Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-08-12
A Celebrated Case.

There has been intense interest the
past week at Parsons, w. Va, over
the legal proceedings looking to tria!
of Col. Robert w. Eastman, charged
with killing Frank E. Thompson. The
first grand jury in the case found an In
dictment against Col. Eastman simply
for manslaughter. Judge Holt de-
clared that the verdict should have
been for murder in the first degree and
set it aside a special grand jury was
called, and when it failed to bring in
an indictment Judge Holt discharged
it, telling its members that they had
failed in their duty and he had no fur
Their use for them. He had laid down
the law to them very emphatically,
and their failure to indict provoked
him very greatly. A third grand jury
was summoned, and last Friday night
it brought in an Indictment for MUIR
der. The lawyers for the defense OBJ
iected seriously to Judge Hollis charge
to the jury, which they resented as
being preiudiced and contrary to the
law. Accordingly, at Grafton on Sat
urday Hon. John T. McGraw, one of
Eastham's attorneys, secured from
Judge NJ. H. Dent, of the Supreme
Court of Appeals of West Virginia,
sitting in chambers, writ prohibit
ing Judge Holt from proceeding with
the trial of the case. The case will
come up before the Supreme Court at
Charleston, September I'd being fixed
as the date on the matter Of prohibit
ing Judge Holt from further proceed
ing with it. An effort will be made
to secure the release of Colonel East
ham from jail on writ Of habeas cor
pus.
The shooting which resulted in the
death of Thompson occurred at Par
sons on Thursday evening, March Is.
A large number Of citizens had been
brought down from Davis, ". Va, to
answer the charge Of contempt Of court.
Among them was Colonel Eastman.
Frank E. Thompson accompanied the
party and good-naturedly leased some
of his friends who had gotten into the
predicament. Eastman and Thomp-
son had long been political and per-
sonal enemies. During the day, 1t IS
alleged, Eastman said that Thompson
could not go back on the special train
which was to take the party to Davis.
Thompson entered the car just before
Colonel Eastman, who went up to
Thompson and an alteration took
place. Thompson drew his revolver
and seven shots were exchanged at
close range, Thompson firing four.
Eastman received flesh wounds on the
forehead and was struck on the side.
He fell as if dead, but his wounds
proved to be of trivial character.
Thompson was shot in the thigh, arm
and abdomen. The intestines were
perforated, and he died in the West
ern Maryland Hospital, Cumberland,
early the following Saturday morning.
Col. Eastman had an interesting career
in the Southern army. He was one
Of Mosby's lieutenants and was en-
gagged in many thrilling adventures.
He was man Of intrepid courage and
great physical strength, and at his
home, in Davis, he is very popular.
At the time of his death Thompson
was estimated to be worth $250,00O.
He was native Of Norway, Me-, thir-
ty-two years of age, and went to Davis
six years ago. He was a practical lum-
herman and made his own fortune, re-
fusing aid from his father after leaving
college. He was very popular,