Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-16

prisoner said: "You know asked for the boat
In yoar presence sunday wanted 70 70 over
10 take beo-tree this morning. tnought "
best 10 ask permission again TO use tue
boat. as Mr.. Adam said IL was bis
nephews. I sent Mr.. Wilkinson to ask him
again. We got into the boat snd went
over perfectly safo. sew nothlng wrong
about e at all When VIC got 20 the tree Wilkin.
son saidu Was too largo and they were afraid
there would be somo troaho about it-that they
would have 90 pay for 1. They would not agree
10 cut the tree. When We returned 10 the boat
it seemed 20 be wet about tho bottom and Sides
a. II some one had been throwing It about. |
did not think any harm Of Il, as there was only
about gallon and n hall of water in the boat
We got IN, started across, and had not gotten TAR
whom tho leaking commenced. / felt down I'm
tho water and thought the hole Was big az my
ag; / chucked the net carried into the hole
aud the men batled the water out. They had not
gotten much further when II began 10 come IN
rapidly through the whole bottom The water
gained on them and they stopped balllng and
commenced pulling with their buckets on each
side Of the boat.
ASKED THIN TO BE STILL.
"They worried me 80 I could not bring the
boat across, and ] asked them 10 lie stu and
stop, saying that j would bring them 20 ths
shore safely. They were excited and did not
speak 90 me. As near as can como 20 H. we
were within forty or nfty yards from the shore.
Wilkinson jumped from the boat and Mills fol-
lowed him. Tho skid went down until the water
reachod my breast and then struck of.
hhhE iNuAfA Dfth tttN LbhulAk VI AiA' hA'.if
but tho boat was oobbing up and down, with the
axe-hcivcs sticking sat. 1 crawcd up on the
bank, after slipping back once or twce, and lad
down hlteou or two1iy minutes before cou!d
get any furtbo.. was near gOne.''
Mr. Alloy said Nicholas made the above state
mont % him while no was cut on tho porch. The
prisoners voice was weak and "tremboy.'
DAMAGING PROMISE.
Tho testimony OF Mr. W. B. Pearce was per-
haps the most important Of all the Witnesses.
10 n Eup.lav eVpniug after the drown
lug Mrs. Mills stated in tho presence OF Mr.. Con-
way r. Sands Mr.. William Mills. Sergeant Tom-
linsOu and myself that Mr. Nicholas said TO nor
n she would 1.-Two with him that ne would do away
with Jimmy Mills and take care OF her and
her children. ShC stated that the prisoner had
been intimate with her for over twelve months.
Shc said the above conversation with Nicholas
had taken place a nght or go before the sup
posed murder occurred. The occasion Of their
last Intimacy was about two weeks ago.
Nr. Pcarce said further that Mrs Mills, when
asked by Mr.. sands II she did not got mad when
Nicholas offered % take care OF her and the
children, replied " No, sir: did not
81 can eOlcmnly swear, continued the VIZ
noss, " that have had Mills IN IucGahOe creek
over and over ngain and never could ret him 10
above his waist, for he couldn't swim stroke.
Mr.. Mills came 20 this neighborhoOd from the
Old Woodward place, In GoOchiand county, and
Mr.. Nicholas from between Dover Mills and
ManRkin."
Mrs. Annie America MiUs the wife Of ono Of
the drowned men, was the next witness exam
II ned and her testimony Was OF oecldeoly se1ed-
tioDal character.
Mrs. Mnls Was sick and did motor would not
leave her bei-sO the jury went into her cham
ber and questioned her there. She remained
| covered up 10 her couch IN darkiy-ht corner oi
the room.
She satd Nicholas asked her II she would 50
away and i've with him. She said she didn't
want 10 and wouldn't DO H. whereupon the
prisoner said he would " do something 20 her Old
man" He didn't specify what no intended "a
DO. This conversation took place Tuesday be
fore last two days before tho drowning) atout {
A. NJ. in tho room where the witness was eX-
Rutned. Nicholas had never made such pro-
position % Mrs. Mills before. The witnesE
stated that she had been Intimate with the
accused about three months and that two weeks
agO their relations had assumed very culpa Die
form.
on the morning whom the supposed murder
occurred Nicholas stated he was feeling badly
Mills said: " If you don't 60 10 the bee-tree TO
dev can't 30. WhereupOn the former consented
| Tho accused got back about or 3 o'clock In the
| afternoon, and when tho witness first saw him
| ne was very wei.
Am that can tell, Mrs. Mills IS that they are
! drowned, and IKE 20 hUye destroyed myself IN
irving 10 save them. ! told them 70 stay III
the boat and ] would try ana bring then tS
| the Shore
the witness stated that Nicholas once told hel
| he mad some augers, but she did not know whRi
kind they were.
The last witness examined was Mrs. Nary 9.
Wilkinson. the aged mother Of one OF the unicr'
tunate men. Her evidence, which WAS taken
after midnight, was not Of material importance:
AZ 1870 o'clock this morning the jury rendered
n verdict that the deceased came 10 thelr deatl
from drowning, which was brought about by the
removal OF three COrE-CObs from holes IN the
boat by T.. " Nicholas.