Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-25
CHARGED WITH MURDER
WILLIAM GOINGS BEFORE ALEX
ANDRIA COUNTY COURT.
Alleged That He Struck Millard B..
Birch a Fatal Blow in
Rosslyn Saloon.

The session of the Alexandria county
court today, Judge James NJ. Love presid-
ing, was taken up with the examination OF
witnesses in the case of William Gofngs,
colored. charged with the murder of MIL
lard r. Birch, whose death, It is alleged,
resulted from blow which he received In
Magruder's saloon in Rosslyn the night of
October last. Attorneys Lewis H. Ma
chen and R. C. L. Moncure appeared for
the prisoner, and the prosecution was con-
Quoted by Commonwealth Attorney James
E. Clements.
The testimony Of Joseph r. Reynolds, who
lives near Rosslyn, which was commenced
yesterday afternoon, was resumed this
morning. The witness stated that he was
in Magruder's saloon the evening Of the
trouble between Goings and Birch. He said
the latter was standing at the bar In COM
pany Of Julius Bowers engineer at the
Arlington bottling works, when the defend
ant entered and walked between Birch and
Bowers.
The former took umbrage at this action.
witness stated. which led to a wordy COM
bat between the two. resulting, few min
utes later. In personal combat Reynolds
tried to separate the men. who were rolling
about on the floor, Goings being on top. He
succeeded, he said, in getting the men apart,
but a little later Goings made break
for Birch. He had some instrument in his
hand, with which he dealt Birch heavy
blow on the head.
The witness did not know what kind Of
an instrument 1t was. nor was he aware OF
what had become of 1t after the row. He
thought II had been retained in possession
of the assailant.
Under cross-examination the witness said
III had kicked Golngs several times during
the row. The injured man, he said, was
in semi-conscious condition following the
trouble and he remarked to the witness
II ann done for now"
Carlyle Hager's Testimony.
Carlyle A Hager was the next witness
called by the state. He was In Magruder's
saloon the evening of October 8 just before
the fight began. He saw Birch and Bowers
standing at the bar when Goings entered
and passed between them. Upon being re-
monstrated with, witness stated, the de-
PENDANT asked to be excused. but said he
didn't care what was done In the matter
In the opinion of the witness the attitude
Of Goings was insulting. Hager saw nc
more Of the trouble, as he then left the
saloon.
Robert p. Birch. who said he was only
remotely connected with the family Of the
dead man, was the next witness. He said
that Willard r. Birch had been In feeble
health and had been under the care of a
physician for a year prior to his death.
The fact that Goings could not be found
at his home near Falls Church on two oc-
casions following the fight in Magruders
saloon when the officers sought him with a
warrant for his arrest was brought out in
the testimony of A. D. Swift, town SER
geant of Falls Church. This was corrob-
GRATED by the statement of Jesse A. Thorn
as special officer of Alexandria county,
who had been deputized to secure Goings.
At the conclusion of the examination of
Thomas Mr.. Clements announced that he
had no other witnesses to bring forward,
1rrk ioT ion tod hot fHnrn ha ,on
offered in rebuttal.
Mr. Machen contended that the defense
should have received previous notice of the
close of the states direct testimony, stating
that his side was not ready at that time to
proceed. having expected that several more
witnesses would be presented by the state.
The matter was settled by the decision Of
Judge Love to take recess of a half hour,
during which time Messrs. Machen and
Moncure arranged to have their witnesses
on hand when court resumed it's sitting.
The examination Of these witnesses will
not be concluded, it is said, until tomorrow
afternoon.
Other Witnesses Testify.
DIR. Frank McKeon Of the Georgetown
University Hospital was placed on the stand
yesterday afternoon by the state. He testi-
fed as to the condition of Birch when he
was carried to the hospital following the
infection of the injuries. 1t was the opin-
ion of the physician that death was the
direct result of hemorrhage, produced by
the severing of blood vessels near the left
temple. AT the time he was brought to
the hospital he was partly unconscious and
suffering from shock and henorThage
The skull had been fractured. DR.. McKeon
had noted evidences that the patient had
been drinking heavily.
Chancellor L. Marcy bartender in Ma
gruders saloon, little of the beginning
of the fight but attempted to stop Goings