The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-13
PRINCE TELLS OF
THE SHOOTING
A Profound Impression
| Made by His Evidence.
A WIFE's CONFESSION.
Many Shook His Hand When He Left
the Stand.
MRS. CANNON CAUSES IT ALL.
Jealous of Mrs. Prince, She Wrote Let
tersto Captain Prince, Tellin: Him
of Her Discoveries About His
Wife-The Letters Read in
Court-Judge WaddiiFs
ltulin. i'll the Case.
MRS. CANNON CAUSES 1T ALL.
fsnec;u1 Dispatch to The Times

(special Dispatch to The Times.)
NORFOLK, VA, Dec. 12.-It was plainly
shown in the trial of Michael Fl. Prince,
in the United States District Court here
to-day before Judge Waddill. that, no mat
ter what may be the real facts, the direct
cause of the killing Of Oyster Inspector
Charles Cannon was the jealousy OF can
mons wife on account of Mrs. Prince.
Mrs. Cannon, when she wrote anony-
mously to Captain Prince, sought to Sc
cure punishment for Mrs. Prince and not
for her own husband, who is. dead as the
result.
INTENSE INTEREST.
Public interest grows more intense as
the trial proceeds.
The rulings of Judge Waddill are he4d
to follow closely those made by CIRCUIT
Judge Nathan Goff in the trial mere III
recent years of John Andersen, and which
ended in Andersen being hanged, are re
garded as being against Prince, and inol-
cate that "a more severe sentence 1hail
was generally anticipated at first Wouid
be dealt out.
AN APPEAL LIKELY.
That the defense contempates an appeal
| to the United States Supreme Court IN
| the event the decision of the jurors pres
entity trying Prince proves unsatlsfacloIS'
is generally believed to be indicated ps
the frequent exceptions taken, hotae4y u
the ruling that the Federal court mas Ju-
risdiction. even though Cannon. shot Whlle
on the Federal reservation, old NV o'e
until after his removal from IT,
MRS. CANNON ON STAND.
Mrs. Cannon on the stand to-dHy con-
tirmed the story printed in me 1ities
recently that Mrs. Princes inhdeiieY WIN
her husband. Charles Cannon, caused
Prince to shoot him. This letter OF Mrs
Canncn's to Prince was read. certain
statements not relevant are omltteu'
Mike. I don't like to have anything 10
do with a nun and his wife, but | th.nk
it's a. shame the way your VIE Is treating
Won and you ought to make 1t your ousi-
ne..s to watch her going to meet a married
man at night. She's been going with him
nearly two years to my knowledge. HE
is no friend of yours, and when you see
her with him you bent her. would Kill
her if she was mine.
"a FRIEND
(The above letter was punctuated with
profanity. perhaps to give: it genuine
appearance of manly indignation. These
words are erased by the editor.
IT WAS HER HUSBAND.
Mrs. Cannon testified that the man re-
ferred to in the above letter written by
her anonymously to Prince was her nus
band.
Mrs. Cannon was dressed in deep
mourning and was very pale. She said
She was ltle widow of Cannon and had
five little futherless girls. She SAID her
husband and Prince had been acquainted
for twenty-five years. She didn't know
how intimate they Were; they were
friendly SO far as she knew. She knew
nothing prior to the shooting that would
have destroyed the friendship between
Prince and Cannon. She saw Prince two
weeks before the killing.
That was two weeks after he had re-
ceived two notes.
MRS. PRINCES LETTERs.
The other letters written by Mrs.
Prince 70 Cannon. and found by Mrs. Can
non. read as follows:
Charlie: Come up tonight. think this
will be the last week I will be by myself.
You know the parties 1 was telling you
about; think they will be here next week
Will tell you all about it. Yours,
DICK"
Another letter:
Come UP to-ninght, I have something
to show you. Want to see Charley. bring
me some money; you know you prom
ised me that you would. ! would not
ask you, but 1 haven't none and won't be
able to get any before Saturday. Don't
disappoint me tonight I have something
very part.cula to tell You.
This letter was unsigned.
WANTED TO AVOID SHAME.
The handwriting of the notes Mrs. Can
non found was that OF Princes wife. Mrs.
Cannon said Prince told ner it was Mrs.
Princes handwriting.
The first interview I had with Prince
was at my house, said Mrs. Cannon.
II told Prince the letters he received
were from me. l got them off my hlls-
bands desk. Mr.. Prince said his wife
wrote the letters to my husband. l got
ness when he was absent. The reason
L sent for Mr.. Prinnce was I wanted to
avoid shame.
PRINCE TEsTIFIEs.
When court reconvened this afternoon
Prince was put on the stand, to which he
walked in a firm step, and testified in a
measured tone of yo.ce as follows:
am the. M. Prince charged with
killing Charfes J. Cannon 1 am AZ years
cl age, born in Richmond: have been
married thirteen years. known Charles
j. Cannon for thirty years. since we were
school boys; I worked by MS side in ships
hold for some years. 1 was his best
man when he was married. He was
god athe: to one OF my children.
I received these letters (pr-nted abovel
from Mrs. Cannon at night on July 18th.
she sent fer me and 1 went UP stairs and
cot ,em. 1 said: This letter was mailed
to-day. ..-.
She said she went to the sar Cher hus-
band's) and. looking ove: the mail, saw
the letter in woman's hand. and took
1t. She said the other letter was received
about three months before. She told me
she had written me n anonymous letter
The witness here Identified the anonymous
letters as the one he had received
A letter was here shown witness and
he said It was in his wife's handwriting