Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-07-21
THE CASE OF BATES
Events Of the Second Day OF the
Trial.
CAUSE OF TIE TRAGEDY
Progress Made Vest. r.iny. Testimony
of TWO Woman. Oiicer
Flsher on the stand.

Fisher on the stand.
The trial of Ben Bates for the murit:
Of Charles Wilkerson was resumed ysS-
teriay in the Corporation Court but
hot much progress was made owing; 20
numerous objections to questions ANA
tits between attorneys.
Two witnesses We're placed upon the
stand and these threw considcra ole
the tragedy.
1t seems tho Who'll, affair began abou,
a woman one Annie West. Il d;ims-l
from the other side.
Il. G. Davis. better known as Dolly.
was one Of the members Of the Wlkcr
son party on The night Of the shoot
ing. which WAS Saturday. His cyl
d.licc as to what occurred npon thai
occasion Vas substantially that given
by ErGtt tn" day before.
Equally Important was his testimony
concerning the events Of the proceed
ing Wednesday night. Upon that ncca-
sion, he said. he ana Wilkcrson We're
walking down Twentycehth street
With two girls The girl with Wilker-
son was Annie West. Bates met them
ana picked II quarrel. according to the
witness. saving tina, he did not want
Annie II go With any man but him
self. There We're some words. Bates
drew knife. Wilkerson knocked Bates
down ard the knife fell out Of his hal,l
Will<erson then dragged Bates into Il
nearby alley where Il fight cnsued in
which Willerson was apparently the
victor.
Mabel Sinclair he other witness
whose place is on Twcnty-fourth street
testified that on that "Wednesday night
Bates came To her house and wanted
to see the ------- ------ who
hit him lie referred to Wilk"rsnn,
who WAS in the house. Bates was re-
fused admittance a,i,! Kicked the door
down. He was pushed AWAY. however.
and left. returning u couple Of hours
later with a revolver, saying that Mabel
might as We'll let him have the ---
-- - --------------. rs II" WAS going to Kill
him on sight" He went away without
seeing Williersnn.
On that Saturday night when the
fatal tight occurred. Mabel Sinclair
heard shots, ana looking OF, presently
saw Bates running UP the street toward
her house loading his revolver as
he ran When he passed the door he
called out TO Mabel and told her 70
tell Anni, sond-!,yc as he had shot the
away.
The witness saw Bates stopped ny
officer Fisher ana saw Rates fire ut
Fisher twice one BAN going through
the officers nNcrcOat pocket and the
ether striking his medal badge curling
It up like Il lear. Before the officer
could recover. Bates was gone again.
This was the substance of the wn-
mans testimony, which was in some Of
It's phases the most lama gins yet al
tluccd by he commemorative.
1t was nearly , O'clock when court
reconvcned after dinner
Mabel Sinclair was placed upon tbs.
stand for cross eXanination.
Among the questions asked on this
examination was whether Mabel had
not Said in the presence of Jennie DcIll
ana Otrcrs that Sha had already talked
fast enough TO send one man to tbs.
pcnitcntinry, and proposed 10 talk fast
enough to hang Ben Bates also that
Mabel said that Annie West Thought
when she got on the stand she would
clear Bates, but that When she (Ma-
beD and her son got through With Ba les
there wouldn'i be enough Of him left to
clear or words to that effect Mabel
denied all this in toto.
y GOOD WITNESS.
c. II. Fisher. the next witness, is the
special officer Who had such /, narrow
escape from being killed while trying
to arrest Bates.
The defense objected to any questions
relative to this incident The objection
did not stand, ana Fisher told the jury
an dDout r. NOW he ttltL TO arrest
Bates and Bates fired at him twice,
one bullet striking his policem;i MS
badge. the other piercing his overcat
pocket ana setting the garment ATTIRE.
Somebody put me out concluded
the witness. land the next time saw
Bates he was on horseback behind Ser
geant Reynolds He apologZcd to me,
saying he was sorry he had shot me.
but he did not know that l was an off,
GER"
Fisher made an unusually good wit
ness and could not be tangled up by t,
severe and lengthy cross examination
Tho witness left the stand 10 get the
coat and nvercoat which he Wore on
the night of the shooting
F-ANNIF3 GIBSON.
Fannie Gibson, Mabel Sinclair's sis
ter. was next placed on the stand
She had something entirely new to tell
she SAID that after the shooting Ben
c"lnc by Mabel's place and said he had
killed the ana 6vo,)1
leave town that night Then the scrap
with Fisher occurred and Bates ran
INTO an alley near the house and fell
down saying he had bcen shot.
This witness also told Of the Wednes-
day night fracas. Among other things.
Fannie testified that at the dance that
Wednesday night Bates said. referring
20 Wiikerson. That's that $1,000
we've got 10 do"
AfR"~zy ssnckr"e an liz. hay.
Cooling DrceZcS from Tho b1y ana ~.