The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-01-17
Fourth Day Of Trial Of the Men Accused
( B Of Committing This Foul Crime.
.BAslAGlaG TESTIMONY or WITNESSES
Oracle, thc states witness. Goes o"
~ che Observation-Disclosures Look Cheer
full Dcspitc Their Grave Peril
Life OF Jesse james Figures as nn
Encitimg Cause ofthc Crime.

~ In the Bonner murder jidi 1919
Credle's crcss-cXumnation was coh'ih-
ued by counsel for defense.
@Iiewas on the stand about i've hours
yesterday and seven to-day. tie WAS
rigidly examined by Mr.. Moorc, OF to"h-
sci for the Reii boys, and Mr. Summons
n counsel for Brantley.
He was sent from The witness Stand
E for good tonight after 6 O'Clock las
cross-ezamnatton Ill through very
nearly correspondent with The direct e*-
e sllrlnItiOn yesterday. 1t was suhstah-
- TALLY the same, except two discrcpun-
S cies as 10 the time certain things hap
pencd tire night Bonner was killed.
s5 He was asked many things touching
his character ana conduct in other mat
tiers.
The defense will cndeavor to prove
that he has been guilty OF the various
crimes aud misdeods about which he
was asked to-day. 1t Is generally cX-
pressed that the cross -cxaminGtion was
not damaging to his direct testimony
but at some points strengthened Ii.
Other evidence will he put on for the
State Tomorrow
II now seems that the trial will last
well into next week.
There are many people here from va
rious parts OF the country. Great in
tcrcst is shown.
Startling testimony 10 expected to-
morrow.
Before court was opened yesterday
morning In the Bonner murder thial
J the defendants, Eel boys and Brantlry
were seated in their places. Cradle. the
man who has confessed the crime ana
turned States evidence against the
others. was also in the court room. 1t
T, was expected that he would he put on
the stand and large crowd had gath
cred early.
Brantleys wife and father ana moth
CIR were again by his side. His father
* anu mother ara somewhat aged. Hrant-
Is ley and wife conVcrscd together during
Z the arranging o. seats and the general
confusion incident upon tn opening OF
= the court His wife looked cheerful and
4 E.nntley smiled several times during
4 the conversation. The Bell hOys also
smiled us some of their friends spoka
with them. The aged father OF the muir
dcred man was in his scat by the side
OF the States counsel. Brantlcy held
a conversation with his counsel, Mir. T..
Z 5. Simmons which ceased as the Judge
opened court.
Il. T. Bonner, the seventh witness In
y the case, was recalled to testify con
corning certain distances in the town of
aurora. Said the distance from the
point whore Bonncr's body was found
10 Ai1ntley's house by the street was
Ga', Yards. and diaGnoai!y across the
fleid rs ttacks went 1t was Cos yards
), c. Dixon Was put ON the stand
and testified tina; he had traced track.
from the place wEcrc Ronncr's BODY
wss found and person could have
q gone the distance to Brantlcy's house
IN i've minutes.
Shaw homer was the next witness
452 testified that he saw Bonner the
night ne Was murdered: saw Uriah l&ell
also that night after he saw bonner;
heard Bonner say good night tn some
persons, as he was starting home. This
Sltneas testified that hr had seen Uriah
Bell and William Brantley reading tho
hr,l
part OF the book himself: in that bonl;
there Is form Of cath binding who
ever joined the band 10 stick to each
other.
Here counsel for defense objected to
the evidence about the book.
JudgS Roke ruled that If this evidence
was 10 stand alone ii was not comDc-
tent. but if connected with other tes-
timony bearing on the case 1t was com
petent.
Counsel for State said they eyncc,cd
to prove that defendants had read the
Jesse James book and that the oath In
the book had been administered to The
Dand in Rrantlcy's house. and that later
fragments of the Jesse James book were
found In Rrantlcys house Court aid
that the witness could make the state
ment and that if later II should develop
that 1t is not competent he will strike
II out. Here the counsel for defense
again objected to evidence about The
u tN' i'piii tiic Dubk. ana S;lu mat II
there is such book in existence let il
De pToduced--a copy could be found In
town. perhaps States counsel snid
+ they had tried TO get a copy OF the work
IN town. hut could not. The court said
II would be better to have the book.
put Inc evidence was admitted without
copy.
This witness testified that tTriah Isell
and Brantlcy We're right chuminy."
a. ne witness was cross-eXamined by
MT Beckwith, of counsel for the de-
ieiSe. He asked the witness if reading
me book made him feel like killing any
orc, and witness said It did not ITrinl
feil read the book, said witness. while
cierklng for Bonner. Mr.. Simmons
5 counsei for Brantlcy, made Il strong, pass
AT the witness with the question, II
most Of the young people of Aurora had
not read the Jesse James hook wit.
ness answered in the negative Mr.
,9immons asked Witness if he did moi
Know that even ladies In Aurora hnf
not 80" i'' Ni'
The twenty-flfth witness for the stot,
was Irving Ronner. cousin of ]. r. Ron
neT; He was In Aurora day after m,
khlnR OF Bonner and assisted in ira
iiS tracks from the body
y crosS-eXamination the counsel fo,
tne zen boys asked no question. i'm,
counsel LOT Hrantley asked If the per
auns VINO made the tracks were rlnnin,
VI ~ w,alklng.' witness could not tell.
nc next witness was r. +. Cherry
lie was deaer In shoes In Auro,, -; ,
was a mcmber Of the Coroner's. ,, az,
4. He thought he had seen one os ~
+ CRACKS that 1pG from po,,,., w