Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-22
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PACED
opidn,t a telegram have something to

writ of error and / dropped into the
| telegraph Office. ] sent telegram 10
| Captain r. W. Cunningham. Richmond
| Va"
TELL the Jury who Captain F. W. Cum
ningham Isl
Captain +. w. Cunningham is captain
| Of Company b, Of the battalion when
| guarded the prisoners during the nrs'
| trial Captain Cunningham Is also, un-
| derstand Collector of Taxes Of the city OF
Richmond"
Here are the words Of the telegram
Captain +. w. Cunningham, Richmond,
Va:
"Try plan suggested. Can yet save
necks.A II. c. GREGORY"
II tbink these were the-words used
/ Captain Cunningham had been very eager
| to shield the negro women. This mes
| sage was sent somewhere between the
10th and 18th of September. 1t was.
think, about three or four days before
the execution was to take place. / knew
| IL he tried that plan he would have to
do II right then"
"Mr. Gregory" said Captain Wise, IL
| don't know that the gentlemen of the
jury exactly understand this thing. Who
| * Judge Coleman"
"He is Judge Of the Circuit Court en-
bracing the county Of Lunenburg."
Did you get any reply to your tele-
gram?"
yes"
'Have you got that reply?"
II didn't keep IL a minute. / think /
can repeat It,"
What was that answer"
"Better come yourself. Have no recol-
lection of plan.
"F. w. CUNNINGHAM"
Captain Wise: Had you suggested any
plan?
yes"
Judge Mann here said he guessed the
defence was examining the witness as
their own witness.
mo, sir. / am examining him as your
witness said Captain Wise. I'VE are
undertaking to test the memory OF this
witness and his interest. / have a right
to test not only his recollection, but his
veracity and his interest"
The objection was withdrawn by Judge
| Mann.
Did you have a plan?'
eyes"
"Who WITH"
'Tn my own mind. / went TO Rich
mond Wednesday after the prisoners
were landed in jail there"
81 asked you II you had communicated
that plan to anybody?'
II communicated that plan to Captain
Cunningham on a Wednesday. about July
23d.
Captain Wise: You said in the tele-
gram: by plan suggested; can yet save
necks." Whose necks?
1.-THE necks of those women"
''You hadn't heard from the Court Of
Appeals then?'
Il had not. / thought the case had
gone as far as IL would "
What did you mean by saying, Can
yet save necks' p
IL meant to say to Captain Cunning
ham, You can yet save their necks's not
that 1 would"
What did you do when you got Cap
tain Cunningham's telegram
~ took the first train for Richmond"
did you see Captain Cunningham
when you got 10 Richmond?'
Il did not see him at all; could not
have not seen him at that hour"
AT THE JAIL.
What time did you get TO Richmond?"
about o'clock in the morning"
What did you do?'
about or o'clock | went to the
jail and saw the prisoners. / only found
| out that the necks of the women could
not be saved when 1 got to Richmond"
What did you ask for when you reach
ed the jail?''
Il asked 20 see the youngest woman.
Don't think l asked TO see Old Mary at
ALL
Didn't you ask to see them sepa-
rately?"
Yes, sir. didn't want them to know
what each other was saying"
Didn't you ask for a private in
| terview?'
mo; 1 did not. knew that / could
not get it, and l did not want It. When
talked with the prisoners one of the
officers of the jail-a young man-was
present. l do not know who the young
man was
did you ask that official to let you see
Mary Alternately privately-did you tell
! him 10 step aside?"
No; when l asked for permission TO
| see the prisoners. he said that could not
see them privately, and the subject was
| here dropped"
Did you know at that time that the
/ women had counsel?"
II had learned SO from the newspapers.
j supposed, though, that you were through
with the case
| Now state to the jury the converse
ton you held with Mary Alternately IN
that Jail that morning."
Il said: Mary. IL you will surrender all
the stolen money and property TO Mr..
Pollard. and confess the part you took
In this crime will take a petition to the
| jury, Commemorative Attorney and
Judge for their signatures, and then to
the Governor for Communication of your
sentence from death to imprisonment I"
Nov, you were holding c"t TO her
| the prospect OF a change OF ..-hment
from death to imprisonment f.. y. How
long was this before the day set for the
| execution"
Three or four days. as we'll as 1 re-
member
did you suggest that plan to Captain
| Cunningham"
II did. That Is the plan I suggested ~
"You were to hold out to a condemned
prisoner life as bait for confession.
were your
81 was holding out a possibility of life
and I am OF the opinion that the
| plan would have been successful had NOT
1t been for this new-trial business
Now, Mr.. Gregory" interpoIated Judge
Flournoy, you have been cautioned not
to give any of your opinions"
II must submit" said Judge Watkins.
for the prosecution, that the prisoner
has equally as much right TO give an
opinion from his side as counsel have
| from theirs"
The Judge here said that he trusted
the lawyers would not allow themselves
| TO border upon unpleasantness. and
urged them to be a little cautious.
Captain Wise again asked Mr. Gre
CORY II that was the plan he had sug-
| gested to Captain Cunningham.
1T was. sir; and Captain Cunningham
readily agreed to IT,"
well, what did Mary Alternately say
TO your propositions"
"She said that she knew absolutely no.