Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-25
THEP0LLARD MURDER
Mary Absrnathy'S Case Drawing to a
Close.
THE PROCEEDINGS YESTERDAY
Mr.. Greaory's Visit to the Richmond
Jail Agnin-Cnptain Cunningham
The Argum snt Begun.
Especial from Stan Correspondent

Prince Edward County Court reconvened
this morning at o'clock, with Mary Alb
ernathy. the prisoner on the witness
stand. The Jurors summoned In the case
OF Pokey Barnes, the other negro woman
charged with the murder OF Mrs. Lucy
Jane Pollard. were called and adjourned
over until Tuesday next, as 1t Is not
thought the case on trial can be finished
before then. The cross-examination was
continued by Mr.. Southall. The witness
said: 1.-THE day Mrs. Pollard was Killed
Wilson sent me over TO Mr.. Pollard S
when the bell rung. / don't know what
time this was. Mary Barnes was the
first person 1 saw there. When 1 met
her 1 said, Good morning"
where is Mary Barnes now?' asked
Mr. Southall.
'In the pententiary."
do you know why she Is In the peni-
tentiary?"
"k don't know. sir. We were taken out
OF the Lunenburg Jail and carried 10
Petersburg, and afterward we were taken
10 Richmond"
MIR. Flournoy objected to this evidence,
and the Court excluded the testimony.
The witness continued: when l went
TO Mr.. Pollards house 1t was after DIN
ner / don't know what time j left there.
/ was there when old Mary Barnes went
ON out the gate with her hoe. / went
ont the same gate. / left Mrs. Pollard
sitting on the porch sewing on buttons.
/ don't remember 10 have fallen OF the
block while Mrs. Thompson and / were
talking about the killing. II / said any
thing to Phil. Watson about any eggs,
IT was regarding what Mrs. Pollard said
about the puppy and the eggs
CONFERRED WITH PoKEY.
Here counsel for the defence were al
lowed to go to the Jail and confer with
Mary and Rena Barnes. Upon their re-
turn 10 the court chamber Mr.. Flournoy
stated that in justice 10 the accused he
would ask that a recess be taken until
after the 1886 train arrived. as his side
wished to confer with some of the wit
nesses coming from Richmond to-day be-
fore determining whether or not Pokey
Barnes should be put on the stand
Court then took a recess.
At 12:40 o'clock court reconvened. and
Mr.. II. Claiborne Epps. clerk to the City
Sergeant OF Richmond. was called. He
testified that MI, II. G. Gregory came
down to the jail one morning, probably
three or four days after the prisoners
were lodged there. which was July H
1895. 1t was about o'clock when Mr.
Gregory called at the prison. Captain
Cunningham introduced him. and Mr.
Gregory asked TO see the prisoners. He
first asked to see Solomon Marable, then
said he would also like to see Pokey
Barnes, as che was the youngest of the
women, and he could probably get more
out OF her. The witness was not allowed
to tell what Mr.. Gregory said to Pokey
Barnes. He thought he said, the matter
had already gone too far. and stopped
Mr.. Gregory. Mr.. Epps said that he was
not the officer who let Mr.. Gregory see
the prisoners when he visited the Jail
and interviewed the prisoners In Sep
tember 81 don't think | was at the
jail upon that occasion" stated Mr.. Epps.
STOPPED THE QUESTIONS.
Being cross-examined by Mr.. Mann
and Mr.. Southall. the witness said that
Solomon Marable was brought up first,
and then Pokey Barnes. II do not recol-
lect that Mr.. Gregory saw Mary Aber-
nathy. He may have seen her, but If he
had | would have stopped him from ask
ing her such questions as l had heard
Mr.. W. ID. Weisiger, Deputy Sergeant
under Sergeant Epps. of Richmond.
stated that he was the officer who was
approached at the Jail by Mr.. Gregory,
on the September morning Witness re-
membered reading a telegram in one of
papers one evening about saving the
necks of the women, and next morning
Mr.. Gregory appeared at the Jail, and
said that he had an engagement TO meet
Captain Cunningham there. Mr.. Wei
sger said that Mr.. Gregory asked him
what time Captain Cunningham would
probably be down, and that he replied
to the stranger by saying that this would
largely depend upon the engagement.
Captain Cunningham usually got down
to his office between s and 9 o'clock In
the morning. 1t was between and S
O'Clock when Mr.. Gregory called at the
Jail.
MR.. GREGORYS BAIT.
"Mr. Gregory then asked to see the
prisoners privately" said Mr.. Weisiger.
but l told him he could not see them
privately, unless an officer was with them.
Mr.. Gregory saw the women. and said
TO Mary Alternately: Mary. l have come
here. all the way from Sumter. S. c.,
to meet Captain Cunningham TO save the
necks OF Pokey Barnes and yourself.
Will draw up petition and take IT TO the
Judge. commonwealth Attorney, and
Jury, and go to the Governor myself. and
save you or get you out of this. il
YOU will tell me where Mr.. Pollard's
money is do not remember exactly
what Mary said, but, as she started out
and started around the railing of the
balcony. she said II you were to put
n whole regiment Of soldiers in front Of
me / would not tell you anything about
that money: not to save my life; know
nothing about IT,"
The prosecution objected TO this answer
being admitted as testimony. but the
Court let 1t go in, saying 1t would In
struct the jury in regard to 1t at the
close OF the case.
NOT VERY CERTAIN.
Being re-examined by Mr. Southall,
Mr. Weisiger said he thought the tele-
gram said, meet me. We can save
necks." He was not certain about save
necks," but was certain about meet
me-" The word soldiers" impressed
itself upon his mind. He did not re-
mer Der all the conversation which oc-
CURED between Mr. Gregory and Mary
Abernathy. He began to think over this
about two days ago. when
he got a message from Captain Guigon,
stating that he wanted TO see him. He
had read Mr.. Gregory's statements In
the paper two days ago. and some or
that testimony agreed with what he said.
He could not remember what he had
read about MIR. Gregorys evidence. as
he had merely glanced over 1t.
"You have stated that your recollec-
ton and MIR. Gregorys statement as to
the conversation had in jail with Mary
Abernathy differed; will you please state
wherein your memory differs from Mr..
Cregory's statement" asked Mr. South
all.
"I don't think he said anything in his
testimony about saving them He said