The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-08-28
Judge Refuses to Admit Tes-
timony to Substantiate
the Story.
ARGUMENTS OF COUNSEL
Jury Is Excluded, But After Fun Dis
cussion the Entire Line Of Evidence
Thrown Out-witnesses Say Nelson
Was in City When Fire Started.

The counsel for the defense in case
OF John c. Nelson, who is on trial at
the alexandria county court house on a
charge of having set FIRE to tins shanties
at Jackson City. sprung surprise this
morning when they charged that Frank
Foster. Nelson former partner. and the
man who swore out the warrant for
Nelson's arrest, vas a party to a con-
spiraey of gamblers to convict Nelson.
The defense further charged that ef-
forts had been made TO suborn Wit
nesses. offering to submit deposftions to
substantiate their claims. Their efforts
we're unavaiiing on this point as the de-
positions we're lot admitted IN evidence
by Judge Love
Nelson was able to sit IN the 4court
room this morning, but several times
during the session medicine vas given
TO him.
Stationed at Long Bridge
The first witness put on the stand this
morning was J. " AIbrittain. Of 1912
East Capitol Street. this city, a teIe-
graph operator in the employ Of the
Pennsylvania company, stationedf at the
causeway on the Long Bridge MT-
AibritEaiE was stationed at the tower on
the bridge on the night of July Il He
saw the fire break out, he thought about
1870 o'clock that evening. He corrob-
Grated the testimony Of Orange McNeal,
who testified yesterday as to the time
the Ere started and said he had seen
MeazeaI At the nldge--
The tower wsere he was stationea
vas about one-qgarter Of a mile from
The place where the FIRE started.
On cross-examination he said he had
not seen Nelson taat night He fixed TIE
time at which the fire broke out as 1920.
because a trolley car is due to pass The
bridge at 1921, and he had telephone %
the station to ask x51ether TO allow the
car to pass, in view OF the fact that he
had noticed FIRE at the south end OF
the bridge
william 4. Carroll OF 30s Fourteenth
Street southwest, was the next witness.
He saw Nelson ii Almaa's saloon he
tween 1915 and 1890 o'clock on the
night OF the fire Witness left Alman's
at 1925, and Nelson was still there
Witness stated on cross miRation
that he managed a baToom at Thir-
teenth and II Streets northwest.
Alleged Attempt at Bribery.
The defense attempted to introduce
the deposition OF d colored man named
Williams. This deposition was to the
effect that Williams had been ap-
preached by Fcste- and asked TO swear
against Nelson Williams aveued that
he had been told hy Foster to tell the
grand jury that he had seen Nelson in
the building that burned pouring coal
oil on the floors the night Of the fire
He was further to assert that he saw
Nelson strike a match and light the oil.
and that when Nelson saw him he or
dered him away
In consideration of this testimony, the
deposition stated. Foster had offered TO
build him q house and give hin a half
interest in truck farm If Nelson should
be convicted and sentenced 10 twenty
years Imprisonment. IN case Nelson
was not convicted WiIliams was always
10 be provided with a place TO live any
way
The prosecution argued against the
OF this evidence. and il
vas excluded. The defense again noted
an exception.
Drove Nelson Across River
VIXEN the jury wa recalled. the fifth
Nitness OF the day, James Burke, who
lives on Columbia Pike, Alexandria
county, and is employed by Nelson, was
sworn. Burke testified that he left Nell
sons store in Alexandria county for
buggy about 3 O'Clock on the night Of
the fire and went TO Jackson City. Not
finding Nelson there he drove across
The bridge and located him in Ainans
saloon at the corner of Fourteenth and
c Streets southwest Nelson told him TO
go outside and he would be out IN
few moments. It was about 1889
G o'clock when Nelson left the saloon.
and witness drove him over to Jackson
City.
On Bridge When They Saw Fire.
They we're on the bridge when they
frs, saw the fire The first stop was at
jar .es Wells place in jackson City
where they alighted and remained about
an hour Witness afterward drove Nell
son home. and after stabling the horss
vert TO his own home and retired for
the night The witness was critically
cross examined by the attorneys for ths
but his story was rot
shaken.