The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-01-18
BONNER MURDER TRIAL
The Fifth Days Proceedings in The Trial
Of Brantley and the Bell Boys.
CREOLE STILL ON THE WITNESS STAND
lie Remains Practically Uns,,aI,en
Throughout u Ki;-id Cross exams.
nati"n--rhirtccnH Hours on the Wit
ness Stnud-Adinitst that He Would
Accuse others TO Save His Neck.

uation--Enfrtcen Hours on the Wit
ness Siaud-Adinitst that lEc Would
Accuse Others TO Save His Neck.
Washington. n. c., Jan. 17.-(SpeciaD
The evidence In the Bonner trial to-
day has been interesting all through.
Mrs. Lenora Hudnell testified first. She
heard pistol shots the night Bcnncr was
killed; she lives near the place of the
murder, and her testimony currohorated
Credle's testimony as to the time OF
night Bonner was murdered. There
nave been fifteen witnesses on the
stand to-day. Among those who gave
the most interesting and important evil
dence were Mrs. Best and Mrs. Gray.
MIS- Best gave evidence thut the Bell
boys were boarding at her house at the
Tine OF the murder. ana that they and
Brantley were much together at his
house. and on the premises the day of
the murder. as well as the day before.
She heard the last words Of q cunverSa-
tion between the Bell boys and Brant-
ley that day. She heard Brantley say:
Il thought we would give him Il serr-
made Tonight" Mrs. Gray Is the old
woman who was living over Brantlcy's
room and her testimony corrobornted
Creole about the night A3rantley, sent
his wife UP To sit up with Mrs. Gray in
order that he might have Creole and
evidence to-day has been strong and the
chain seems to have been strengthened
There have been some sharp passes be-
tween counsel for Brnntlcy and one or
two witne SSes, which made II quite live
ly for few moments. ~ no time has
the trial been dull or embarrassing. The
states counsel have had no hitch In
having witnesses ready, not II moment
has been lost, and Judge Hoke has CON
suited authority for his ruling but once
In the whole trial. There Is still much
more interesting testimony for the
State.
Yesterday morning at the opening of
the court as much interest was shown in
CredleS cross-sXamnation as was
shown in his direct examination the
day before, when he old his own story
of the killing of j. Il. Bonner.
The. aged father was again In court
to keep up with the trial Of those
charged with the murder of his son.
Brother and son of the murdered man
were I'm their accustomed seats. BY the
defendants We're Brantley's wife, moth
err and father, and Mr.. Hugh Bell. broth
er of the Bell boys. and their uncle,
Mr.. G. f.. Wahab. sat near them. Brant-
ley Looked weary and sleepy and the
Bell boys looked pensive. Soon after
the court was I opened 3rantley's
wife handed him an apple and he ate 1t,
while she ate one also.
he WITNESS ttsftUlcl looked rested ana
ready for the struggle of cross-exami-
nation by Mr. j. T.. Moore. whom most
witnesses dread. AT the beginning OF
the crosS-eNamina ton Creole was con-
siderably disconnected by Mr.. Moore's
sharp questions. but by the time the
cross eXumination yesterday had well
begun he seemed to have become ac-
customed To the fin. and was steady
The evidence was as to woriSing at
MIR. Flowers with Brantlcy and the first
time the matter Of joining the gang was
mentioned TO him. The evidence was
substantially the same as the direct evil
dence. Some new evidence wa s brought
out by Mr. Moore's questions about The
number OF times Creole had been to
Brantlcy'S. He said he had been there
four times. Witness seemed a little con-
fused about what rooms he slept in at
Brantlcy's. He said that Brantlcy had
three rooms on the lower floor. The
room on the right was the sitting room
with bed in ii, and the dining room was
back of it. On the other side of the
passage another room with n bed in IT,
One night he slept In the sitting room
and the other night he slept In the room
across the passage.
1t is thought that the defense will
introduce evidence To prove that the
end of Brantlcy's house I'm which Creole
said he slept across the IsaSSage has
been in a tiilapidatcd condition and unfit
Tor use FOR some time. When question
ed about the condition of the windows
In that room. he said he did not know
but when asked about the furniture
he said he remembered that the bed
stead had high posts. for he hung his
clothes on the post one night When he
said this Brantley's wife was observed
to smile several times.
In the afternoon there was "a little
variance from the direct Testimony. In
the direct evidence witness said that the
plan was To knock Mr., Fudnell down
the night they were waiting for him
tie him and carry him away and later
carry him back and make him omen his
safe. No such plan to tie Bonner was
mentioned In the direct evidence, but
In the cross-eXamination witness said
they were to tie Bonner. too, and carry
him away, and later in the night take
him back and compel him to open his