Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-25
Evidence Concernings Weapon Intro
duoed in CAVITY Trial.
ALLEGED PROPERTY ,OF.GEoRGE RYE
Court Decides to Hold Session
M
Decoration Bay.
THE LINE OF DEFENSE

The ninth day of the trial of Dennis J.
CAVITY, charged with the murder of George
NJ. Rye at the corner of 14th and F streets
northwest, March 10 last, commenced at
1915 this morning before Judge Col, in
Criminal Court No. 1. When the prisoner
came into the court room he bent over his
aged mother and tenderly kissed her. His
wife, as usual, was at his side, and a couple
Of chairs away ere his father and brother.
The first witness examined was Miss
Mary E. Lewis of 1908 Cambridge street, a
pretty, black-eyed girl in a white shirt
waist, who testified to being on the Ebbitt
House corner when the shooting was in
progress. She saw the man who did the
shooting, but did not see the man who was
shot Until he fell.
Spencer Watkins Of 2o14 Wyoming ave
nue.. next sworn. said he saw Rye and
Canty the day before the tragedy, and re-
counted the already familiar details Of
Rye's calling CAVITY names and shaking his
fist in Canty's face. Rye seemed. to be very
angry. Canty was quiet and had what wit
ness thought was a smile on his face
After the quarrel Rye went into the I,ose
KAN, but before he entered the restaurant
witness heard Rye make a remark This
was about three or four minutes after hear
Ing RyeS remarks to CAVITY. Witness was
standing in front Of 1921 F street, next to
man with gray mustache, whom witness
had heard called Colonel" close behind
Rye. Mr. Worthington here offered TO show
what witness heard Rye say to thu elderly
man Mr.. Davis did not object.
The elderly man said something to Rive
witness did not hear, and Rye replied that
he could take care of himself: that he knsw
what he was about.
Witness Saw n Knife.
Roger T. Orrison of 1913 9Th street north
east, the next witness, testified to knowing
Canty and Rye slightly. Was in 1921 F
street the day Of the shooting. Heard two
reports of pistol and ran out He saw a
man lying In the street. He went toward
him. and passed CAVITY, who was in front
OF the Wyatt building, in doing So Wit
ness went ON In the direction Of Rye's body,
drug store, and met boy in overalls. who
mad an open knife in his hand Judge Cole.
would not permit witness to recite what he
said to the boy OF what the latter said to
witness The defense noted an exception
Witness said the blade Of he knife shown
MIN IN court was similaE ,ts the one the
young man had in his hand
What did the young mari do with the
II saw him give 1t to the officer who had
MI. Canty in custody b..o,.
On cross-examination the witness said the
omcer and Canty were I'M front of Drew
knife. 5tsG
Corroboratfve Testimony.
Francis P. Nice. saffel a Western Union
telegraph operator, Of 1927, Columbia street,
testified that he was in tie Western Union
office. on the ground fpor pf the Wyatt
building, the day of the shooting. He heard
the pistol shots, and ran out. Saw Mr.
Rye on the pavement About three II feet
ri sSrtx Al
facing cast, with hisaback toward CAVITY
Rye staggered about three yards out in
the street and then fell. A colored man
was holding Rye's head. Rye was picked
up. and WREN he had been carried three
or four yards. one of the men said some
thing had dropped. Witness then saw a
hoy in overalls with a long bladed knife
open in his hand. Witness said the knife
IN court was. very similar to the one the
boy had. Witness asked the boy to let him
have the knife. and took hold of it. Wit
ness wanted to give it to- the officer but
did not say so to the boy who had it. Bat
tenfieid was told to stand up and witness
said:
That looks like the bey."
The party with Rye's body. who remark
ed that something had dropped, witness
said. was the coon who had hold of his
head"
On cfoss-eXamination witness stated that
he did not come out of the Western Union
office until all shots had been fred Canty
stood with crowd around him In the
street In front of the building adjoining
the Wyatt building on the west. Witness
was on the Western Union step when he
saw Rye fail. Did not see Canty till after
ward. On further cross-examinatfon wit
ness reiterated his account respecting the
boy and the knife and hearing the colored
man say something had dropped. The boy
with the knife was coming from where Rye
mad FALLEN. Witness heard somebody say:
That boys got the knife" as the boy who
had 1t came along.
Witness was questioned at great length
by Mr. Davis, and described infinitely
the way In which the person had the
knife; how the person was attempting to
shut the blade; how he had asked the per
son for 1t and how the knife had been
handed by the person to one Of the officers
VINO had hold of Canty. 1t was handed to
the officer over the latter's shoulder. He
heard that the officers name was Riley.
He was big man. with a red mustache.
witness was sure two officers had CAVITY
In charge, but only noticed the one to
whom the knife was handed.
Saw the Knife Fall.
Leonard L. Nicholson, jr., now living in
Baltimore. newspaper reporter, being
sworn, stated that he was on the east side
or I4th street above going south on
bicycle at the time of the shooting. He
neard a shot and looking around to locate
1t heard three more. He saw a gentleman
concrete Several parties picked up the
pody, and as 1t was picked up witness saw
a knire TALL Witness started to pick I'D
the knifs, but some one else got 1t before
him. A young man seventeen or eighteen
years Old. apparently workman, picked
up the knife.
Battenfisld was asked to stand I'D, and
witness Identified him as the one who
picked 1t up. Another young man, well
a dressed asked the one who picked up the
nniIe to give 1t to him.. Witness thought
SaIIeil was the one who made the request
witness described how Rye fell, going
ooWn on one hand as II tryingtto raise him
sell. and then falling There were four
shots fired Rye fell after all the shots
were hred. He thought Rye was about six
or eight feet from the corner curb when he
tel. Witness placed his wheel against
teie graph pole and went toward Rye Sew
eral people were already there, Rye's head
was lying In the direction bf the Ebbitt
House. When the body was fitted up wit
ness heard jingle on the pavement The
nead was lifted first. When witness heard
tne jingle the body had been lifted up. He
saw the knife very distinctly. It was a
knile about eight inches long, with a very
sharp, pointed blade. 1t was lying under
1ne midie of his body as 1t struck the street.
me knife was open. Witness was shown
the knife in court. and said il was similar