The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1898-03-03
HIS LIFEAT STAKE
JNO. HARRISON ON TRIAL FOR
KILLING STOCKTON.
A CROWDED COURT HOUSE
The States Testimony Begun-OnIy
Circumstantial Evidence SO Far.
The Prisoner Confident of Ac-
quittal-A Great Array of
LEGAL Talant

Legal Talent
The trial of John w. Harrison for
killing Paul Stockton,s was begun
Tuesday in the Superior Court. The
large acquaintance OF the prisoner and
the man whom he is charged with
killing makes this one of the most
Interesting capital cases that has ever
been tried here
John Harrison, who had been out
on bond, came into court at 10 o'clock,
calm, deliberate and confident, his
attol neys, Messrs. Glenn s. Manly,
Watson 81 Buxton and Jones 81 Pat
teIson accompanying him The pros
ecution is represented by Solicitor
MOTT, District .torney Holton and
Mr.. ]. w. Mcneil
The court room was packed by a
representative assembly and intense
Interest was manifested from the
start. Behind the prosecuting cOuu.
sci sat friends and relatives OF the de-
ceased, the father, Mr.. Jos Stockton,
and uncle, M ID. Stockton. Around the
prisoner were gathered his wife, his
father-in-law, mntber-in law, and a
number OF close friends.
The legal battle opened up when
the selection Of the jury was begun
Inc old jury war-horse, Hon. G. b
watson, sifted the special venire for
the prisoner, while Solicitor Mott
performed similar duty for the State.
After several hours sitting the follow
ing jurors were selected:
h SpeaSe, Lewis Thomas, Robert
Eidridge (col J. j NJ Cummings.
Newell Sapp, j. o. White, j. f Mar
shall, Crawford Marshall. w B
| Crutchield, r. W. Apperson, George
EchOls, Robert NisSen.
Solicitor Mott opened the case by
reading to the jury in solemn and
impressive manner the bill of indct-
ment charging Harrison with murder
in the first degree, announcing to
them at the same time that Harrison
had pie AIDED mot guilty.
Fred Conrad was the first witness
for the State. His story was, in sub
stance, as follows: L was at home in
West End; heard pistol fire; on rising
to window saw car in front OF our
house running backward 1t was
then about Il feet east of StocktOn's
body; but L don't know whether | saw
body when l first saw car or not. Saw
Harrison stepping up on side walk in
a trOt, afterward into fast walk,
going towards home. He was then
Is or 20 feet from car. Stockton's
D'iuy was lug a"1uU uIdRbnHl TO
track, his cape over his head; had on
bis overcoat. | saw pistol and belt.
John Ebert had belt and Chief league
was showing pistol with chambers all
full. Didn't see them on his body.
The track SwagS, the car usually
running back to the low part of the
swag by its own momentum. Car
sometimes moves after it has once
stopped. Harrison and Mr.. Burke
started to town about as quick as
they could have hitched up buggy.
Rev S.>F. Conrad, G. A. Ring, mo.
tOrman, DR.. r f. Gray, julia Jones,
culored and Thomas Patterson were
examined this afternoon. Mr.. Conrad
told about being at his home in the
West End, hearing the pistol fire and
going to the wounded man, etc. His
evidence was the same as at the pre-
liminary trial. He saw John Ebert
takesthe pistol and belt off Of Stock
ton
Mr. Ring went out on a car to West
End and found DR.. Gray and others
there. Saw glimpse OF Stock tons
face through the crowd and the pis-
toll removed BY John Ebert. He told
where the Car usu ally stops, etc.
DR.. Gray, who examined Stockton,
after he was shot, said he found that
the ball entered The left eye next to
nose and ranged back, coming out
two inches from the right ear. He
thought the pistol was near Stock
tons face when it was fired. Harri-
sons general character is good, said
the Doctor.
julia Jones, w. l.. Hill's cook, got
somewhat tangled in some of her evil
dence. She claimed to know Stock
ton and used to see him go by on Ger.
In the cross-examination by Mr. Man
ly, Julia tried to say she had seen
Stockton before heleft here.
Mr.. Patterson was on the stand
when our report closed All OF the
evidence given thus far is practically
the same as told at the preliminary
trial.