The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-08-17
MUCH DAMAGING EVIDENCE
Brought Ont by the States Witnesses
Against DeGran.

Brought Ont by the States Witnesses
Against DeGraf.
Few capital cases have come up
in the Superior Court Of Forsyth
county that have attracted more at
tention than the DeGraG trial.
The courthouse Friday and Satur-
day was dcnsely packed with white
and colorcd humanity-and everybody
was anxious TO hear every word that
fell from the lip, Of the witnesses, as
well as every question propounded by
the lawyers
Kennie Rose was the first States
witness. He said that Ellen Smith
was working at his house at the time
Of the murder. He saw her after
the crime was committed. She bad on
dark calico skirt and light waist ::
body was lying straight with the
head toward the North and feet To-
ward the South: the wound showed
that the bullet entered the left and
came out on the right size; one could
sec both sears as the dead woman was
lying: the girl WAS not bright intel
ltctually: she was a good hand to
work but did not have good sense. /
know Peter DcGraff but don't remem-
Der seeing him near my house more
than once. Ellen Smith bought an
umbrella from me the week before she
was killed Witness held the UNI
brella in his hand which he claimed
TO have sold to the deceased.
W. J. Hudson was the next witness
lie said: ~ conduct a small gro
Gerry store on Old Town street: knew
Ellen Smith: she came to my place Of
business last year: know DeGraff: he
brought Ellen, whom he called his
girl, to my store: lie told me to get
what the lady wanted and he would
pay for it. He asked me if | would
let the lady have what she wanted
through the week if he would pay me
on Saturday night: / told him |
would; Ellen came and bought a few
things which DeGFatT paid for: | saw
a cOlorcG man, whose name | cannot
now cali. write a letter for Ellen to
Peter: DcGraif came to my store and
requested me not to let Ellen have
anything else on his (De'rratIsl res
nOnsibiIity. / told him | would not
Peter asked mc ii | thought Ellen
cared much for him: Peter said once
that he did not think as much Of hef'
as she thought lie did; that if She did
not quit following him around 50
much he would slap her down: ! did
not see them together many times:
saw her have umbrella; it was a black
One.n
Cross examined, tile witness said:
''rhere are a great many umbrellas; |
see some red. some white, some blue
and great many black ones. When
DeGrafT and Ellen were in my store
they were very friendly. lie laugh
ingiy said once that he would slap her
down Dent know that | ever saw
them together after that"
.. II. Hudson said: II live in
Salem: know DcGTaf; have known
him for about six years: knew Ellen
Smith about twelve months before
her death: saw her and Peter tOgeth-
er in my brothers store: | had one
conversation with Peter about Ellen
about three or four weeks before her
death; he said she was not his girl
anymore; that she was going around
talking about him: said he would get
even with her; that if she didn't quit
talking about him he would shoot her
heart cut; said he took his girl up to
her mothers; that she was in delicate
condition and that her mother
wanted him to marry her. Peter
said he had not decided what he would
do about it,"
Cross-cxamined: mo name call
| ed as | recollect in our conversation:
| Peter did not seem to be mad or brag-
| ging when he said he would shoot his
| girls heart out This was three or
| four weeks before the MURDER
j. W. Holstein; Live about 81
| miles west of Winston; known De
| Graft several years: also knew Ellen
| Smith; DeGraff talked to me about
| her: she would enquire about MIN; he
| was staying at Pitts bar-rOOm; he
would ask if / saw her occasionally; |
think | carried note for her to him
once. / know where HaneS' spring is:
| never saw them anywhere. that
know of, except at Pitts; | expect
saw them together there at least
twenty five times"
Albert Van Eaton, cOlOred: 81
| know DeGraff; knew Ellen Smith:
wrote a note for her toshim; she :sent
him two pears and little book; this
was ON Saturday before the murder
on Wednesday: | live in first house
this side of Atwood creek. DeGrafl
called me to go with him to the
spring and take drink of whiskey;
he said his girl had gone back on him
and he was going to shoot her d
heart out; he had Two pistols in his
pockets: DeGraff said he pulled cut
his pistol that day to shoot her, bui
she did not believe lie would do it
! and ne didn't. | told him not to dc
it, that he was ia enough trouble
now"
Cross-examined: 'sEllen said in ttt
! note sent DeGraff, with pears ant
book, for ilim not TO be mad with her
did not think DeGraff was drunk: dit
not think he meant it when he sai;
he wodld shoot her. ne is right smar
OF a Dul1-dozer.N
Dr. Dalton: 81 was county Dhysi
clan last year; I was asked to go ant
! egamiae the body OF Ellen Smith i
; the woods northeast of the hotel
found dead body Of woman: she wa
lying on back with head uphill, llat
hole, in 0nesu, wound made by farg
pistol ball; pistol must have bee
) right at her left side when it was III
: ed, as the skin was burnt by the pow
J | DER; the ball penetrated back of th
heart, cutting the large hlood-Yesse
: that furnishes all the blood in lowe
Z body; death was caused l think, froI
!, | a hemorrhage.o
Cross-examined: "Rody was lyin
! Z straight; held post mortem examini
2 tion.n
: Mrs. McCanless; II live in Saler
now; lived on Hanes' farm at time q
!, murder; think murder was committe
on Wednesday: was coming to tow