Evening star., 1896-06-23
THE EVENING STAR, TUESDAY; PAGES
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Trying Thsmas for the Assault ea His
VITA
Found Gsnty-His Story OF the Crime
Says She Was URfaith-
fui to Him.

The case Of Michael Thomas. who. on
the morning Of February n, attempted to
kill his wife, Mary Thomas. and then him
self. by cutting his throat came up for
trial in the corporation court yesterday.
Court began at 10 o'clock, and the large
81 ace outside the rail was crowded Thorn
as was brought into court by Deputy Ser
geant Webster. and he was all smiles as he
calmly famed himself with q large palm
leaf fan. 1t was thought. at first. that
some trouble would be had in securing q
jury, but such was not the case. After the
jury had been empaneled, Commonwealth
Attorney Marbury. In a few brief remarks
outlined the commemorative side of the
case. Mr.. Gardner L. Boothe, counsel for
the defense, in his opening remarks to the
jury. said that the defense intended to
prove that the charge was not a premedi-
tated one. but that the unfaithfulness of
his wife. which she had acknowledged to
him moment before the assault. was the
cause Of the deed. The examination of
witnesses then began. The first witness call
ed was DR.. T. Marshall Jones. who testified
to having attended Mrs. Thomas after she
had been wounded by her husband. He
said that she had received two bullet
wounds, and three severe wounds, two In
the head and one on the arm. with an AK
He further said that he did not think that
Mrs. Thomas was entirely out Of danger
yet as the wounds in her head had not
healed. and that IL they ever did heal, 1t
would be several months before they did.
he was followed by Mrs. Thomas. Her
head was still bandaged. and she was evi-
IDENTIFY very weak, owing to her condition.
Her examination was made as brief as
possible. as 1t was feared that she would
faint. She said that on the morning Of the
assault she was at her mothers. on North
Fairfax street. when she received q mes
sage from her husband to come home and
get her clothes out of the house. She went
to the house of Mr.. Augustus Dean, who
resides across the street from her home,
and requested him to go with her. as she
was afraid OF her husband. but this Mr..
Dean refused to do. saying that he had
just left her husband. and that he would do
her no harm. Mrs. Thomas. not yet being
satisfied. then requisite Mrs. Dean to go
with her. which she did. When they ar
rived at the house they were met by Thom-
as. and short conversation took place. In
few seconds she went upstairs to get her
effects together. In a short while Thomas
followed, when he accused her of being un-
faithful to him, saying that John Truslow,
a friend CT the family, had told him of sew
eral disgraceful scenes. in which she was
the principal character. Thomas then
struck her with his fist, after which she
knew nothing. She was subjected to a Sc
we're cross-examinati ton, but her testimony
was not shs ken.
Mrs. Augustus Dean vas then called. and
testified to what took place down stairs
just before the shooting. Several other
witnesses who lad seen and talked with
Thomas shortly previous to the assault
testified that the defendant was perfectly
cool and collected.
Thomas was then put upon the stand in
his own behalf. He said he was born in
New Jersey and that he was forty-four
years Of age. He came to Alexandria six
fra, ,1
rival he married Mary Cook and for four
te zen years they lived happily together. when
he heard that she was unfaithful to him.
In December last he visited his parents In
New Jersey and returned to this city about
the 10th Of February. when he was inform
ed that a man named Thomas Cochran had
taken his place. One morning shortly be-
fore the assault he asked his Wife to wash
several shirts, as he IVES going on a short
trip and desired to take them with him.
This she refused to do, saying she was feel
Ing too badly to do so. Whereupon he
washed them himself. After he had finish
ed washing, he walked up the street to his
mother-in-law's place. where he found his
wife washing Cochrans clothes. That
night, his suspicion having been aroused,
he watched his wife and saw her go into
Market alley. He followed her and was
Mortified to find her in most compromising
position with his bitter enemy Cochran. He
did not say anything then. but went home
and in a short while his wife came in and
Teen drinking heavily. He accused her Of
1t. and she denied it. He then resolved that
the best thing he could do would be to
leave her and so told her He then made
arrangements to dispose of what he had
and sent word to his wife to send and get
what belonged to her. She did not send,
for he stayed at home all that day. The
rext morning he sent for her again. as he
was determined to leave town as soon as
possible.
About 10 O'Clock she came: but she did
rot speak at first He again told her of her
disloyalty, but she laughed 1t off. She then
went up stairs. and in few minutes he
followed her to see II he could not get her
to mend her ways. as he loved her de-
votedly. When he began to talk to her
again she. irss most defiant way. used the
vilest language possible for a woman to use.
He then struck her: but what happened
after that he did not krow.
After Thomas had finished giving his
testimony. the commonwealth attorney
moved that his statement be ruled out as
1t was principally hearsay evidence, and the
judge ruled 1t out. At 1910 o'clock the
Jury went to their room and 1t was exactly
Of guilty and fixed his punishment at five
years and six months in the penitentiary.
The prisoner seemed ss unconcerned rs a
man possibly could he and was in the best
Of humor. smiling and talking to his friends
close by the prisoners box. WheE Deputy
Webster left the court room with him on
the way back to jail, Thomas mother-in-
law, sisters-in-law and their many friends
we're standing near the entrance of the
court room. He spoke to them, but no
response was made. whereupon Thomas be-
came very happy and yelled ont. Let her
go, Galliger, by -, I am perfectly satis-
fed" The Star man accompanied him to
the Jail, and on the way he stated several
times that he was satisfied with the ver-
dict, although he thought that two years
would have been a plenty for kim as his