The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-02


der case convened Yesterday afternoon
promptly at ) o'clock, and tho taking OF
testimony was at once proceeded with,
but not before Foreman Il. w. Miller
took the sense of the jury Us to the adj
visibility of clearing the room of the
idle and the curious, which that body
decided TO do.
j. H. Yates vas the first witness
called, and again it was developed that
material witness had been heretofore
overlooked. Mr.. Yates father is now
having erected two houses opposite the
scene of the murder, and they are the
new houses referred to in the tcstim ony
Of the various witnesses.
Witness WAS at the now buildings
about twenty minutes past six O'Clock,
in the evening OF the 22nd; came to
them from the rear side; us no an
preached the houses he saw negro
come up tho alley from toward Rorer
avenue; he WIS yellow man, of
medium height; he had q moustachc;
wore, he thought, Il slouch hat apd short
oVcrcoaL; thought he might recognize
the man If he SAW him again; the man
went into the alley bacl. Of Dr.. Gray's,
between Rorcr avenue and Campbell
street Witness got some k:ndling wood
from the houses and rcturrrd home:
after some twenty or twenty-five min
utcs hc returned 10 the houses for more
wood; thls time he saw two negroes in
the house he was in; was positive one Of
the men was the negro he lad previously
q H. l,
him, for wood, and paid 10 particular
attention TO them.
Witness let the house in .ho posses
sion OF tho two men and went hcmc;
later heard cf the assault npon sir
Massic, but even then did not connect
that circumstance with the men lurking
al olt the new house. The next morn
ing he visited the scene and picked up
Il stone on the sidewalk. which was. as
he thought. ii color, with blood stains:
the Stone was not covered with snow,
which was conclusive proof to his mind
That 1T had been carried there; he did
not preserve the stone 1T that time, but
laid it beside the sidewalk; was positive
1t had blood stains on it; did not think
IL of sufficient Importance to preserve,
nor did no connect it with tho Massic
affair Dug the STONE up out Of the
snow on Saturday last from where he
had placed it the Tuesday previous and
turned it over TO the pS:ce.
Mr.. Yates described Il SHED which
stands IN the rear OF the houses, in
which one Marshall Hale and his wife
live; thought these parties had seen the
men he saw in tho building; the men
remained in tbs building whilo he gath
cred wood; was almost positive he
would IT cognizc one or both of the par
tics should he see them again.
Marshall Hale, Il sh cig-hcadcd. be-
whiskcred, homes. looking old darkcy,
was next called, and Air. Miller in
formed him that he WAS then before the
highest legal body Of any State,
and that tho questions then pro.
pounded TO him should br answered
with becoming gravity. Hale knew
nothing, which fact was speedily ascer-
tanned, and he was told to 90.
Sarah lIaic. his wife, a small. black
woman OF cunning features and expires
sion, who lives in tho shed back OF the
new houses, was next called and exam
ined. She left behipd her the decided
impression that sho knew more than she
told. Witness was preparing supper
when She heard the cry OF murder; went
to the door, but saw no ono, although
she heard soma one running; she did
not see any one around the now houses
between six and seven on the fatal
evening; there was no ono in her II ouse
that night out John Sattcriicld, Il small
child and her husband.
Carrie Cruise, Mrs. liogc's nurse girl;
Lavinia Hawkins. and Lizzie Cook, were
called in turn, but nothing relating to
the case was elected.
Addio Cook, u nine-ycar-cld child. was
examined, butshc knew nothing beyond
hearing the cries.
John Satteriield, who boards with tho
Hales in the shed mentioned, testified
in substance as Mrs. Halo had done, but
it was thought he was also holding
son ching back.
John l.. Armstrong, young white
newsboy, was then called. 4 rubber
shoe was then produced and witness
asked he had ever seen il before sand
he had he found it in front of the new
buildings the morning after Christmas
it was covered up with the snow which
fell Christmas day, but was sticking in
the snow; the toe was pointed down. and
looked as ii it had been lost while run
ming; it was pointed i'll the direction OF
the new houses, between the middle OF
the street and the sidewalk, just oppo-
site point where Mr.. Massio was as
saultcd.
j. II. Blackwell, assistant clerk of
the market, was next called. At $40
On the evening OF the 80 ultimo he was
walking past Mr.. Body's gate on Salem
avenue; fixed the time almost to the
minute by other circumstances; saw
Albert Smith at the gate, Smith was ON
horseback driving Il COW; spoke to Smith
who replied. just i'll front Of witness,
coming east, was = yellow negro; as the
witness passed the gate, and after the
advancing negro had passed witness,