Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-05-12
THE TRIAL OF JEFF. PHILLIPS.

tue corporation SOuTU yesterday ~
cess was taken until o'clock.
Upon reassembling at that hour Or.
Philip S. Roy, of Washington, was
placed on the stand The doctor said
he was native of Fredericksburg, was
graduate of the University OF VIZ
ginia, and previous to obtaining his d.
ploma had been examined by a proper,
medical board of which DIR. Bedford
Brown was member. DIR. Roy SAID
he resided in Washington at present,
and that at one time he was a ward
physician in that city. He made dis
eases of the mind study, and was re-
garded as specialist in that line, hay
ing been accepted as such in the Wag-
ner case in Stafford county and III other
cases. The doctor was requested TO
examine the scar on Phillips's head,
which he did, after which number OF
hypothetical cases were propounded TO
him in regard to the effects OF heredi-
tary disease on the mind. The doctor
said the progeny of persons afflicted
with tuberculosis or phthisis were Oh
ten subject to mental disturbances.
This, he said, was theory recognized
by medical authority, and said it was
fact that persons who had received
wounds on the head at times exhibited
evidence of mental troubles. 1t was
also fact that child whose head was
Injured when it was S or years old or
before the proper cerebral development
had taken place, was likely to expert
ence brain disorders. The cutting OF
the hair. however, had nothing to do
with nourishing or impairing the BRAIN
ANY blow on the head was
likely to effect person mentally.
by disarranging the tissues of that or
gan. In the case of Phillips, if the
statements concerning him be correct,
he would say that if with the seeds OF
phthisis in him his mind overweight
and he suffering from the effects of
poignant grief over family disgrace, his
mind NAV not have been well-balanccd
at the time he shot Smith. Besides, q
man who had himself been shot, who
was filled with terror and was unedu-
Gated might also become irresponsible.
An ignorant man, at any rate, was
more likely to show an cratic nature
on such an occasion than others. Hys-
terra, the doctor said, which was indi-
Gated by the wringing of hands and the
shedding of tears, showed a loss of will
power and of memory. After several
other hypothetical cases had been put
to DR.. Roy and answered, Mr.. Johnson,
for the prosecution, subjected the doc
tor to a close cross-cXamlnatlon. In
answer to the question if Il child lost
will power every time it cried the doc
tor answered in the negative, but said
when seventeen-year-old boy was
seen weeping and wringing his hands
he might be adjudged insane, but not
necessarily.
Richard Cox was placed on the stand
and testified to having met Smith i'll
Washington on the evening preceding
the night of the shooting.
John Bright followed and gave sub
stantially the same evidence he did at
the first trial. He was engaged in
building a fire at the house of q colored
woman named Holmes when Capitola
Crossman received summons from W.
H. Price to appear rs witness at the
first trial. He testified that Cap
itola nut the summons in the
store and said George Smith is
dead can't do him any good, and
will 90 TO court and swear to all the
ID lies can to save my Jeil.
Mr.. Burke, for the defence, objected
to Bright's evidence being received, and
: asked if the witness hadn't been con-
yicted of felony on one occasion.
Mr.. Johnson, for the prosecution, ar,
gued that Bright's evidence was of q
legitimate nature from the fact that he
had never been indicted for perjury.
1t was subsequently decided to allow
him to continue to testify, but the re.
mainder of the time he was on the stand
he was subjected to an unmerciful cross
; examination, during which he was
asked if he occupied the position oi
tiremaker for the colored woman, if he
boarded there, if he lived with the mis-
tress of the house as her husband, if he
were a white man, if the woman was
colored, &c. Much merriment followed
among the spectators during all this,
and the judge threatened to clear the
enclosure if order was not observed.
John Rice followed Bright. He, too,
had heard Capitola Crossman make the
same assertion in regard to the evil
dence she would give when placed on
the stand. Witness is clerk in store
No. 3O2 Queen street. Shortly before
Phillips's first trial this woman had en-
tered the store and purchased some
thing to drink. On her way out she
said. loud enough for everybody to hear
her, that see re Smith was dead and
she was going to court and swear to all
the Cd id lies she couldthink of to
save jeff" Witness said the woman
had been drinking. His cross-examina-
ton was as torturing as that of his pre-
dccessor, save that personalities were
ignored. In reply to questions as TO
whom he told Of the woman's remark.
witness said he couldn't remem-
Der the names Of his audit
ors, but he repeated them to
numbers, among others to several
members of the Young Mems Sodality
Lyceum at their hall.
Philip Weadon was next called, and
testified that on the day before the
shooting George Smith entered his
store and produced q common single
action six-chamber revolver and asked
witness to load it for him. While wit
ness was placing the cartridges in the
weapon the latter joculary remarked,
aWhat are you going to do with this?
not going to shoot anybody" Smith
replied, mo; but you don't know when
YOU may need it." Witness was shown
the pistol Phillips used when he shot