The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-06-29

committed to get some medicine from |
an old colored woman. I never heard |
anything about the murder until in |
formed by negro whom | met on the |
road. / went and told Mr.. Brindle |
about it. | also went over to see the |
woman. A large crowd was present |
and Immediately after / arrived some |
one said that Peter DeGraff did it. l |
turned around and went back to Brin- |
dies.
Several of DeGraff's statements on
the stand confiicted with those he
made to The SENTINEL representa-
tive in the interview at the jail. On
the stand he said that the last time
he saw Ellen Smith was on Saturday
night before the murder. His state
ment at the jail was that he was with
I e on Sunday evening prior to the
killing.
He stated to the court that he had
been Intimately acquainted with Ell
len for three years and went to see
her once and twice week. Said he
supposed they were sweethearts but
were not engaged. He added that he
| loved her though she was a woman of
| bad character.
When asked where he had been
since the murder DeGraff contradict
| ed himself again by saying that he
| had been in and around Mt. Airy all
| Winston about week before
: he left. (He said when interviewed,
! and told, Others that he stayed around
| Winston about one month. Said he
never tried to dodge the officers but
ran to keep them from shooting him.
Said he had no pistol the day she was
| killed; had written notes to the wo-
| man but never wrote any with his
fist; would tell her with his mouth
when and where to meet him. 81
was at home drunk said DeGraff, :"
when the murder occurred. | left
here and went under an assumed
name part Of the time because | was
told the officers were after me and
would kill me-"
When asked if his mother was in
the courtroom DeGraff replied that
she was not: that if there was scan
dial on him he did not want it to be on
| his mother.
After requesting the prisoner to
stand aside. Justice Pegrap addressed
him by saying: Il am placed in an
unpleasant position and would have
gladly surrendered the case to some
one else. / was called upon for a war
rant for your arrest and | gave it.
Now | come here to administer
Justice in my very humble way. 1t
is not for me to say whether or not
you are guilty. While it is an I'M
pleasant duty nevertheless the evil
dence against you warrants me in
holding you, without pail, until the
next term Of the Superior court"
The prisoners cOuntenance changed
! when the court rendered its decision
DeGraff replied that if the court coulC
not say he was guilty he did not see
why it would not allow him to give
bond.
Justice Pegram said: 'sThe Law
don't allow me to do it,
DeGraff was committed back to jail
and all of the witnesses, many o
whom did not testify, were notified tt
attend the next term of court.
Before DeGraff left the court hGus
the reporter asked him if he desired
: to have any statement made in tn
newspapers. lie replied that he haC
nothing II say. When asked abOu
! about his conflicting statements a
,, | to where he had been DeGraff reptile,
! that he had been TO New Mexico bu
: that it was no business OF the court t
! | know where he had been.
DeGratf'S brother came up during
, the conversation and told the prison
er not to tell the newspaper rcpresen
! tatives anything. you have talke'
too much now for yourOw good, sal
; the brother.
n MAN WHO KNOWS DEGRAFF.
t Mr.. y. L. Aldrich, of Mt. Airy, wa
: in Winston this week. He says tina
t DeGraff worked with him at a saw
5 mill near that place, but that h
|: went by the name of II. ID. Hendrick:
G Mr.. Adrich went to the Jail to sc