Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-15

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pared. forwarded all tho papers, IN
cludinx my explanation. to Mr.. walker.
"Before doing 40 1 had copy OF the let
ter from Colonel Parsons copied ana re-
,aIned this copy. named the papers. w.
closed IN an envelope. to Mr.. Walker on
,he morning OF June 18th. before starting
on my train 20 Clifton Forge. ran UP
one day and down the next.
ASKED FOR PARSONS.
"coming up on Thursday asked at Ma
turaI Bridge II Colonel Parsons was Al
home. and found that he was not.
81 arrived at Clifton Forge at e:3S. ana
after making my daily report OF passen-
gers carried, went 10 the Gladys Inn,
where stay at this end OF my run. !
had been suffering with dyscntery. anu
after supper l went into the bunet anu
told Ned to fix me 8 toddy. He Put In 'hc
water ard sugar. ard ! put In Just what
llauor | wanted. asked Ned II Colonei
Parsons had returned from the North'
and he said no
CARRIED 4 PISTOL.
Captain Goodman said he had carried
n piStol several years. and was ABOUT
10 answer whether such was the custom
with conductors, when objection Was
made, and tilt ensued. The sta'emen'
was gotten in. however. and the witness
continued: Il got up between ana
o'clock next morning. and shaVed as
usual. After dressing j TOOK my pis'oi
from under my pillow, where a'"aSs
kept Il et night. and put II IN my po1n. -.
NV train was 10 leave at $780, ana gov
down stairs a little before Z. put my niue
satchel on the hat-rack. and, going IN the
dining-room. took my seat at the lower
end Of the table TO the right
witness explained the situation eNachy
IN the iury. and went on. Il ordered my
breakfast, and after waiting a minute vi
two I heard some one In the lobby clear
his throat as TO spit and walk over TO-
ward the fireplace.
81 happened to look up. and parity saw
through the door man whom 'ook
to be Colonel Parsons.
.I asked Henry II that was Inc Coio-
no, and being told that II was, l said.
4 hclieve I'll 60 out TO see him. / also
,old Henry the Colonel had written a
very bad letter against me- witness
was stopped from telling what the walter
said to him. 49,,
AFTER waiting few seconds" he con-
,,,,ted 81 got up passed by the outside
of the table, through the dlnlng-room
door. and when ] got in the lobby j saw
Colonel Parsons in the Office. got my
satchel of the hat-rack and TOOK from
II the COPY Of the letter that Mr.. walker
had referred to me.
EXHIBITED THE LETTER.
"As replaced the satchel Colonel Par
ems cone ont Of the office and stood in
tho front Of the porch looking partly out
OF the door and partly on the lawn.
had this exhibiting his typewriter copy
Of the Parsons letter which Mr.. Parrlsh
had handed him) i'm my hand, ana Waiked
up to Colonel Parsons.
"Ue did not seem to see or notice me,
and. more TO attract his attention than
ANYTHING else. put my hand on the
laneI of his coat and said. Colonel, come
ont TO the door: ! have letter l want
Won TO look at. Just before reaching the
front door asked him. Are you the au-
thor Of this letter. ruinous letter which
is not only calculated TO ruin me. but TO
destroy the peace and happiness OF my
familyY
WHAT PARSONS SAID.
The prisoner was now nearing the cli-
max OF mis- story. and deathlike stiffness
prevailed "Wben we got to the door
both of us stepped out" said he. showing
the relative positions at the time OF
himself and the man whose blood ne
soon had upon his hands. "As the Colo
mel stepped down on the porch he turned
and faced me. lie held the letter which
| had handed him up In both hands this
way (showing the position in which Par
sons placed the letter before his eyes,
and then throwing 1t down in front of me,
said: You nor your family were not con-
sidcred'
Tn. Jury were listening intently TO the
prisoners words and Mr.. 1Iansberger re-
quested him TO repeat this retort of
Colonel Parsons.
HE SHOT FIVE TIMES.
"He started 10 come back into the
lobby" witness resumed, when ! raised
my hand in front OF him and said: stop.
you must retract that
"When | said this the Colonel said
'What?' drew back. and put his hand
behind him this way" getting out of the
chair and showing rather excitedly how
Colonel Parsons attempted. as n thought,
to draw MS pistol.
Il expected every second to be shot
down" the witness continued, "and pull
ing my pistol out with my right hand /
put II in my left. with which l always
use IL. and shot five times.
"'The ffth shot. though. was accidental.
| dll not see that any Of the first shots
had hit Colonel Parsons, and he followed
me up.
After the fourth shot he grabbed my
left arm near the wrist with both hands
and called for Mr.. White.
II stopped shooting. but grabbed his
arm VITA my right hand.
II pulled hard to free my left hand
from which / was a fraid he would get
my pistol, and as my hand got nearly
opposite my head the pistol went off.
Colonel Parsons was then going down.
and his head was very near the pistol.
This is the ball that entered Colone
Parsonss head, producing the wound tha'
Dr. Miller. 1t will be remembered, testi'
fled was the immediate cause Of death
though the others would have proved
fatal.
COOL THROUGHOUT.
Continuing his statement. which was
quite long. Captain Goodman said as soor
as the shooting was over he emptied the
cartridges n ar where Parsons lay, anc
not near the ofiice-counter as had beer
stated. He did not know why he broke
his pistol so quickly, except that he was
in the habit of doing this when he usec
the weapon shooting at ducks along 'h'
railroad o- anything.
He got his hat and satched and walked
quietly out Of the door. When Mr.. Mar
tin EXPRESSED sorrow at what had oc
CURED ne maze no reply, but went or
out and down TO the depot. where III
told Colonel Bryant. statlon-master, VIVA
had happened. He die not say, however
as Colonel Bryant has testified, that NJ
"CollGIed Pa'cOns and gave HIM all
had" 81 would not" he added. SAY tina
II | lad shot a brute"
He then got Mr. Johnson to send teie
gram TO the county Sheriff here. sayint
that he surrendered himself and wen
TO the office Of Mayor Davis and gave
himself up.
MAKES CORRECTIONS.
Mr.. Crump here took the witness VI
again. and in reply 10 questions he sai'
he did not snap his pistol at all; tina
unbreeching his pistol TO empty II mus
have been what was heard; that Colone
Bryant was mistaken about what he saiu
He went to Bryants office to have
man sent In his place; that his obJec
| going out 10 see Parsons was not to nav
a difficulty. but TO demand a retracuon
whicn he did not think would be refused
VINDICATION.
1T was my purpose" Captain Gooo
man said. III ne did refuse 10 retract
| 10 20 before the Rockbr dge grand Jur!
and try to have him indicted for crimi
| nal libel"
In .st.lxr 70