The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-04
Verdict Rendered by Di-
reCtiOn of Court.
On Motion by Assistant AttOr-
ney General.
Defendant Accused Of Causing Death
OF MotOrman Starr.
States Case Put In, But There Was Moth
ing 10 Show Prisoners Guilt.

THO trial of Edward Moseley, the young
coiored man. indicted for the killing OF
Motormsn Joseph w. Star; by the last
grand jury, on the early morning of No
vember I. resulted in a verdict Of not
guilty. Ihe court directed the jury to
render that verdict after Attorney John
NJ. Brennan had suggested snch course
and Assistant Attorney General Henry
j. Dubois had declared that even IL the
jury should find against the prisoner
the higher court would set aside such
verdict. Judge, Wilbur. after saying that
the death OF Starr seemed to have been
the result OF an accident said that Nose
ley would never re sentenced under such
testimony ss the State had produced. 1t
became very evident after some witnesses
for the State bad given their testimony
that the case against Moseiey was very
weak one.
All the witne sses for the State had been
cilIsd before the suggestion OF q verdict
of not guilty was made and when the
verdict was rendered Mosely was dis
charged and received the congratnls-
tions II his friends. 1t was very plain
tba. Moseley never refused to leave the
car on which be was riding but that the
motorman pnt him off and In the wrest-
ling that resulted starts head was struck
agsipst the concrete sidewalk, causing
conclusion of the bra in. Inc accident
happened near the Union Railroad Com
pauy's barn on Thurber avenue.
Clarence II. Rbires, the conductor OF
the chr on which Moreley rode down to
South Providence was the first witness,
whose name was called by the assistant
attorney general, but Mr.. Rbines was late
and the trial was delayed few minutes.
lie oslly appeared and wa, sworn.
He first testified to Starts, the victim
OF the scus.e being the motorman on his
car on Saturday night, October 81, which
was the last car down. The freight was
very large owing to tie fact that 1t was
the night OF the rig parade. previous to
the Presidential election The d, ,fendant
NJ, sely was first seen by the witness run
ming after tue car from the railroad sta
tion and witness knew he got on the car
about opposite the Union Railroad Com
pany's office. The defendant had smoked
on the platform and witness stopped him.
The number of passengers on the car de-
creased from time to time and Moseley
nnaiy got a seat and went TO sleep. Wit
ness first noticed defendant asleep at the
corner of willard avenue. at the corner
of Thurbers avenue and Prairie avenue,
wnen about all the passengers on the car
hao got OF, this being the end OF the
route, he saw a man named Smith snd
another named Fuller standing
in tue front door way OF the
car. Through an end window he
saw Starr and Moseley on the side OF
the front platform near the barn. 1t
looked as IL one man was trying to put
the other off the car. Did not know
wnich one hed grabbed the other and
Starr said, "You won't, WON'T your"
Then the two forms went of the car ap-
psrently heavily. Mosely was down on
the ground with mis- head toward down
town ard no was lying In paved gutter.
starr was on top ana had bis hands on
Moselcy's shoulders. Could not see the
position OF Moseley's hands and heard 10
conversation" Some ems SAID, "Ed will
turn him. The men were struggling,
Star trying to get away. Moselsy was the
stronger man aud did turn Stsrs and
they went over again. The second fall
was apparently due TO stirr's not having
room to iurn his feet around, SO he
toppled over.
No blows were struck that witness saw.
Moaeieg had a s,rong grip OF Starr around
the waist und apparently the latter had q
ehold on Moseley's arm. The two men fell,
Moselpy ontcp and Starr underneath, the
latter falling very hard against the con-
crete sidewalk. Witness smith and Fuller
took Moseley of Stsrr and the latter got
up without any trouble. The car was put
I'm tire shed. Next saw Starr at the lat
ters' houfe al 7:30 o'clock next morning
Was net sent for To- go there, but vent be
cause he thought Starr was In bad shape
Visited the house afterward and wa'
resent when Starr died.
On cross exu ninstion by General
Brennan giinfss .sid he had teen In th'