The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-05
MECKLENBURG MYSTERY.
SIZE TRIAL or JOHN ROGERS FOR
THE MURDER or WM. WARREN.
ne Fame Woman Gives Damaging Testi-
mony, and Though Ignorant Could Not
He swerved by examination.

BOY DTON. VA, Jan. i-Spcciai.-1hc
trial OF John Rogers charged with the
murder OF William -. Warren OH the
night OF the 10th OF July last. was COM
menced yesterday IN the County Court.
The state was represented by Common
wealth Attorney -. &. GOodc, ana the
prisoner BY cN-CongrcSsman *. 4.
thorpe.
. he circumstances attending this crime
and the perpeiraior OF u are sim siirouu-
81 IN deep mystery. ana the midnight
assassin has covered his track well IN
Decd. II VIII be remembered that war
ren : dead body was found on sunday
morning, July Mn. In an open ield near
thomas Rogers, fathcTn OF the prisoner.
mat Narrcns head showed the marks
OF violence his head bleeding from gun
shot wounds. and that aTSc shot had
been used IN committing the crime, Ia
u also showed that ne had PROBABLY been
ired upon from ambush as ne was
wounded only IN the back OF the head ana
neck, That there was "a Ciuglcr OF plum
bushes some fifteen yards from where
mo body was found. ana from which, IN
all probability the assassin lay conceal
Ell and did his bloody work. when the
case was called yesterday the court tA-
peftence1 sore dincuity IN procuring
Jury, ana nearly two hours was consum-
cd ia the effort.
OBJECTED TO THE JURY.
When on vas secured SIR. Thorpe
excepted TO the entire jury Tor
the reason. ne .1id. that all the mem
be.s g.. The Jury lived too near the scene
90 the murder and the home of the Rog-
q :. The court Overruled the exception
and the jury was sworn. quite a large
crowd was IN attendance. The first wit
ness placed on the stand was John War
rep. the brother OF the murdered man.
He told Of the finding Of the dead body
Of his brother. and said that John Rogers
md Johns father. Thomas Rogers,
helped him carry the dead body TO the
Warren residence and that Thomas Rog-
cts did not want any one to come 10 help
- roud William and that he also advised
rim 20 have the bcdy buried as quickly
rs possible.
Both John ard his father helped John
Warren shroud the dead man and they
were aocut making arrangement TO bury
the body, when one OF the ncighbors came
IN. ana upon examining the body. which
had been placed I'm the coffin. found that
there were gun shot wounds Ia the back
of the head and asked John Warren II
nc did not iutend holding an inquest and
:drthcr this ncighbor told him that If he
WARREN did not do so. that he (the
n'-ghbor would have il done.
DID. NOT SUSPECT FOUL PLAY
Tho witness said ne did not suspect any
foul play had been worked on his brother
that he did not think his brother had an
enemy on earth. for that reason did not
examine him for the purpose Of ascertain
iiig II he had been murdered. The Wit
ness Vas very rigidly cross examined by
NJ. Thorpe who made him contradict
himself on one or two Important points
The witness showed much litter resent
ment IN giving his evidence nd when he
f-as asked by the prisoners counsel II
i'e did not ask some one, hen he heard
{ his brothers death: Who VIII get the
property" TO this question the witness
with great vehsmenCe and Indignation re-
Piled: 81 never asked such question IN
my life"
rhe next witness examined ly the pros
,cution was DR.. Garland carter the ply
sic'an. who made the post-mOrtem exam
ination. DR.. Garter told where the fatal
wound was located.
Justice Digger. acting coroner. also tes-
tiled to the holding OF the inquest.
jury GO no THE SCENE.
Al this stag Of the trial the Common
wealth's Attorrey asked the Court 10
take the Jury 70 the scene OF tragedy. in
order that they might have a better
idea Of the position OF things. The Court
readily consented. so the Judge. lawyers,
and Jury left Immediately after dinner
for Rogers field which Is some six or
seven miles .isi1n.
The Judge ari jury returned TO supper
and the court reconvened until ABOUT
81 o'clock f. NJ. The first witness call
cd Was Mary Pane (coloredl, who lived
at the time of the murder. in house
on the premiscg, some seventy or eighty
yards from Rogers dwelling house rms
woman gave the most damaging testi-
nony against john Kogers OF any wit
ness who had testified.
KNEW HIS VOICE.
She stated that on the night % the
murder she was awakened by the voice
cf John Rogers. who was mailing some
ne ana demanding to know who the
rarity was. ana mat me party answered
that IL was Ben" John Rogers then
neman1ed 10 know his business. and not
receiving q satisfactory answer, Il gun
was fircd.
She further testified that In a rev
moments after the firing OF tho gun. she
heard low GlEing a. the dwelling house
Of ROGERS. between MIN ana hls sOn. John
Rogers but could EOt understand what
passed
Thus Woman. ignorant ana unaccustom-
ed 10 being before q cout' and although
carried through a most trying cross-eX-
animation by the prisoner counsel she
maintained herself with nut little or no
variation.
Al - O'Clock +. NJ. the court adjourned
until Q O'Clock ;his morning. when Mary
Fame will conclude yer evidence. lhere
are some forty witnesses in the case.
s:i the trial Will probably last two days
ionger.