Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-01-12
EDWARDS IN The BOX
Graphic Recital ofHis Trouble
With Patrick.
THE KING STREET GRANT,
The indications Are That Mr. Darling win
Capture the Remainder of That
Thoroughfare. Why He
is Favored

Despite the fact that nearly six
months have elapsed since Thomas Ed
wards was first arraigned before Judge
Lee for the shooting of John Patrick
public interest in the tagic event seems
to have Undergone but slight abate-
ment. Indeed, there were, for time,
yesterday afternoon, Indications that 1t
has Increased. During the closing hours
of the session the dtngy old chambe
was packed. The crowd was in several
respects variegatsd one, and would
have Furnished abundant data for a
lengthy story by a Northern writer en-
southern manners and customs. The
people pushed and punched and psrha ps
ptncned one another in their efforts to
secure first-class positions, until the bar
Enclosure was alled and egress and In
Sress Were almost impossible. Then
those In the rear mounted the benc1le 9
and noiSfly perched themselves on the
SlllS nf the windows and stared at the
limited space in which the witness had
been graciously spared sufficient room
s o tell his story.
at was the testimony CT Edwards that
everybody wanted to- hear. and when
ne took the stand the crowd listened
with eager interest TO the woris that
fen from his lips. If the man had stood
there with his hands indellibly dyed
With human blood it is doubtful IL his
presSn nee would have attracted closer In
Specs!ca and his utterances more care
tua attention. Edwards is man Of re-
nsarka Bile GOODNESS and SELF control. He
walked to the WITNESS chair as If his
statement were merely matter If form
and his acqslttta assured. In voice
That was clear and distinct he related
his meeting with Patrick in Davis
store. and then went on. to tell how the
shooting occurred on the following Fri
day evening. He welded together the
taA11 n Mot. 81 -
with a master hand, and as it grew ne
seemed to find interest in it. He SPOKE
with confidence that seemed to tell
MIN he haiI done no wrong And faced
the twelve men before him with appar-
emit indifference to fear. And yet in ali
this thsre was an absolute lack of brav-
edo. On the other hand, his manner
was that of 1espec tful Difference toward
those around him. When he reached
that part of the"Story in which he be-
gan to describe the scene on Newport
News avenue. he rcse from his chair
and asked for the saw which Patrick
carried. and. sasping it firmly with
both hands. swisheu it up AMI down in
the manner in which he said it had been
used on his head and arms. He then
drew up his sleeve and approaching the
jurors showed the scars alleged to have
been made by the teeth of the saw. It
was the same story told by the man
.i1> iN!nlHs otlore, Dot the recital was
far more graphic.
Next to the testimony OF Edwards
interest centred, in that of q negro
named Francis. who did not testify at
the former trial. The fact that Francis
had witnessed the shooting did not be-
come known until after Edwards had
been convicted, and it was partially
upon 1t that Judge Lee consented to
grant new trial. He said that he
came from Newport News on the car
that brought Patrick, Darden, Curtis,
Roach. Smith and Edwards. all of wi,om
aiightaa at Newport News avenue.
FRANCIS sat in the trailor and from 1t
he witnessed the encounter. He saw
Patrick pursuing Edwards and the lat
ter doing his best to escape the blows
that We're being rained upon his head
with this saw. A number of other wit
nesses testified for the accused and at a
late hour the case was closed and the
attorneys began argument upon the
instructions. The speaking Will be COM
menead this morning.