Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-12
Nearly All Of the Material Testi-
mony for Prosecution In.
LINZ OF DEFENCE NOT DISCLOSED,
Purposes n the Counsel on Both Sides
In This Great Case.
WITNESSES WITH BAD MEMORIES.
Vvo~..r of Uncertain Ages. who Did Not
Know the Seasons-The Common
veaith's Case No Stronger.

fs,nr correspondence OF the Dispatch)
CONVICTION. VA, August 1.-THE
Goodman murder case VIII hardy
reach the jury before next Thurs
day at the earliest, and II may be even
a day or two later. The Commonwealth
has not yet finished the examination OF
Its witnesses. 10 which more than three
whole DAYS Of seven hours each have
been devoted, and in addition TO the de-
fence proper there will be good deai
of rebuttai evidence. 1t Is believed tna'
about all of the material testimony Tor
the prosecution had been gotten IN wheh
s-Attorney Allen moved 10
adjourn early this afternoon because
they were not then ready to put on GER
tain Of their witnesses. and that what Is
20 come on Monday will be simply cor
roborative. rs much OF that introduced TO-
day was designed TO be.
NO LINE OF DEFENCE YET.
The defence expects to have the case
turned over to them Monday afternoon
and they viii then begin TO show the'r
hand. the makeup of which has not yet
BEEN disclosed to any considerable ex-
tent. just what line they will follow has
not been fully determined upon. and VIII
not be until II Is their time TO play
Messrs. Parrish and Crump. In convsrsa-
ton with the Dispatch correspondent this
evening. said they had not decided
whether they will make their client their
first or last witness. He will certainly
- lodi "
cy and Of the circumstances that leo up
10 the killing OF Colonel Parsons This
statement IS looked forward TO as the
most interesting feature yet TO come ex-
cept the verdict OF the Jury. which a.
Indicated. can hardly be expected until
near the end OF another week. The de-
fence will almost ccrtaiply introduce tesli-
mony 10 try and impesch several of the
witnesses who testified with reference to
the alleged improper advances to Mrs.
Staples
The chances are that none OF the mem
bars Of Colonel Parsonss family Will
testify.
THE PARSONS WITNESSES.
Miss Dodge. a member OF the bereaved
household. was put on The stand ms
evening. but the Court would not permit
the prosecution 10 follow the desired line
Of questioning her. and she was soon
taken OF Mrs. Parsons. who is n very
nervous and excitable lady. has been so
much indsposed ever since being sum-
moned that she will not be brought here
at all. Misses Maud and Gretchen Par
sons have been at the Inteimont since
Thursday morning but they have not
been TO the court hOuse at all. Messrs.
Allen and Craig have visited them at
the hotel Judge LOOMS and Mr. Letchcr
are on hand TO advise with the prosecu-
ton as TO what steps TO take. All or
the testimony taken to-day was in the
line Of that heard yesterday, with re-
ference to tho prisoners alleged improper
advances to Mrs Staples. y stranger in
the court roam would hardly have known
that II wes a murder case under trial
There we're only occasional illusions to
the killing, The object on the one hand
being TO establish a motive for the taking
Of Parsons's life, hnd on the other to
break down this attempt OF the Common
wealth The cross-eXamination was OK
ceedingiy rigid.
4 POINT CLEARED Up.
]. A. Staples. the Springwood section
master. 10 whose wife Captain Goodman
f. alleged TO have made improper al
vances at different times when she was
Messenger on his train, was recalled
by the Commonwealth upon the opening
OF court. The object of the prosecution
I'm further examining this witness three
hours was TO clear up an involved part
Of the testimony Of his wife, from which
DAMAGING conclusions might have been
drawn. Mrs. Staples had said upon cross
examination that she had been married.
she thought. between ten and twelve
years and that the age Of her Oldest
child was, as well as she could Say. about
II years. Staples stated that he and Miss
Rhodes were married at the home of her
father. I'm Rockbridge county. In January
or February. lSS2, and that Lucien, their
Oldest child. was born in May, 1884
Bertha, Naomi. and Richard are about
s. 6. and years. respectively. Witness
said his wife was only about IL or IL
when married.
AMUSING TESTIMONY.
The other witnesses examined In Tho
forenoon were Mrs. Kate Peggins (net
Phelps. who was referred to In Good
mans letter as the woman of bad char
acter, whom he put OFF his train: her
younger sister. Corrie Phelps and the
mother Of the two Mrs Signosa Phelps
who is a sister Of Staples. Bad memory
and an utter lack of acquaintance with
figures were the pronounced features OF
their testimony. which was so conflicting
at times as TO be highly amusing. one OF
the sisters contradicted the other directly
on several points. and their evidence
while bearing out the story of Mrs. sta
pies In the MAN. differed from hers ma
terlally in certain conspicuous details.
Mrs Peggins was the best witness OF
the three She said she moved 10 Chiffon
Forge November 10. 1893. she was positive
a. TO the date. from Saltpetre Cave. WHO'RE
she had resided with her mothers family
for year She admitted writlus ore
letter 10 Captain Goodman for Mrs
Staples. but never wrote but one. She did
not remember the contents of this epistle.
which. she thought, was written in Oc-
tol,er. 1871. She only knew Goodman by
sight.
There amt no brakeman ever paid
my fare: | always bought my ticket,
quickly answered Mrs. Peggins. when Mr..
Craig read the clause in Goodman's let.
ter. wherein he stated that he was about
10 put Miss Phelps now Mrs. Peggins)
OF when his brakeman offered TO pay her
fare. Mrs. Goodman. who is unwaver
ing in her tender devotion TO her hus
band. looked the witness full in the face
with most significant expression In hei
sharp. piercing eyes.
AS TO FAMILY MATTERS.
Being cross-examined by Mr.. Parrish
Mrs. Peggins said her husband, who is a
work In Charleston, W. Va, has not lef
her. and never threatened to take hel
cf Id away. lie WAS TO see her In May
ness said she received one note from
Goodman about Mrs. Staples. but the
signature did not bear his initials. Sht
was not acquainted with the Conductor,
handwriting. and was, therefore. not al
lowed TO tell the contents OF this letter
Mr.. crump having raised objection to 1t
She admitted having said. and reiterated
on the stand. that Goodman, on who's,
train she had ridden frequently. Away,
conducted himself as a perfect gentleman
Mr. Anderson attempted 10 elicit from tn,
witness a confession that she had con
suited counsel with reference to her hus
bands attempting TO obtain the custod,
OF their child. but the judge ruled ou
the question bearing on this point Mrs
feggins said she went TO Cliftor
year or more before her mother an(
sisters.
MISS CORRIE'S AGE.
Miss Corris Phelps followed her olde
sister In the witness chair. and Mr.
Crump, In his skilful cross-examination
kept her there for good while Sh,
.sx.le