The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-11-25
A VERY TEDIOUS HEARING
The Magistrates Hearing Occupied
Nearly -Four Days
O'NEArS BOND UP, IS RE-INCARCERATED
Or. Sid Thompson Who First Examined the
Body Testified Yesterday. He Says the
Wound Was Under the Arm. His
NU..L Ma-~s.
Conversation With Mangum.

After three long days of investiga-
ton, the magistrates trial in the case
against Samuel Mangum for the kill
ing of Peter Griffin came to an end
yesterday. Justice Maroon remanded
Mangum to jail to await the action of
the grand jury, at the next criminal
term of the Superior court of this
county. He also refused to grant
Mangum bail.
The bond formerly given by Mr..
O'Neal for his appearance has expired,
and he was yesterday afternoon again
taken into custody, but was later re-
leased on bail. The defense contem-
plate suing out writ of habeas cor
pus at an early date.
The main witness examined yeSter-
day was DR.. S. @. Thompson, the ply
stefan who first examined the body af-
ter the shooting. He said that he first
saw the body about two hours after
the man was killed. Mr.. Mangum told
him to examine the body. The wound
was under the arm on one side. 1t
was asserted by DR.. Thompson that
Mangum's character was good, and
that Griffin had a reputation for vio-
lence and that he was a dangerous
man. The body was lying about sew
enty-five yards from where Mangum
alleges the shot was fired, in a path.
From the fact there was no external
hemorrhage, and that the blood had
not congested about the bruise where
he struck the ground, he judged that
the wound was in the heart. The wit
ness had a conversation with Mangum
in regard to the killing. Mangum told
him that he was sorry it had occurred,
but that he was forced to do it, as
Griffin was striking at hinl and would
have killed him. Mangum says he
aimed at Griffns face when he fired,
and shot four times, and thought he
had shot him in the face until told
otherwise. Mangum also told DR..
Thompson of the boisterous conduct of
Griffin at his house before the killing.
Dr. Moore, of coroner, was not
placed upon the stand, thouoh he was
in readiness to testify as to the in
quest. should 1t be attacked.
Robt. and John Morris testified that
they met the deceased on a hill oppO-
site Mangum's house. He had pistol
and was drunk. They asked him where
he was going, and he said that he was
going to kick up hell on the next hill,
meaning where Mangum lives.
Connie Lowry, Dick Mills, Edgar
Morris, John Pleasant, testified that
they helped to wash and dress the
body, and that the wound was under
the right arm. The defense introduc-
ed this testimony to show thaN the de-
ceased was not shot in the back as
claimed by the prosecution. The lat
ter assert that the deceased was I'M
armed at the time of the killing, and
that the position of the wound is such
that it could not have been inflicted
while the deceased was advancing
upon the defendant. Furthermore
they claim that the defendant had
been drinking.
The defense claim that the deceased
came to Mangum's house, using bois-
ferrous and profanee language, which
frightened Mangum's wife, who was i'll
at the time; that he threatened Man
gums life and struck at him after
Mangum had retreated as far as pos
sible, and that Mangum was closely
pressed when he fired
The preliminary hearing was the
longest that has taken place in Raj
eigh in a long time. The case will
doubtless excite much interest when it
is tried.