Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-12-03
DEFENSE BEGINS
BY SLOWING TBS PREVIOUS GOOD CHARAC-
TER OF WILSON.
The Second Day Of the Wilson Murder Trial
Closes With. SILL a Score Of Witnesses 10
Ee Examined.

In the trial Of William Wilson at St.
Clairsvills yesterday for the murder Of
Police O6cer Murphy, of Martins
Ferry, twenty-three witnesses were ex-
amined aud the dispositions Of twenty
more were read. Nineteen witnesses
for the defense are still on the list and
were notified to appear on Monday
morning. Their examination will
doubtless be completed in time for
the arguments to begin on Monday
evening, OF Tuesday morning at the
farthest.
The State concluded its evidence yes
terday at noon, and enough of the evil
dence for the defense was given to In
dictate, in part at least, the line Of de-
Tense which will be taken. The States
evidence, which was principally from
eve witnesses, was in the main cor
r~oborative. Practically the same story
was told by all the witnesses, to the
effect that Wilson fred the first three
shots,lthe last Of which killed Murphy,
all before he went under the car. By
the evidence for the defense, which is
given below, it is attempted to
prove three things-the previous
good character and reputation Of
Wilson, the p%rovocstion for
the shooting and that his shots were
fired after be got under the car, and
not before, so that from this position
the ball could not have taken the course
the surgeons said it did and that some
one else must have fred the fatal shot.
So much
CONFLICTING TESTIMONY
has been given that more or less doubt
may be entertained by the jury as to the
guilt Of the defendant. The discrep-
ancy in the stories OF the witnesses is
doubtless due TO the excitement which
prevailed at a time when rocks were be-
ing thrown, men dubbed and bullets
were flying through the air.
The wife of the defendant will be
placed on the witness stand on Monday
and it is possible that Wilson himself
may be put upon the stand.
The examination of William watkins,
who was on the stand when the court
adjourned on Friday, was continued on
Yesterday. He said q circus man had
~ III ---.--1 aF-.aa nnA nnNEan him
down; that a general fight ensued. He
then started 20 leave, when Wilson, to
whom he had never spoken, told him to
stay and struck him. Witness returned
Wilson's blow and when he saw Wilson
draw a revslver on him he ran.
David Jones, Of Etnaville, who vas
with Watkins when Wilson struck him,
had also been struck by some q who
was with Wilson, After Wilson shot
witness ran and was again struck by
some one unknown with o club over the
forehead and was Unconscious until after
Wilson was arrested. The assault on
himself and Watkins was entirely IN
provoked.
Oliver Brown, OF Bridgeport, told a
story of the affair differing from those
OF the other witnesses only in the minor
details. He saw Wilson crawl under a
car, revolver in hand, and leave the re-
volver on the ground between the car
aud the freight depot.
Simon Armstrong, who was on the
freight platform while the shooting was
going on, saw a man between the trucks
and the freight platform trying
TO COVER UP HIS REVOLVER
with loose dirt. He did not know the
man.
Charles Downey picked mp the revol-
YER from the ground between the car
wheels and the freight platform. 1t
had three empty chambers and two
loaded ones. He gave IL to Marshal
WestwoOd after he had placed a mark
on IL, by means Of which be Identified
the one In court as the same n he mad
found.
prosecution, and 3 list of "a witnesses
for the defense was read, most of
whom were present ana worn. The
depOsitions Of % persons in Gin
cipnati and i'd Peru, Ind, were
presented by the defense and objected
10 by the State upon the ground that
thew were not the dispositions Of such
persons as are allowed by the statute 70
testify by deposition. The Court ruled
that while the objection might be good
IL was made too late. and that the depO-
sitions could not now be objected 70, so
they were read. They were those Of
persons in Cincinnati aud Peru who
have known the defendant for several
wears and who testify that they have
had very good opportunity to Judge OF
his good character and reputation
FOR PEACE AND QUIETNESS.
His record as shown by those deposit
tions, is that Of a quiet, D~eaceaole citi-
zen, who bears q good name among those
who know bin.
The first effort Of the defense was to