The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-08-18

DUNFoRD ON TRIAL.
The Gases of Watkins and
Shepherd Continued.
ROANOKE TINES BUREAU,
HOTEL LUCERNE, SALEM, VA.

the courtroom early yesterday morning
as usual dandily dressed and apparently
rather nervous. His oounsels, Pugh and
Moffett, wero soon by his side, and
moved continuance, which was op.
posed by Commonwealth Attorney w.
w. Ballard. Mr.. Pugh stated that he
had only been employed as counsel in
the case last Thursday and had not been
able to get ready for trial. Although
he had spent Friday, Saturday and he
regretted to say a part of Sunday on the
case.
In opposing the continuance Major
Ballard said lawyer was always sup
posed to be ready. He never heard of a
lawyer wanted to look over his law
books. 81 never made any such state
ment," said Mr.. Pugh. "Have you a
witness?" asked Major Ballard. 81
have" Where does he live?" q
don't propose to discourse" answered
Mr.. Pugh with spirit. After more spar
ring on the part of the opposing counsel.
Judge Griffin decided to grant con-
tinuance till the Septem Der OF court.
Shepherd was brought into court.
When Maj Ballard was asked if he was
ready for trial he said the main witness
for the prosecution had deliberately and
wilfully absented himself from court.
He alluded TO Clarence Il. Strouse. who
had gone from here to the Greer
brier White, and from there to Ken
lucky to invest in fast horses. He had
sent him summons enclosed in q letter
to the Greenbrier White. The com
monwealth asked for continuance, but
his honor ordered that it be left open
till later in the session, in case CT the
appearance Of Mr.. Strouse.
The caseof the commonwealth against
Joe Bracket, colored. has been on the
docket ever since the first of the
year. Bracke tt was charged with shoot
ing Granville Hairston, colored after
negro festival, at the house Of Israel
Meadows, colorcd. At the time he was
accompanied by Arthur Johnson, the
visit being, in fact. made by Johnson to
get satisfaction from Granville Hair
ston for making a pass at Johnson's
wife while the festival was raging. In
the melee which followed the alterca-
ton between Hairston and johnson,
Hairston was shot in the face, the ball
ploughing around the left side OF his
face. Some of the witnesses attributed
the shooting to Bracket, 4 few to John
son. W. NJ. Montgomery represented
the defense. The jury found Bracket
not guilty.
The next case called was that OF the
Commonwealth VS.. John II Dunford,
charged with the murder Of Eta Griggs,
the fifteen months old child Of his wife,
Ella Dunford The child was born be-
fore Dunford married Ella Griggs. The
Indictment charged that on the second
day of July Eta Griggs, after an illness
~ lie Il id frNr hn of
severe chastisemeDt.
J. w. Barnett of Montgomery county.
said that on tho Fourth of July he was
called to the house of Glen Maxey to
examine The body Of Eta Ciriggs. 1t was
taken out of its coffin and had the marks
Of severe whipping on its body IL
sc emed to have been whipped all over
the body and there was also q small,
bruise near the temple and another on
the back OF the head Stripes thicker
than the checks there (pointing to his
checked pantsl. The child had been
dead at the time ono and q half or two
days.
he had Como to Maxey's with Mcssrs.
Northcross, Kirkwood and Col. Dyerle,
and fingered in the evening after they
had left the house. As he was finally
departing he overlook Mr. Griggs, a
ford why he ran way and he answered,
because he got scared when the inquest
was ordered. Eic acknowledged whip.
ping the child. On cross-examination,
Mr.. Barnet said, 81 asked Dunford If he
whipped the child TO death, and he said
Mo- Z"
Mr.. Kirkwood, one of the coroner's
jury, corroborated Mr.. Barnett James
&. Griggs, the brother of Ella Dunford,
said that the chield died on Eli Funk's
place On Bent Mountain, where Dunford
was living, and was carried after it's
death in its coffin before rider on the
horn Of a saddle, over the mountain
path to Glenn Maxey's place, where the
inquest was held.
Griggs said he arrested Dunford, when
the latter came to his (Griggs) house.
lie told Dunford in the yard that Special
Officer Northcross, Of ElliSton, had
authorized his arrest, whereupon Dun
ford attempted to run. when he (Griggs)
picked up rock, which seemed to con
vert Dunford to submission ~ then
took him TO Mr.. Dyerle's. lie had
always treated the child gently while
they were together at my house. ! have
seen Dunford hold npa switch before il.
when it was fretful, and it stopped cry
ing. 1t seemed to be afraid of IJunfnrd.
John Ii. Northcross, constable, testified.
He had taken charge of Dunford after
Griggs arrested him. He asked Dun
ford why he had threatened to white
wash the walls with his wife's brains
if she interfercd with him while he was
correcting her child. That he had so
threatened was testified before the
coroner's jury.
Dunford maintained that he never
would havo thought of saying or doing
so impossible thing. Other witnesses
testified Tn thn hind, u,;,l initial