The Washington times., 1895-06-29
BACKED UP BY HIS WIFE
Mrs. Williams Strongly Support
ed Burglar BilIy's Story.
LAWYERS DIDN'T SHAKE HER
She Told That the Accused Came to
See Her Husband the Day After
the Robbery Cartridges Found I'm
Desmond's sftchel Identified-Tes-
timony For sthe Prosecution.

District Attorney Birney introduced tes-
timony yesterday corroborative OF Billy"
| Williams story of5the Washington Steam
| boat Company burglary on April / last.
| Mr.. Lipscomb, for che defense, gave an
| intimation of a scoring he has in store
| for the prosecution for introducing the
| testimony of an Infamous criminal and
| letting hin escape punishment in return
| for it. 80
MIS-. Martha Williams, .'Biily's" wife,
| told what she knew about Auffort, and
under Attorney Liscombs cross-fire of
| questions, in such a way as TO win adj
miration and show there is no reason for
her husbands efforts to reform. Her testi-
| mony, without reference To the facts she
| could tell was strong card for the prose
| cution.-4 fzga -
! Williams himself took the stand at the
| opening of court. He said he had not been
promised escape from prosecution il he
would confess He had been told however,
that he would get witness fees. He-ticnied
that he had Offered Johnson, a coiored
prisoner $25 to get Auffort to confess.
AFTER WILLIAMS CONFESSION.
Mr.. Lipsconb asked Mr. Birney to al
low him to see copy OF Williams confes-
sion, but Mr. Birney would not even admit
that there is ia existence a written state
ment by Williams.
Judge Cole declined to compel the Dis
trict attorney To show any papers in con-
nection with the confession, and Mr. Lips
comb declared he would have them by due
legal process.
b. F Gibson and Mrs Lucy Bell, of
Orange Courthouse Va, testified that they
saw Auffort at different places in Orange
county soon after the robbery. Gibson got
three SO gold pieces from him, and Mrs
Bell saw a So and a $50 gold piece in his
hands. A NJ Waters, of Orange, saw
Auffort have a roll OF currency with a 81
bill outside.
Harry Gambler, of Jackson City, told OF
Dempsey and Desmond living 1T his place
and having two satchels there. He was
gll-net fishing on the night of the robbery,
bat saw Dempsy andDesmond at O'Clock
that night and noon next day.
Inspector Hollinberger testified that he
arrested Desmond and Dempsey in a raid
OF Gamblers place. and five days later
brought away the satchcls.
Attorney Bendheim objected to the in
PRODUCTION of the satchels, as IL had rot
been shown that they belonged to Des-
mond, but Judge Cole admitted them as
found IN Desmond's room. Mr. Bendheim
noted an exception.
els before the jury, and showed, in the
midst OF the clothing, cartridges for pis-
t:ls, such as MI Gambler said Desmond
and Dempsey carried. He also sho wed
q loaded dynamite cartridge, just like
those the empty shells Of which were found
at the broken safe in the steamboat office.
CONTENTS OF THE CARTRIDGE.
John W. Thompson, of the navy yard
laboratory, examined a cartridge with
glass, and said it probably contained
illuminate OF mercury, and was q power
full explosive device.
Thomas Scidmore testified that Auffort
told him at Orange, just after the robbery,
that he had gone 70 Laurel. Mr.. Lips
comb drew from him that he and Auffort
-huekstering and trading at Orange.
and sold two horses. He did not-know
whether Auffort got gold for the horses
or not -f
Sheriff Ricketts,, 'of Orange, said he ar
rested Auffort and identified q big revolver
as that taken from Auffort.
Gambler, recalled, identified one satchel
as Dempsey's, the other as Desmond's, or
Jack Bolan's. BeIan had not been at his
place for a time previous TO the burglary.
He said, in answer TO Mr.. Lipscomb, that
Desmond was playing the races and Sl30
was not an unusual amount forhim TO have.
To Judge Cole he said Williams brought the
satchels to his house, after Desmond and
Dempsey's shanty was burned.
MRS. WILLIAMS SCORES AUFFORT.
Mrs Williams caught sight OF Auffort as
soon as she went on the stand and at once
became aggressive. She said Auffort used
TO come TO their home at First and NJ streets
southeast and beckOn for Billy"
He couldn't face me: and you can't deny
it, she said, shaking her head at AuGfort,
who smiled
She told how Aufrort came to their
house the day after the robbery and had
long secret talk with Billy" He gave
Billy his Virginia address.
When Auffort next called she told him
of Bily's arrest. Auffort told her not
to be alarmed, for he and Wells would
get Billy out. But she declared Wells
would hang Billy if he could.
"And / told Auffort Wells would get
him too, and he has got YOU" she said,
looking at the prisoner.
To Mr. Lipscomb she said she was thirty
years old, had been married before she
met Williams, married Billy because she
loved him.
You are trying TO fasteu this crime on
Auffort to save him.
I'm telling the truth and sorry for it;
but I'm not sorry for that rascal" looking
at Auffort. Il never liked him. I'm sorry
for his mother, though, for I'm q mother
myself" aud she burst into tears for q
moment.
TOLD BILLY TO SPEAK THE TRUTH.
She said she had not urged him to confess,
but told him she could easier bear the dis
grace if be would tell the whole truth.
She had not gone to Monte Wells to have
him bring his brother, Jim, across from
Virginia 10 establish an alibi for her hus-
band She did not go to see Monte Wells
to have some one come TO meet her husband
She admitted that she disliked Auffort
because years ago he Intercepted a letter
from Mr.. Miller, whom she was to marry
The testimony for the prosecution closed.
Mr.. Lipscomb, in opening for the de-
fense, said he expected to prove that Auf-
fort was not connected With the burglary,
and was at Jackson City in the course OF
his business as borse-trader and huckster
He got the gold pieces for horse he sold.
He would provo that Desmond, while way
ward, had never been convicted of crime.
Maria Caesar. Gamblers servant, for
whom process was issued Thursday, was
not brought in.