Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-12-04

at His Own Prics-Efsct Of tho
Evidence on Jury and Counsel
Special to the Register.
Parsons, w. Va. December 3.-By far
the most sensational evidence that has
developed in the Eastman case was that
Of Thomas Daley, on yesterday, and
OF F. S. Landstreet, to-day.
The former is a brother of Judge
Daily and of Hon. C. Wood Daily.
chief counsel for the defense. He testi-
fed that he knew the prisoner init
mately; that about the Sunday before
the shooting he was at Easthams
house, and the latter spoke in the Bit
terest terms of the Thompson's, calling
them rogues, rascals and perjurers-
He said that he had repeatedly insulted
them and tried to provoke them to an
attack, but they were towards and
would not fight; that if they ever did
attack him he would shoot and kill
three or four Of them before they could
get to him.
F. S. Landstreet is the general man.
ager of the Davis Coal & Coke Com
pany, the great corporation controlled
by Hon. Henry c. Davis, Senator Elk
ms and others. He said that when, as
receiver for the Blackwater Boom &
Lumber Company, he sold its property
at public auction, the Thompsons in
directly became the purchasers. East
bitterly active in preventing the prop
erty from going to the Thompsons
After the sale he talked with East
ham and the latter told him that he
would get even with the Thompsons.
Some time before the shooting, last
spring, Eastman sent for him one day to
come over to his house. The witness
went, and Eastman then told him
that he had studied the matter over,
had counted the cost, and had come to
the conclusion that he would not be
run over any longer He had decided
to settle the ThompSons, meaning
that he would resort to violence Wit
to him and his wife, and both Eastman
and Mrs Eastman said they had con-
sldered the consequences. Finding he
could not dissuade him, witness warn
ed the Thompsons, who requested him
to see if he could not buy what property
Eastman had, and pay him his own
price for it, to prevent trouble. Wit
ness did so. but Eastman refused to
sell, saying he would not be driven out
of the country that way. Witness again
tried to dissuade him from his deadly
purpose. telling him that such an action
would be wrong, that he was making
a grave mistake, and that IL he commit
ted such an offense against the law
even his friends would be likely To for
sake him. Eastman replied that he
had thought Of all that and believed he
knew what he was doing; that he
thought he had some friends who
would stick to him.
The effect of this testimony on the
audience was electrical. and on the jury
plainly apparent The prisoner for the
first time showed signs Of nervousness
and became very restless in his seat.
An ominous silence fell over the lit
tie group OF counsel at his side and
they permitted these two, who had told
the story Of Eastham's deliberately
planned purpose in such straighfor-
ward but damaging way, to leave the
witness stand almost unquestioned.
w. r. Davis, Howard Clark, l.. s.
Jewell, Thomas Elsey. Simon Boyd
and II. j. Cooper each testified to
threats made by Eastman against the
ThOmpsons at different times which
were similar in character to these given
above. Cooper 10 regarded as one Of
the most responsible and substantial