Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-02
THE BRISTOL ARRAY
TRIAL OF DAVIS, CHARGED WITH
SHOOTING GENL WALKER.
The LATTER ON The STAND.
He Admits Firing Upon Hamilton
Some Ugly Language Used-The
June Term.

BRISTOL. TENN. May 1.-(speciaL)-
Corporation Court convened promptly at
o'clock to-day Judge William S. Stuart
presiding and Clerk James A. Stone at
his desk. Both OF these officers are young
men. and are said to be the youngest In
Virginia filing similar positions.
The criminal docket was called, the
first case being that against George E.
Davis, stenographer Of Judge Rhea,
charged with shooting ex-Congressman
James A. Walker on the night Of March
18th, in this city, while taking testimony
in the contested election case Of walker
against Rhea. In Davis's case the Com
monwealth asked recess until II o'clock
A. NJ, at which time ex-Congressman
Walker was expected to arrive. The
court resumed its session on time. and
the Commonwealth Attorney moved
that the indictment pending against ex-
Congressman Walker for having shot
Lawyer William S. Hamilton, be tried
first Counsel for Davis asked that the
docket be proceeded with regularly, and
the court so decided.
The Commonwealth here asked for
continuance Oh llt Ease dEdihSN
but the court refused. and a jury of we'll
known and prominent Bristol Va) citi-
zens was obtained from the panel OF
twenty men summoned.
LAWYERS IN THE CASE.
Tavis is being defended by Hon. II. G
Peters. John W. Price. and J. II. Win
ston. commemorative Attorney Ash
worth appears alone for the Common
wealth. Colonel Fulkerson and Captain
Wood. who previously appeared against
Davis. having abandoned the case.
The first witness called to the stand
was ex-Congressman James a. Walker
lie testified that on the evening OF March
18th he left the st. Lawrence Hotel at
7.}O O'Clock, in company with r. NJ cal
fee ana A. r. Hickman. He went direct
ly 10 the courthouse and resumed the
CROSS examination of Witness George q.
Steiner. Steiner made a pert reply to
one % his questions. He (witness) said
to Calfee that any one could act the fool.
Hamilton asked If he applied that re-
mark to him. and said: IF you do, you
are a id liar" Hamilton was trying
TO get to him, but friends stopped him.
Davis, witness continued. held me by the
wrist l cussed him, and said, Turn
me loose. and hold your own friends
Some one said Adjourn, Hamilton
and Rbea said. go on" told them
that l would go or with sober counsel,
but would not with drunken lawyers
Hamilton said, witness further testified:
IF you call me drunk you are ID
liar" He also called witness an old
gray-haired coward and said that he had
cut Joe Wysor's throat, thrown stones at
Stonewall Jackson. etc. He said he would
blow his (witness's) brains out Hamil-
,,nafffnn nit
his hand on his hip-pocket
ADMITS FIRING.
He (witness) had one-barrelled Der
ringer in his overcoat pocket, and flred
on Hamilton. Davis then at once shot
him (witness). The first shot paralyzed
his arm so that his pistol fell from his
hand on the table. Every one then LETT
the room. and witness told Calfee TO take
him to a physician, and he left the court
house al once.
The witness was rlgidly cross-exam-
ined by John w. Price, md recalled the
names Of seven persons present besides
himself. He said that he had not taken
more than one drink; that he had bought
the Derringer on March 4th from q mer-
chant on Pennsylvania avenue, Washing
ton city. and that he did not have dirk
knife in his belt which he wore about his
waist. He declared that he had nothing
against Hamilton, but that he did not
like Davis.
The next witness was r. VI. Calfee,
clerk of the eX-Congressman, VINO SAID
he was present the night Of the shooting.
His statement was the same as eX-Con-
gresham Walkers in the main. He dld
not see Walker shoot Hamilton, but did
see Davis shoot Walker. He said that he
balnod undrpss Walker at the hotel, and
that they took a six-shooting army pistol
off Of him. At this point the jury was
adjourned until tomorrow at o'clock
General Walker was then arraigned ana
plead not guilty 10 the indictment.
His counsel argued a demurrer TO the
Indictment which the court overruled. He
then asked for a continuance Of his case
exhibiting a certificate for a physician
that he was unable to stand trial, and the
court continued the case against him I'M
I'll the first Monday in June.