Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-04-02

Elkton, Md, March 25 Tho second
day Of the trial of James H. Truss for
the murder of Capt. Thomas Camp Of
the schooner Manaway, at Chesapeake
City, on tho night of January I'd last,
began In the court here this morning,
with Associate Judges Wickes and
Stump presiding. The witnesses at last
nights session proved that Truss had
no money prior to the murder to speak
of, and borrowed money from Henry
Hager, merchant in Chesapeake City.
William Berger Of Chesapeake City,
testified that he was at Truss house
on the Sunday before the murder and
that he had heard Mrs. Truss remarls
that abe wished Deibert would hurry
and pay, as she was In need Of money.
After the murder considerable money
was found in Truss house.
Tho letters Truss wrote in Jail and
gave to j. X. p. Racine to mail to his
wife and to his sister were produced in
court, and it was here that Truss
showed signs of nervousness. He was
unaware that the letters had not been
mailed, and their production caused a
sensation. Tho letter to his wifo stated
that he must sec her soon, and told her
to ask Linda, his sister, II he did not
tell her before Christmas that he had
money. He told her to toll his sister
to swear that he was in her house on
the night of the murtlor. lie also told
her to look under tho oilcloth in the
hallway and she would find $50 The
letter TO his sister il as follows:
Mrs Linda Sayin--Dear Linda:
Wasn't in your house on January 2d
from b. 30 TO 7,30? IL you will SEQ Mr..
Albert Constable and swear to 1t, ] will
give you $40 when ! get out IN March.
You know told you | had S75 saved
up. was mistaken about Deibert.
Linda, whom you writo to Albert Con.
stable, who is my counsel, don't tell
him about Deihert but say you know
/ had money laid up and can swear to
that. Linda. didn't tell you before
Christmas that | had money laid up for
winter and would not break into itY
Linda, say that ] was in your house
from 3. 30 to 7.30 There will be $40
for you when get out in March,
Sheriff Mackey testified that after ho
read the letter he went to Chesapeake
City and, in company with DIR. W. G.
Karsner, proceeded to the house OF
. Truss and told Mrs. Truss he would
have to search the house again. He
went into tho hall and tore up the oil
cloth, and there found three $40 certi-
ficates, as indicated in the letter from
Truss to his wife. He got purse out
of the sewing-machine drawer which
contained six $40 certificates and 81
bill. Mackey found in the engine-house,
back OF the fiy-wheel, a pair of rubber
boots. wet as from frost. There had
been u decided change in this weather
on Friday. Tho boots were muddy
and blood-stained. The shore whore
Camp was found was muddy. Markey
found blood on the driver of the engine.
Mackey also found shirt, which Truss
said was his and which he wore on
the day of the murder. Three blouses
and pair OF overalls were also found.
The shirt was stained with what he
thought was blood. There was por-
tion Of tho sleeve cut out also. He
also found cane in the engine-house
with blood on the handle. There was
the imprint Of bloody half hand on
shovel, showing finger marks.
The most important witness this
afternoon was Prof. Wormley of tho
University of Pennsylvania, who made
= the examination of the supposed blood
spots on the shirt, shovel handle, boots
and blouse. He testified that he had
made an examination, and the result
showed in some respects blood corpus
cles and in others crystals caused by
the red coloring matter of blood. Tho
diameter OF the corpuscles was such
as TO show the blood was that belong
ing to limited class Of mammels, in
cluding man, and few other animals.
His tests had been thorough, and he
had no hesitation in affirming that the
stains were blood stnins.
Elkton, March 81. There was no
abatement of interest on the third day.
Truss sat during the session alongside
of his counsel and paid marked atten-
, tion 10 each of tho witnesses. He would
at times prompt his counsel to ask Il
question. The murdered mans son,
Frank III. Camp, was in court, as WAS
also his niore, Miss Joanna Hearn of
Goshen, Cape May county, N. j. Truss
sister, Mra Linda Savin, was present
and was very much affected by the testi-
mony.
The testimony to-day showed that
Truss was not at tho home OF his sister,
Mrs. Savin, on the night Of the murder.
This is the sister to whom he wrote tho
letter asking her To swear that he was
AT her house on tho night of the MUIR
der between g. 30 and 7.20 and that he
had been saving money to buy furni
ture. Mrs Sayin testified that she was
Il siBtor of the prisoner. Sho said Truss
never told her that he was saving
money to buy furniture When asked
If Truss was at her house on the night
of the murder she said she was not
positive, but sho thought ne was not
to the best of her recollection. She
said he was in the habit of spending
several nights week at her house, but
on this particular night she did not
think he was there. She said she would
be only too glad TO testify that he was
there, il it were true.
Frank II. Camp, son OF the murdered
man, testified that he and his father
left Sparrow's Point, Baltimore, with u
load OF lumber for Salem, N. J. He
said his father was paid after the cargo
was landed. ~ saw my father paid.
He was given S26 80 in cash and
check for $50, making in all sl0G. 80.
He had some money besides this, about
S25. He had the check cashed in Salem
on December l4th. We left Salem and
came to Chesapeake City, reaching
there on December 18th. The boat was
taken to Deibert's dry dock for come
repairs. The expense going through
the Canal was but S6 %. The crew on
the boat, two colored men, left ua Mt
Salem. | loft chesapeake City on De-
cember 2id, about 10 o'clock. Father
had money with him and gave me So
before l went" He then described
the kind Of pocketbook and its color.
81 saw the poclsetbook again after the
murder He had more than S100 when
left him ut Chesapeake City. l was
on tho boat Sunday after the murder.