The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-25

agreed to meet at Turner Dorham's and
write the letter. After getting his tobac-
co Groves said he went back to Wallis
to see if Young had come back from Mar
tins with the paper and had stopped
there He had not
Il went to Turner Dorham's house
and knocked ON the door. and asked if
Turner was at home. Wall said no,
and that he was left to keep house. Then
j asked if Jack Young was there. He
replied that he was not and asked what
in the HI / was doing there. | told
him it was none of his business and asked
if he was mad. He replied that he was
and that / had no business there, that /
had already insulted him once. He fol-
lowed me away from the door and as we
talked back to one another he told me to
hold on and said d-m me, he would
ldll me. AS he said this he put his hand
toward his hip pocket. AS he did this
Il shot him. | had all reasons in the
world to believe he meant to shoot or cut
me. He was known to sbe desperate
fellow and is said to have shot at his
own brother and have drawn pistols ON
several others"
AThe defendant said there was no trou-
BILE at Robert Wallis the first time he
went there. When he went to Turner
Dorham's, Groves said he saw no one
but Wall If Massenburg was there he
didn't know it.
On cross-cxamination Groves said he
was a native of Duplin county, though
he had lived in both South Carolina and
Virginia, but denied that he left either
State because of difficulties. He came to
North Carolina from Virginia last Sep
TENDER. He said the reason he went to
Wallis on the fatal night was to find
Jack Young. for whom he had promised
to write Il letter. There was no paper
there and so Young went to VIII Mar
tins after the paper and they were to
meet at Turner Dorham's. Groves de-
MED that he put the pistol in his pocket
to shoot Henry Wall. He denied that
he had been too intimate with Wallis
wife or had heard that Wall had accused
him of it. The letters he was writing for
Jack Young, he said, were to Young's
wife. He denied that he made any
threats of compelling somebody to apollo
gize for things said about him. The wit
ness said he was within about 40 or 80
yards of DOrham's house when he shot
Wall There was no one there except
himself and Wall The last he saw of
his victim he was down on his knees,
bending slightly forward. Groves said
he made no attempt to escape.
On redirect examination the defendant
said it was on the second day after the
tragedy that he was arrested. The pistol
was one that one of the road hands had
given him to secure some money he had
loaned him. 1t was the first weapon of
the kind he had ever owned. He knew,
Walls wife by sight but had never
spoken to her.
Mr.. p. r. Lloyd. who has lived in For
estville some twenty years, was the next
Witness lloyd talked with I4onnie Mas
senburg the next morning after the shoot
ing. He. said Massenburg showed him
the place where they found Wall after
the shooting. 1t was lit feet and 8
inches from the door. There are eight
large elm trees about the house and the
night was dark and foggy. The wit
ness did not think man could have seen
twenty steps ahead of him.
On cross-exa nina ton Mr. Lloyd said
it was a week after the shooting that he
went with Mr.. Watkins to the place and
measured it. IL was at this time that
Massenburg told the witness that he
knew nothing of what had occurred be
tween Wall and Groves
j. r. Harris testified that he knew
Henry Wall and that he had the reputa
ton of being very bad and violent man,
especially when he was mad. Mr.. Har-
ris had heard that in one instance he
shot at his brother at another time he
cut a man all to pieces. The witness
also saw Wall draw a razor on his mother
last summer. Lonnie Massenburg, he
said. also had bad character and was
totally unreliable.
On cross examination Mr.. Harris said
he had never seen Massenburg at work,
but often saw him around Forestville
and Wake Forest He had heard DIR.
Chapel, Mr.. Lloyd and Mr.. Raines say
Massenburg was a most notorious liar.
He had never heard anything against
Groves.
;, Mr.. J. l.. Phillips had also heard that
Wall was violent man.
Mr.. III. A. Chapel testified that Wall
told him the shooting occurred in the cot
ton patch, which was some 40 or 30 yards
from the house. The night was very
dark one and the witness could not see
to travel without lantern. Mr.. Chapel
said Wallis general reputation was for
great violence, and that when he fought
he used knives, razors and pistols.
On cross-examination Mr.. Chapel said
Wall told him he had had no trouble with
Groves.
The section master Mr.. C. L. Watkins,
said Wall and Groves both worked for
him ON the road. Wallis character was
bad and for his violent temper and bad
character he discharged him. Groves
character was good. Groves lived at
his house, and did not try to escape. Mr..
Watkins said Groves told him of the
tragedy the night it occurred. He told
me he had shot Henry Wall and he ex-
nected he had killed him He said Wall