Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-11
TRIED FOR HIS LIFE.
uoee,s HOPKINS CHARGED WITH THE
MURDER OF Mr.. PARSONS.
a N,r,,,.r M witnesses Testify NJ tn the
Fatal How Dealt by the negro
with Heavy stick.

r,. County Court. Judge wickham pre-
siding was engaged In hearing evidence
Yesterday in the case Of Morris Hopkins
charged with the murder OF Air. henry D.
Parsons.
Mr. Parsons was manager or HOOKER
a. Phillips's brIck-yard In the "est-1hu'
and ON the 7th OF June last the PRISONER
after LAYING In walt for him for some
tIo5c, struck him on the head Win
stick. The injured man nnSereh uh'il
June 9th, and died from the enects Oh
the blow
The following is the jury In the case'
G. III. Jenkins, ". T. Johnson Jon"
Archer. Lydall Bowles. c. Il. Fourquean'
John NJ King, James T.. Heath. IL. a.
Fletcher, james Eubank. Messy Warriner'
-. l.. Henley and w 7. Larus.
Messrs. ". NJ. Justis, Hay T. Garrett
G. w. Thomas. and Henry a. Atkinson
Jr. represented the accused. and MI
II NJ. Smith. Jr, appeared as associate
counsel for the prosecution. having been
employed by the order Of Red Men Oh
which order the dead man was member
to assist Mr.. Sands.
THE FATAL WOUND.
Dr. T. J. Moseley. one OF the physicians
who attended the wounded man. was
first put on the stand by the prosecution
He testified that he found Mr.. Parsons
suffering from conclusion OF the brain'
and after treating the wounded man for
about two weeks he found that an opera
ton was necessary With the assistance
Of several other physicians. he attempted
the operation June 18th. The operation
was not successful. and the patient died
the next day. The physician testified that
the conclusion of Mr. Parsons's brain was
caused by depressed fracture of the
skull, and that the skull was very much
shattered. Several small pieces Of the
skull were exhibited by him, as having
been removed from Mr.. Parsonss head.
TO KNOCK HIS BRAINS OUT
Mr.. Samuel Cornett, who was employed
at the brick-yard In the capacity Of engi-
neer testified that Hopkins came into
the engine-room on the afternoon on which
Mr. Parsons was struck, and told him
that he was going to knock MIR. ParsOns's
- brains out. Witness saw the
prisoner following the murdered man
about with the stick in his hand, but did
not see the blow struck. He reached
Mn Parsons shortly after he had been
struck, and bathed his head. Witness,
when shown the stick which was pro-
duced at the Coroner's inquest, and with
which II is claimed that Mr.. Parsons
was hit, Identified 1t AS having been held
by the accused while in conversation with
him.
Drs. Hugh NJ. Taylor and Edward Nc
CURE substantiated what had been stated
by DR.. Moseley.
Mr.. Hooker. one OF the propretors Of
the brick-yard in which the homicide oc-
CURED, testified that Mr.. Parsons was
foreman Of his brick-yard. but h. could
throw no light on the alleged murder
Robert Mo- ocolored) met Hopkins
near the New res-rvoir on the morning Of
the day OF the homicide, and Morris told
him that he was going TO the brick-yard
to collect money that he claimed was due
him. He had n stick i'm his hand like that
one pointing at the stick laying on the
Attorneys table,. and said that If he did
not get his money there was going TO
be some killing up done. Under cross
examination the witness withdrew the
word killing" substantiating therefor
the word "crippling" He heard of Mr.
Parsons having been struck the next day
succeeding his interview with Hopkins
David Gillian worked at the brick-yard.
and heard Il conversation between Hop
kins and Mr.. Parsons on the afternoon
Of the 7th OF June, i'm which the prisoner
cursed and threatened to knock Mr.. Par
sonss brains out. He did not recall
having seen a stick in the prisoners
hand.
Upon the conclusion of Gillam's testi-
mony the court adjourned over until to-
day.
LUNACY CASE.
The case OF Marcellus Thomas. who was
arrested Sunday by Constable 4. c.
Mosby, charged with being Of unsound
mind. was heard before a commission of
lunacy composed of Messrs. Darracott,
Tyler, and Lewis. The case was continued
until next Wednesday.