Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-10-28
MADE THEM TIRED
State Witnesses Grew Weary
Under Cross-examination.
SECOND DAY or THE TRIAL.
Ms. Ruth Ma k"s the C"n',nonwealth' wit
ness.s Contradict Each Oth~r,a:nt
the brutal Facts T.. etIii-si Ia
Remain Unshak-m.
SECOND DAY or The TRIAL

ne HrpDEntlon Court W:lS engage,
Yesterday for the Sc -"nu day w:rh IL,
trtal OF William p'Eoy!.. on the ci,arG,
Of murdered Erbccca. o. Alma. Ham
iltcn
Tie commemorative, Attorney, ana 4
few others perhaps became mbue j
yesterday with the idea shat the cas-,
might be disposed Of by Saturday night
ana Judge Earhum was asked 10 hol,.
u session last night. Eut ii appeared to
Ills Honor THAI su, n !: desirable lining
as GStting through With the ease hs
1H-nisnt was entirely n:!proba bic. He
therefore. hcSita,el TO pat the jury 20
rhc Inconvenience - night sessions
and concluded not 70 mold them
It may be said that MI. (. II. Ruth.
attorney for the defense. impaired ID
some extent the testin>n; Of the COM
monwealth's witnesses ny cross-exam.
natinn OF ',ne most persistent ana, 10
the witnesses. cNaSrera;ing characters
He did not make any OF them ..1ntr;l-
diet themselves. but he did make chem
contradict each other.
among the statements made on tht
stand yesterday under oath We're. IN
effect, these:
Alma and the c.iler women were all
in 4 room together when Oli5oyle cane
u the. house
Alma and the other vernon We're not
in d room together w:len O"Eoyls. cam.
70 the house.
Nina had teacup in her hand ard
Threatened 70 hit O'Eeyle in tile head
with Il if he struck h.Y again.
Alma dii not have II teacup in her
hand ana cid not threaten 70 i.i5
p3oyle with tcacup
pEGylc jumped Oh The woman with
both feet and stamped! her
p'Eoyle did not jump on the woman.
but dil stamp her With one foot
O'BoSle struck the woman with bot!.
hands at the same time
o'oNle never ss,rucl- her with but
one hand at any one time
These are the principal samples 81
contradiction. There We're others rela.
tive 70 the various rooms in the house
whether they We're occupied or va
cant: whether one Witness shut he:-
self UP before Or after O1Royle Knocked
the woman down; whether carrie
Clayton cid or did not 50 for a shirt
for O'Hoyle etc, etc.
Carrie Clayton is the witness who is
materially contra,licted The ,the,.
witnesses practically tell the sane
story Of The affair.
NAl\:-\l u n IltoN(I l. lGHI
At the same time. there has been
essentially no contradiction on the ac-
tually vital phases q: The case The
Witnesses nave all. up 10 date. testified
to the fact that the unfortunate woman
Alma 1!amii;nn. was Snlucked bruta!y
beaten about the head With clench::l
ns,s. ahr"Wn or knockt q down. kicked
and stamped. The contradictions may
have had The effect CT Weakening the
cretlibi!iy OF one Or more Of TIE VIZ
nesses; but that they have had the ef-
feet Of dispeliing any impression q eat
ed by the narration Of the main facts Of
The affair. is To De doubted
MY. Ruth i making 4 remarkably
strong fight for his ellen, and the man
ner In which he has handled the COM
nlonweal:hs witnesses on cross exam
jnation has provoked admiration
Tie State now has but one or two
more witnesses TO so on the stand ana
the defenses witnesses are less than a
haN a dozen. il is believed. therefore,
that the evidence can be concluded to-
dag. Then will come argument on in
str,iGtlons. argument before the jury,
and the iury's consideration of the
whole case.
When court adjourned at O'clock
last evening, DR.. B. r. Gary wls on
the stand testifyng rs u the mental
and physical condition Of the woma,,
when she made 1er morton 5. ate
ment. This is preliminary to che neAt
move of the commonwealth, which vii!
s,e to introduce that statement as ev:-
Ience. The State is relying considera-
big on this statement. and u'h. defense
is straining every nerve 70 kee, il from
going 10 the jury.
THE MORNING SESSION.
The first witness put on today was n
mulattp woman known as Serena. Shs.
was in the mouse When the alleged in
ju1-ies We're inflicted by O'Boyle on
Alma Hamilton.
Serena was in her room when she
heard O"Boyle coming up stairs. She
went TO the door and was standing
there when Billy reached the top Of he
steps Alma was In Mrs" Godsey,s
roDm. O'Royle went on by Seren;l's
room, to Mrs" Godseys door and ask
ed .Alsr,n ii she were drunk. Alma re-
piled no Billy walked down and said
lie shouldn't talk to her. They came up
80 serena's door and Billy smackc !
A1nna's face. she said don't hurt ,h;s
baby" He took the baby away ana
sma cked her again Billy took the baby
into Mrs" Godsey's room. came back
stnd commenced beating Alma. Sernnl
aid not hear Alma tell Billy she would
hit him in The head If he slapped her
again; she also dsn.ed that Alma ha q
tea cup in her hand,
The witness thus contradicted Carrie
tHaytOn fatty as to the cup and as 70
Annals threat to hit Billy. Serena ais
denied that Alma laid hands on Biz,
at all when he 'wns Shaping her.
After putting the baby away. Billy
,1atEad up to Alma and without a word