Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1896-04-25

After Mr. Gregory had stated that I
aptain Cunningham was captain OF
ompany q. and had been in command /
OF some OF the soldiers at the trial OF the
prisoners at Lunenburg courthouse.
IF. Gregory said tina. the contents OF
the telegram. as nearly rs he could re-
member, were as as follows:
MESSAGE TO CAPT. CUNNlNGuAM.
Captain f. w. Cunningham, Rich
mOnd. Va:
TRY plan suggested Can yet save
necks H. G.. GREGORY"
To this. Mr.. Gregory received the
following answer from captain Gun
inngham.
Better com yourself. Have no re-
collection OF the plan"
Captain Wise; Had you suggested
plan2''
A Yes. sir"
q "Who did you have il with2''
A. In my own mind
O. Had you communicated il TO any
one2"
A eyes sir. TO CAPITA Frank ".
Cunningham, on Wednesday, July 2Sd
q Whose necks did you refer TO in
/ the telegram
A "Neclss OF the women"
Mr. Gregory said that when he got
TO Richmond he did not know that
the cases of the w0iiivn had been taken
to the Suprem Court. and thought
that Judge Coleman's refusal TO grant
a writ of errer had bereft the prisoners
of their.last hope.
rbe witness said he got TO Richmond
bet~ cen and O'Clock in the morn
ing and went down TO the Jail about
O'Clock. by himself.
Captaia Wise: Did you let the couT
sci of the prisoners know that yoJ
wanted to see them2"
A Il did not. Because l though
they had dropped the case after judge
COleman's action"
= @ "Whatdid you do in jail?"
A. Il told the officer i'm charge that
wanted 20 see Pokey Barnes"
Q. Did you tell the officer that yol
: wanted TO see the women separately.
a. Il think I q d .
q Did you not SIX for privat in
2 terview2"
Al did not;I knew 1 could no
get it"
: Q, But you asked to see them apar
did you nOt2"
= A. 4 wanted them apart so hat on
2 could not support the other"
: O. Did you see them separately"
A. Yes, sir"
+ Q. "You saw Pokey Barnes hrst2'
2 A Il did"
= Mr.. Gregory said that he next sa'
: Mary Abernathy, in the presence {
e the officer, and when asked by Capital
o Wise what he had said to her, reptile
i that as far. as he could remember, h
Ind told her this: MARY if you wi
u confess the part you took in the mul
y der. and surrender all the stolen PROF
erty, / will take n petition TO the Judg
u Jury, and Commonwealth Attorney
: Lunenburg for their signatures, an
e then 10 the Governor for a cOmmuti
~ ton of your sentence from death
Imprisonment"
, Mary Abernathy'e answer to this, n
Gregory said, was:
Is Il know nothing in the wolrd abol
s it. l haven't done anything, and dol
le know anything either about the stole
u property or the murder"
is Mr.. Gregory commended that this pls
Of was the one which he had suggested
r Captain Cunningham on July 23rd
/ was positive that this was the pla
i and said that Captain birmingham hJ
been favorably impressed with it al
as wanted 60 try it at once.
: MR. WISE sARoAsTED
er "And So" said Captain Wise, sarca
al tically. 1.-The plan was to hold out C,
demneo prisoners life for aconfessiol
TO "A nance for it if the plumber W
D. restored" replied the witness
< mir. Gregory" said captain Wis
: "you had no other business in Ric
mond than seeing the prisoners,
your"
eff YOU want my whole purpose,
IN ! ,.r;Il .rfx-a IL tn Nnn Hof-foofnd ,, opcxr
u ed Mr. Gregory
r 81 know What your purpose WI
It said Captain Wise quietly.
ne A little excitement was created
r. this point. The witness on several {
on casions had expressed his opinion up
r certain points. Captain Wise a
, Judge Flournoy vigorously objectt
lie Judge trute interferred and restor
peace, admonishing the witness not
III offend.
Captain Wise continued: Mr. Or
re DRY have you sought and interview
witnesses IN this case?"
ne Al saw and talked with Ell
Gale last August. / went to Ell
Gales because l heard there were pt
II. ple there who were doing wrong. Sir
then have talked with several W
ny nesses Those L have seen are Ph
Watson. Henry White, Lula Knie
en- Alternately, David Williams, char
J.. Bailey, Ben Knight, Clyde Fore, Eml
us Harding, Susan Thompson, Nels
PIE Bruce, and Betsy Ellis"
'r Mr. Gregory said he had express
his opinions and theories TO some
nR these witnesses.
ne Judge Mann: "You have stated
Ter ross-eXamination that you went
1e Ellen Gales house to catch some {
sr you thought was doing wrong w
eo did you expect to find there, and WI
Slh reason did you have for supposing
~ was doing wrong?"
: I his question was objected TO by
eh defense, the jury was taken out, anC
hs was argued at length
At the conclusion of the argumt
court adjourned until 2:30
re- When court reconvened the JUG
ION decided to allow Mr.. Gregory to
rid swer the question put by Judge Maj
On The witness said:
lts Il found one man claiming to
ow Bideman; another claiming to be
u.s. Vile / didn't hear hat they ",
Id. there. / saw them going there. 1 s
an what they we're doing. They were Il
,ht ing to gather testimony in this p
lard murder case"
on Mr. Southall: "Who we're they ga
ering information for?"
Ia A Il would have to use my o
judgment about that
Captain Wise: Your Judgment
good, but we don't want to use it -
De- Q "How long did Bideman and
Vile stay in the neighborhoOd?"
,ry A. "SeVille left few days after
ran in on them Bideman stayed tn
Us ty or forty days"
Q. Did they go around to the no
ZEN es of any other witnesses?"
A Eyes they went to nearly eve
house in the neigborhood !"
'ch Q "What were they doing at FL
nd Gales house when you found them
A. lone had large sheet of pal
for and was writing. The other was GU
L. .