The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-09
CONVICTED OF WIFE MURDER
Charles Winston to Suffer the Pen
atty OF His Crime

Charles Winston to Suffer the Pen
atty OF His Crime.
Charles Winston, a colored man about
thirty years old, was placed on trial
before Judge Bradley Monday morn
ing, charged with the murder of his
wife, Emma Winston, at their home,
No. 52l Third Street southwest, on De
cember IS last. The empaneling of the
jury occupied a good part Of Monday
session and was only completed yester-
day morning. Assistant District At
torneys Shillington and Laskey con-
Quoted the prosecution and the defend
ant was represented by Messrs Turner
and Keys
The case Of the prosecution was eX-
planned to the jury by Mr. Laskey, who
said that they would attempt to prove
that Winston went to the room occupied
by himself and wife between and
8 O'Clock on the morning of the crime.
Emma. who worked at night, returned
| to her home about 10 o'clock on the
! same day, prepared breakfast for her
self and husband, who refused to come
! downstairs and partalle of it, and then
retired to their room. Elizabeth John
| son, a sister-in-law of the murdered
/ woman, was downstairs and heard a
noise like the falling of a heavy body,
/ and then heard the woman's voice cry
/ ing for mercy. This was followed by
! the reports Of two pistol shots. She
ran to the door and summoned the po-
! lice, who forced the door to Winston s
room and found the woman lying on
the bed with three bullet wounds in the
/ right side of her head and Winston on
his knees beside her, bleeding from a
wound in his face.
Elizabeth Johnson. Blake Johnson,
her husband and Lucy Nichols, a sister
of Emma Winston, We're called as wit
nesses and testified to practically what
1 is stated above, Lucy Nichols telling OF
| threats made by Winston against his
| wife's life. Drs. l. w. Glazebrook and
! c. w. Childs testified about the wounds
! and the autopsy. Jeremiah Dee, an
employee of a restaurant opposite the
/ Center Market. testified that Winston
/ had visited his place on the morning OF
! the murder and was given a pistol he
/ had left there with the proprietor
After recess DIR. Jeunneman, Margaret
/ +. Dunn, w j. Howard and Policemen
| Nicholson, Osborn, Schroeder and Yer
| million We're called for the Government
| and the case was then announced
closed for the prosecution. 4
The plea for the defnse was that
Emma Winston had committed suicide
and that before killing herself had fired
/ the shot that injured her husband
| Winston was placed on the stand in his
own behalf and said that his wife was
! Of jealous disposition, and that any
quarels they had were started by her
She had asked him to bring the pisto
home. and when she arrived that morn
ing she took the pistol from where ht
had laid il on the bureau and locked
| ii up in one of the bureau drawer:
| to which she alone had the key. He
had fallen asleep in his chair when ht
| was startled by the sound of a pisto
| shot. and waking saw his wife lyins
on her side in the bed. He approached
! her and asked If she had heard the
shot. She replied that she had not, anC
| when he asked her TO turn over so tina
he might see whether she had the pis
toi there was a flash and report anC
he staggered back and fell to the foo
unconscious. He remained thus for :
minute, perhaps, when the sound o
| another shot aroused him. He then re
lapsed into Inconsistencies and re
membered nothing more until h
reached the hospital He denied tina
he had said that he had shot his wifi
and wanted to die himself. Winston
story was mistaken by a rigid cross
examination conducted by Mr.. Shilling
| ton.
Counsel for both sides presentet
strong arguments 10 the jury and tn
judge charged them shortly before
o'clock.
About $50 last night the jury re
turned a verdict of guilty as indict
ed"