portion Of the testi-
mony given by Enamel Gooding, who
said that on g particular day on which q
fire had been lighted in the yard. he and
Mcpherson had been together all the time
SO that Il would have been impossible for
Mcpherson to have lighted the 6 e. Mr..
Dillon swore that on that day he had bsen
IN the yard watching MePherson's 9 move.
ments and Gooding was not there during
the morning. This was on November 25
Under cross examination by Mr.. Emmons
he admitted that he saw no FIRE on that
daY. but only slim column Of smoke.
This ended the testimony and Judge
Comegys asked the jury whether they
wanted TO be charged and decide the case
to day or let it 60 over until Monday.
They unanimously preferred TO hold it
over until Monday.
Mr.. Emmons then addressed the Jury
for the defendant, BE said that the case
had been involved in mystery and the
testimony instead of lifting this veil of
mystery had only made it the deeper. He
argued that the state had not proved its
case, and called attention to the good
character the defendant had borne. he
spoke about the absence OF a motive and
the confidential relations which had ex.
listed between Mcpherson and his en-
ployers. There was nc positive evidence
to connect this man directly with the
crime Mr.. Jones did not see him. nor
could be have seen hirl, and he tells q
different story now from that which be
told Mr.. Ratledge after the occurrence
The evidence Of Mr.. Jones was that of a
paid Ii cling, and it was not the first time
that an innocent man fell victim to the
criminal zeal and hellish smartness of a
hireling detective.
he characterized the young detective.
Clarence Dillon, as too fresh, and con-
trssted his testimony vita that gf yen bv |
Emanuel Gooding. he said there never |
was a detective from the time Of Judas |
Iscariot who sold his master for thirty 4
pieces Of silver, to that Of Agent Jones. |
whose unsupported testimony ever con
victed msn. 0ne-half of the
detectives were ex criminals and
the other half ought to be in Jail.
''It takes a thief to catch thief" and |
one half of the detectives we're set to
watch the other half, as they could not |
be trusted. Jones he said was failure.
his reputation was at stake, and when
a man Is In such predicament as that
he will arrest the wrong man If he cannot
get the right. He handled the testimony
given By Jones with ungloved hands and
said he was either lying to Mr.. Ratledge
nr ba lied m tho vvttr,ace otauH