Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-03
DID HE SHOOT HIS wIFEs

DID HE SHOOT HIS wIFEs
Second Trial Of william Douglass Cross for
Murder. .---r---r
In the Criminal Court Judge Bradley, the
trial Of William Douglass Gross for the murder
OF his wife, Hattie Cross, on October !, 1855,
vss continued yesterday afternoon. ,- -
Testimony was given for the defense BY L.
y. Clements that IL was white man Who struck
. match and held it TO the decsassd's face.
Mary z. Snowden testified 10 hearing the
pistol shots in Mrs. Turner'S back ysed On The
morning Of the shooting, and AFTER the shoot
ing Hattie's hat was scorchsd on one sides
Emma Hawkins testified that Hattie had .
pistol in April before she was married She
was Jealous, and, showing the pistol, said she
was ready for any one who tried to take Will
from her. She also said if Will didn't do right
after they we're married abe would do sOme-
thing to get them into trouble. ~.
Mrs. Turner was recalled and testified that
Cross was engaged several menthfbefore mar
riage. -u. ..
Dolly Wilson testified that Hattie told her
that VIII was running after some other woman
and she was going to get pistol and protect
herself. She then had an iron coupling pin in
her handkerchief and she wanted something
lighter. Hattie said that she had heard that
Cross was married. but she would marry him II
she lived but two weeks after. Witness heard
drsss and 60 out, that she Hattie would do
something and they would have to bury her,
and in her temper she fell on the door and
foamed at the mouth. -.. ... .,~ .. -..-
Mrs Norbeck identified the dead womau's
bat and said 1t WAS scorched whom she had it.
Mrs Turner had told her that Hattie Was under
the ground and Cross should be there, too.
The testimony Of DR.. ]. b Hamilton vas
read. ..,''.. -. --.r ..- 20.
Mrs Cowsel testified to visiting Cross IN Jail,
and WAS asked il Mrs. Turner did not tell
her that the pistol was kept in Hsttie's drawer,
but the question WAS ruled out.
VIM. IA. Crosse, the aged father of the pris-
oner, testified that Viii came to his house on
the night of the shooting crying, and they
started to Mrs. Turner's. At 9th and streets
the defendant left witness to tell his brother
Andrew, and on his return the defendant was
arrested.
roDAY's TESTIMONY.
The trial was resumed this morning and the
defense called. DR.. Hamilton E. Leach. who
testified that he was present at the autopsy and
the line of the ball was straight through the
head, slightly oblique he thought
Mr.. Shillington offered in evidence Jayne's
almanac for 1889 to show the state Of the moon.
District Attorney Cole objected, stating that
he would like to know, frat, the competency Of
the computer. The primary object was to ad-
vertise pills and he did not know how much
! its astronomical calculations should be relied
upon. CO ...... -.-- -...
The court ruled out the offer and an excep-
ton was noted.
L. F. Clements was recalled and testified that
he was in Cohen's when he heard the shot, and
also heard the cry for help when he reached
| the front.
N. B. Cohen was recalled and testified that
after the shot he heard the cry of help. On
cross-examination Witness said he was quite
certain that Clements was in front when the
shot was fred and he (Clements) had been there
half an hour.
George Fritsh, one of the Jurors in the
former case, was called to testify as to Maier
having sworn he left his place over the Eastern
| branch at 6 oclock. After some discussion il
was admitted that Maier had SO sworn on the
first trial.
Frank Richardson was recalled and testified
that Cross had on derby hat.
derby.
Emma Turner testified that Hattie was about
a head taller than Cross.
W. II. Cross testified that Hattie was consid-
erably taller than his son, and his son standing
back to back with him made the statement ap-
parent.
Rev. John Roberts testified to the measure
| ments and said that from the lamp post to
where Shreves stood was twenty-thre steps.
Mrs. Malvina jackson testified that she lived
in the third house from Mrs. Turner's and saw
Hattie after she was shot and noticed that her
cheek was little rough and scratched, as II it
had been rubbed against something.
Richard Williams of 42S 9Th street south
that he was home when Gross came
back after the shooting; did not hear
Mrs. Turner say to Cross latter he said Hattie
had shot herseh): "You shot her yourself;
you said you would" t"
This closed the defense and the government
COLL aA Nv Ok no AaA a
not see Mr.. Cohen there nor see who struck the
match.
On cross-examinatiol he said Mr.. Cohen
might have been there. Mr.. Richardson tssti-
fed that he did not see Cohen there, but he
might have been there Mr.. OCouneu and
Simmons gave similar testimony.
Edwin Forrest testified that he remembered
| the testimony Of Cohen on the first trial and his
transcription Of his evidence does not show that
he testified to hearing the cry Of ''he!p."
On cross-examination witness said there was
no questions asked as to the cry
Mrs. Turner denied that there was any pistol
firing In her yard that afternoon that she
heard On cross-examination she said she
| never saw the pistol till after they were mar
ried.
Henry H. Turner, the father Of the deceased,
stated be had last punished her three years be-
| fore her death.
HE PICKED UP THE PISTOL.
Henry Nash testified that he was on 7th be-
| tween C street and Maryland avenue the night
| Of the shooting and heard the shot. He went
over there and picked up the pistol On cross
examination he said he did not hear the re-
port distinctly, for two trains were passing
at the time. He did not doubt but Simmons
| found the pistol, for he placed it in the tree
| box and sfterward saw it taken from the patrol
box and given to Officer Henry. He saw Cross
| running and he passed witness, but he did not
| see any one follow him, ..
After recess Jesse Barnes, undertaken, testi-
fed that he buried Hattie Cross and she was
| five and half feet long.
VIM. G. Carroll Of the marshsrs Office pro-
duced the record Of prisoners sentenced con-
| tanning the description of Cross and after an
objection had been overruled he read Eve feet
| four inches.
Mrs. Cowsill was called in surrebuttal by de-
PENDANT and testified that Mrs. Turner told her
| that the drawer in which the pistol was was
| her daughters drawer.
The defendant offered q series Of prayers,
which were under discussion when TIE SrAs' g
| report closed. sl-. s.so... ....0 -,
INSPECTING THE FENCIBIEs.