Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-30

ness went on TO describe all the houses
around the corner and the occupants dur
ing a period from the spring OF lssz 10
1855.
NO LENA SINGLETON.
Witness was asked II he had ever heard
OF woman named Lena Singleton. lie
said that he had heard the name. but
that no such woman ever occupied one
of these houses In this neighborhood'
Exclusive OF the one corner .here was
no house on Upper street south or Third
occupied by a white person.
Mr. Stoll wanted to know what was
the bearing on this question, and Mr.
Farrell. who was conduc ting the exami-
nation. stated that is was because the
witness for the defence, Brand. had
stated that Lena Singleton, white wo-
man. had kept house here. Continuing,
the witness said that none OF the houses
he had indicated had been occupied by
any woman named Singleton since 1852.
Benckart was cross-examined by Mr..
Stol who tried TO show that his brothers
place was a disorderly one. but this the
witness denied. He said that he Kept
bar for his bro ther, and was a sort OF
man-of -all-work about the place. lie
knew the character OF the various places
around his corner. and was asked whether
fdnllc ArnOlQ > mousse was uoN '4iN Va
bad repute. Mr.. Wilson said that the
defence had tried to prove that Lena
Singleton kept house in this neishbor-
hood, and they were proving that such
was not the case Ii made no difference
what sort OF house the Arnold woman
kept The question was finally allowed,
and the witness answered that he did
not know
Mr.. Stoll tried to show on cross-eXami-
nation that Lena Singleton might nave
been an occupant OF one OF these houses
without his knowing It. but ne thouBht
this was hardly possible. Mr.. StoH saiu
that all they had proved was thdt Lena
had been In one of these houses, but he
was reminded by the lawyers for the
plaintin that his deponent, John Brand,
had testified that she kept house near
Third and Upper streets.
The witness was asked whether he had
ever been indicted In Fayette county, but
he was not compelled 10 answer the ques-
tiOn. As 70 Lena Singleton, he had never
seen her, and would not know her II ne
should see her. Near this corner there
was big lawn, known as the college
lawn. on which was located the Unlver-
sty OF Kentucky.
Benckart stated that he had been IN
Washington for a week.
First time you've ever been here"
"Nes. sir"
How did you happen to come
eve sent for him" remarked Mr.. Will
son.
Let the witness answer please said
Mr. Stoll.
"Its Just Ike the case Of Mr.. Rozell "
:. 4 Mr. Farrell sOtto yoce.
-, was sent for said the witness.
How"
"Mr. Farrell telegraphed for me. and
sent IL 70 MIR. Ernest Ellis"
Mr. Stoll tried to show that this man
Ellis was a bad character and kept a
"nigger grocery" lie also wanted to
prove that the witness had been in con-
sultation with the lawyers for the plain
tiff since he had been here, but Mr. VIII
| son objected TO this as inconsequential,
at least. The witness said that he had
| couvorsed several times with Mr.. Farrell
Il don't see that that is relevant 20 this
! case" was Judge Bradley's comment. II
seems 10 me that a lawyer who places a
witness on the stand without having talk
| ed with him rs to his testimony IS guilty
| Of neglect of duty"
] On redirect examination BY Mr.. Farrell
the witness said that Mr. Ellis, who had
been referred 10 by Mr. Stoll as keepine
a "nigger grocery" had been appointe.
and was now a police commissioner OF
| Lexington.
appointed since lcft?" asked Mr.
| Stoll.
yes" said Mr. Farrell. they actually
| had the tomerity TO make an appointmon
| while you were away" said Mr.. Farrell
The witness was also examined furthc
as to the location Of the college buildings
STEVEN DUNN (COLOnED).
Steven Dunn. OF Lexington colored
| referred to i'm the testimony Of the PR
| ceding witness. WAS next called 70 IN
stand. and examined by Mr.. Farrell. II
said he had lived in Lexington since 1S,j
! He was i'm the furniture business on Vim
! street. but had resided at lG2 north Gppe
| street ever since 1870 The diagram
! shown 10 Berckart representing the neigh
borhood Of Third and Upper streets wa
! shown to the witness. and he testified &
| the various persons occupying house
| there. Matt Benckart who owned tn
| northeast corner, he said. was a membe
Of the City Council. The witness wa
examined to show his familiarity wit
the neighborhood, and then asked whethe
any person named Lena Singleton ha
lived there. occupied and run a hous
there, and he said no such person ha
lived there. He said he knew eyerybod
in the neighborhood. and had never know
a woman named Singleton.
on. ss-eXamination Dunn said that h
was a hard-working man, and was by n
means n sporting character" Had bee
In a number OF these houses a number q
times. though on business. selling furn
ture. etc He did not know everybody i
all these houses, but he did know wh
kept them all in 1883. Witrcss said h
had never heard OF tho name Of Len
Singleton. The only Singleton he eve
heard Of was named Maria. He was cor
hdent that no such person kept "A hous
IN Upper street in 1852. though. Of cOurs.
there might have been a woman who's
name was really Lena Singleton. VIII
WAS known by some other name.
Dunn said that he. too. was telegraphe
for by Mr. Farrell. through Mr.. Ellis VIII
kept grocery with a bar-room il
the rear" This nelghborhoOd used 10 b
a bad one, and there were number o
improper houses about. Taking a pan
ticular house the wi tness gave the name
of all the occupants from 1852 10 l&'
when the grand jury cleaned out IN
neighborhOOd. Witness was one Of thOs
who signed the petition TO the author
ties asking that proceedings be take
against these people. The principal rea
son for his moral awakening. he thought
was the proximity of the college lawn.
But isn't It fact" asked Mr.. Stol
that the college lawn has been ther
since lS20?'
"Yes; and for all I know. those VIC
men might have been there since ls9
too"
"Ah, that's what l thought"
Speaking Of another house. the wltnes
spoke Of il as an eating house, but tn
witness has a heavy mustache, whic
made his voice sound little thick. MI
Stoll understood him to say that IL eva
not what you would call a meeting
! house"
Now. wasn't 1t really a meeting -hous,
where men and women meetg' aske
Mr.. Stoll.
II said an eating house"
"Ahr
The witness then went on TO give a
length the character OF the neighborhooc
OF the various houses, and Of the variou
occupants OF the various houses alon
about 1888, but II made IL all the NOR
clear that the witness had never know
OF a woman named Singleton as liyin
in his neighborhood.
MRS. WILLIAM J. MILLER.
| Mr.. Stoll announced at the conclusion q
Dunns story that no would read the dt
1 - Al