Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-10-29
THE TESTIMONY IN
The Celebrated Coke-RidgeweI1
Shooting Case Nearing the End,
The Prosecution submits Strong Tea-
timony in Rcbuttai-A Flint Denial
ortho rru,hiuinos. OF Statements
bI,deby The Dclonso.

The evidence In the Coke-Ridgewell
shooting case is all in, after five days
CONSUMED in examining and cross-ex-
aiming witnesses. The last witness left
the stand at o'clock yesterday after
noon and Judge Martin adjourned the
couri until tomorrow morning at 10
o'clock. The argument will begin at
that hour.
AIpther tilt between the lawyers oc-
currld after the jury had been i'd
jourted. 1t was over the question OF in
strustions to the jury by the court. Mr..
Thoii. for the prosecution. submitted
an outline of what he thought should
go 70 the jury. He wanted the courts
change TO specify that an overt act by
n mtn in the heat of passion cause by
hcarsay of 4 supposed grievance simply
was not justifable
Til. other side disputed the soundness
Of tsis reasoning. Their view was in
eifcc; that the defendant, acting upon
n confession and other evidence, which
he regarded as conclusive, shot and
manned a man before he had time to
reflect sufficiently to cool his heated
passion. They claimed, therefore, that
the benefit of condonement which the
law allows in such cases should be his,
decide. A number of authorities were
cited. The defense also claimed that
when the offense Of shooting and MAIN
ing is admitted or proved, the burden
of proving that It was malicious rests
upon the Commonwealth.
TESTIMONY.
When the trial was resumed yester-
day morning Gussie Vaughn, the coll
ored girl formerly employed at the de-
fandart's house, was put on the stand.
She told the jury that she was Miss
Gussie Vaughn" She proved to be the
most humorous witness yet introduced.
She described herself as the confiden-
tial adviser of Mrs. Coke. The latter
rarely wrote or received q letter, but
that Gussic perused It. She gave her
testimony so rapidly that the stenog-
raphcr perspired In his efforts to keep
apace with her, and she was never at
Il loss in repartec with the lawyers for
the dcnefse. Gussie posed as the savior
of Mrs. Coke's life on one or two occa-
sions. Her herolcs brought forth smiles
from the jury box and peals of laughter
from the audience.
She testified that the defendant offer
ed to send her away and pay her board
and give her $40 additional II she would
not testify In the case. She said MT.
Coke treated Mrs. Coke cruelty, and
once che saw him with a. knife holding
1t over her mistress throat Upon see
ing this, witness said. she got an axe
and walked into the room and def1ed
Mr.. Coke to touch his wife with the
knife. defendant at this point laugh
ed so loud that a deputy sheriff raped
for order). Witness carried the note
from Mrs. Coke asking for loan Of $50
from Mr.. Ridgewell to the latter's place
of business. Mr.. Ridgewell simply said
he would attend to 1t, but the colored
girl said she did not want Mrs. Coke to
borrow the money. and she told her on
her return that Mr.. Ridgewell said he
was afraid he would never get rid Of
IL" or something of that sort Gussie
admitted this was false. but she denied
that she was swearing falsely on the
stand. She described the defendant as
dangerous person, but protested loud
~ that she was no more afraid of him
than she was the chilluns."