The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-05-09
a VIRGINIA MURDER TRIAL.
Romance, Mystery, and Tragedy
Make liz n Notable One.

Make liz Notable One.
RICHMOND, Va, May 9.-Love, ro-
! nance, mystery. tragedy, all contribute to
make the trial Of Andrew Carter Gilligan
ono Of the most sensational in the erimi-
! nal history Of Virginia
The trial began yesterday at Windsor.
/ the little county seat of Isle OF Wight
county. which is seven miles from a rail-
road. The interest in it is intense. Hun
dreds of people drove or rode into Windsor.
whose hotels will accommodate perhaps
eco. The crowd will have to camp out, as
il did when the trial was last called and
| adjourned.
The lawyers consumed the day in argu-
| ing for and against the admission as testi-
mOny of the love letters exchanged by Gil
Iigan and Miss Isabelle Turner. Gilligan's
fate lies in the pink palm of the daughter
OF the man he is charged with killing
and In these love letters. His lawyers are
strenously struggling for the admission OF
The letters; Miss Isabelle will be a wit
ness.
Gilligan is accused of numbering c. Bev-
erley Turner, a rich and prominent citizen
of Isle Of Wight county. on December q
last. Gilligan, son of Mr.. Turner'S over
seer. and Isabelle, Mr.. Turner's daughter,
grew up together, and their youthful affec-
tion deepened into a sweeter passion. They
knew that the aristocratic Turner, proud
of his family and social status, would new
er consent to such a match.
In some way the old gentleman diseov-
cred their secret woOing and angrily for
babe Gilligan to approach Miss Isaslle or
to communicate with her. But the enam-
ored pair stIll met and exchanged letters;
a hollow tree was Cupid's postofiee for
them; there Miss Isabelle placed her mis-
sives, and there she found the answers to
them.
II is supposed that Miss Isabelle's father
learned. late last December, that she and
her lover were stiI exchanging their vows
and bilets doux. Mr. Turner was killed
some time after dark on December 81 He
had left his house to go to his stables.
short distance away; a bullet had passed
through his neck.
Mr.. Turner. a popular man, was not
known to have had an enemy, and for
while no one could imagine who had
killed him. Then the fact that he had
antagonized Gilligan was noised about,
and then Gilligan disappeared from the
county, but returned and surrendered. The
feeling against him was intense, and lest
he should be lynched he was lodged in the
Petersburg jail
1t is understood that Giuigan has admit
ted to his counsel that he shot Mr.. Turner,
in about these words:
II loved him, but IL was his life or miEe.
l killed him in seif-defence."
Ii is also said that Miss Isabelle was
with her lover on the fatal evening and
saw her father fall
Despite the efforts of the prosecuting
| lawyers to withhold them, II is likely that
the love letters that passed by way of that
old tree Will be introduced in evidence 10
prove that the girl. fearing for her sweet
hearts safety. warned him OF her fathers
deadly threats.
The personality OF those involved is not
the least attraction TO the people who
thTOng the town. Miss Isabelle was the
apple of her fathers eye. the idol of his
heart. She is but nineteen years old,
wiki golden hair. fair complexion, blue
eyes lovely mouth. She is fine type of
the Southern girl, accomplished, with gra-
cious. albeit dignifed. manners.
Young Gilligan was reared on Mr.. Tur-
ner's place. He is a tall. athletic. fine look
ing fellow. who dresses well and carries
himself in manly fashion. Mr.. Turner
owned large lumber mills and a line of YES
sells. His brother was an officer at Cas-
tie Thunder, the Confederate prison here,
where prisoners accused Of offences against
the Southern Government were incar-
ceTated during the civil war. One of these
was DR.. Mary Walker. now so noted for her
eccentricities Of dress and opinion.