The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-25
DIR. CROSSLAND CASE TAKEN UP Charged With Assault tO|
 Murder.
 HE SHOT NOBLE J. WILEY Evidence Introduced at the
 Trial Yesterday. No Attempt Made to Postpone Case Shooting Occurred on Dexter
 Avenue Last August-Large
 Crowd Present

Df. J. H. Crossland, charged with as- sault with intent to murder Lieutenant Noble J. Wiley. was placed on trial yes- terday morning in the criminal division of the City Court. The court house was well filled with a crowd that had gathered to hear the evidence in the famous case.
 The case was notable for the celerity with which it was gotten under way. Some little time was occupied in the se- lection of a jury. but the twelve men had been agreed upon when an adjournment was taken for dinner. Neither side made m attempt to have the trial postponed. When the court adjourned at 2 o'clock last night nearly dozen witnesses had been examined. most of them being eye witnesses of the difficulty between Lieu tenant Wiley and Dr. Crossland on the night of the 7th of last August. In this difficulty Dr. Crossland drew a pistol and shot Lieutenant Wiley. the ball going through near the right shoulder. The wound was painful but not serious. Ow- ing to the prominence of the young men the difficulty attracted attention from all over the State.
 Lieutenant Wiley is the son of Colonel A. A. Wiley, Congressman from the Sec- ond District. The young man has been Rifles and he resigned that office to ac- cept a commission in the United States army. He will join his regiment as soon as this trial is completed.
 and like Lieutepant Wiley. he had com
 manded the Montgomery cavalry com pany. The two men had trouble previous to the shooting in August.
 Of especial interest yesterday was the introduction of the testimony of Captain Charles A. Allen, Jr. The evidence was the stenographic report of his testimony at the p-eliminarS hearing before Justice
 fa eft n court Captain Allen has passed from the jurisdiction sof all earthly courts. His drowning with his little brother in the early days Of March was one of the sad dest happenings of the year.
 Before the introduction of Captain AL lens testimony the physicians who at- tended Lieutenant Wiley described the nature of the wound inflicted by the bull let from Dr. Crosslands pistol. It had entered the right breast. slightly to the right and passed diagonally through the body. stopping, finally, in the muscles in the rear of the right arm. While the wound was not probed. it was thought that the bullet had been defiected from its original course by a rib. <
 Steuographer E. l.. May, swore to the accuracy of the written testimony of Captain Allen. which Solicitor Lomax held in his hand. Justice J. B. Fuller testified that he had administered the necessary oath to Captain Allen.
 Solicitor LonaX read Captain Aliens account of the fight and shooting to the fury as he had given it at the preliminary hearing In his statement Captain Allen said that he was sitting on the steps of the Farley National Bank with Lieuten- ant Wiley talking. just before the difi- culty. Lieutenant Wiley was sitting on the side nearest the street and his ack was slightly turned. The witness saw Dr. | Crossland come diagonslly across Dexter | Avenue. but he paid but little attention | 10 him, continuing his conversation with | Lieutenant Wiley. pr. -Crossland walked | across the sidewalk and struck Lieutenant | Wiley several times in the head with his | first. Lieutenant Wiley got to his fec. | and said:
 Tt was a cowardly attack. What did l! you mean?'
 The two men then fought their way | down the sidewalk to Court Square. Here | tfe men were separated by Judge Tarver. | Dr. Crossland ran to hack and got whip He came back with both hands | around the lash end of the whip and | struck Lieutenant Wiley over the head with the heavy end. Lieutenant Wiley | then wrested the whip away from Dr. Crossland and hit him twice with the lash end. Dr: Crossland backed of with his hand on his pocket. He pulled his pis- tol and fired one shot at Lieutenant Wiley and raised again but did not fire. The witness was not near enough to the men to hear all the words that passed be- tween them. pr. Crossland, after the shooting, walked back across Dexter Av- enue in the direction of his office
 When Captain Aliens testimony had pen Tedu. Lieutenant Wll9y was caIlcO to the stand He gave his testimony in a clear and lucid manner. illustrating with gestures the positions that he and his antagonist assumed in the fight and the shooting. Lieutenant Wiley on re- quest of the court stood before the jury and his wounds were shown and de- scrihed by the physician. Lieutenant Wi leys account of the beginning of the difficulty was the same as that given in the testimony of Captain Allen. He said that he never knew that pr. Crossland was near him until he heard a hissing oath and felt a blow immediately after wards. He arose to his feet and fought his assailant. It was fist fight but finally Judge Tarver separated them. The witness then said something about the cowardly attack and applied an epithet. Dr' Crossland ran behind the bootblack stand to a hack and came back with a whip He struck the witness over the head with the heavy end of the whip. He then seized the whip and wrested it out of Dr. Crossland's hand. The latter said:
 If you hit me with that whip I'll kill you"
 you. you - if it is the last act of my fife" The witness said that he then struck Crossland twice. with the lash end of the whip. Crossland backed and some time before pulling the trigger. At the crack of the pistol the witness arm dropped to his side He had his hand to his side and was pointing it at the witness. who said:
 .Shoot you -. you ain't game" Crossland lowered his pistol and walk
 Witness said he was $ fet 1 inch and weighed 1i6 pounds at time of the fight and that Crossland weighed over 200 pounds. MohiIe and Ohio Railroad office testified