Richmond planet., 1903-01-17

graphic report of all the testimony of
the witnesses. This was done for tbe
purpose of having complete report of
the case, provided it was necessary TO
take 1t to the Supreme Court of Virgin
is.
1t was especially valuable in dealing
Wltn the testimony of Nelson Williams,
Jr his testimony was contradicted in
many of IT'S most important features
by even his own witnesses.
Ex-DEACoN SMITHS TESTIMONY.
Ex-deacon Harrison Smiths testi-
mony attracted much attention AS is
usual in the case Mr.. "a. M Smith Jr
wanted to know for whom he voted
he replied in strong language that he
voted for Rev. Walter III, Brooks. IT
seemed to be the purpose of the plain
ein TO create an impression that Editor
Mitchell and his friends were attempt-
ing to bring down here as pastor of the
First Baptist Church a colored minister
from the north.
Deacon Smith told of the signing of
the pplication for the meeting and de-
clared that Nelson williams appeared
oe1ore the deacon board alone and ask
ed ior special meeting. He did not
state the p1rpose until the deacon board
tnroQgh Its chairman insisted that he
should specify the purpose of the meet
ing.
NOT ENOUGH NAMES AT FIRST.
be then wrote on the bill to consider
certain publications. He did not have
nnCaSSQru &c 4
but soon returned with others making /
sixteen in all. Chairman Benz. Jack |
son ruled that it was necessary to have |
20 names on the paper.
Mr.. smith wanted to know il the Il
witness was a friend of Mitchell's and /
also IL he had no, at one time said the |
fLANET was next to his Bible. The /
witness admitted that he was and had \
SAID so. He stated that Mr.. RI. Hill
had called a special church meeting ON |
Sunday afternoon without any autho- /
r1ty from amy Of the deacon board or the |
church.
DEACON CooLEY's STATEMENT.
Deacon Abner Cooley stated that |
Nelson Williams, Jr., had appeared be- |
fore the deacon board alone and asked /
that this special church meeting be |
called. Nelson Williams, Jr., had |
sworn on the witness stand that 80 or !
40 persons had appeared before the |
deacon board and that all the persons /
whose names were signed on that paper |
were present except two.
He had also stated that he knew moth |
ing of the peace council which was held |
after the exclusion of Editor Mitchell and |
at which meeting an attempt was made |
to harmonize the differences between
Mitchell and the church. This was fatty |
contradlcted by his own witnesses.
HIS wIFE's TROUBLES.
Another feature of Williams testi. |
mony was the question propounded TO
him by Mr.. Meredith relative to wheth- |
er not he had any trouble on account of |
his wife and the Grand Court of Vir-
glnia- He admitted that there was a |
shortage. That he had paid the same
with his check.
Williams made a most unfavorable |
witness and his counsel on the next
morning found it necessary to place
him again on the witness stand in order
to make a correction of some of the re-
markabls statements that he made to
the jury.
THE STAR WITNESS
MIR. II. f. Jonathan was regarded as
a star witness for the defendant. He
spoke of the origin Of the trouble. Ee
was present at the time the paper was
presented containing the alleged forged |
names. He declared that Nelson Will ]
Jams, Jr., had gone before the deacon
board alone and that at chat time there
were very few people in the church the
"a nf
Williams write the paper and put the
names of these people thereon. His
account of the church meeting at which |
Editor Mitchell was excluded by q vote
OF 56 to "a out of membership of $500
was interesting and amusing His descrip.
ton of the ruling of the "Hon." Thos. |
ii. Briggs, the mention of whose name
always created laughter held spell bound
the attention of the jury. Such ruling
as Bro. Briggs practiced was admitted
to be without parallel in the annals
OF parliamentary proceedings.
THAT PEACE MEETING.
Mr.. Jonathan's description of the
peace meeting was also a feature. h, |
confirmed the report that Editor Mitch !
ell had placed his case absolutely in the |
hand OF himself (Jonatban) and Bro. |
d " drley pleQglng TO do anything
that they would bind him to do.
Bro Jonathan stated that the COM |
mlttee reached an agreement. 1t en-
bodied concessions from both sides. AS |
they were entering the church motion |
was made and carried adjourning the |
the meeting. This was done in order |
to prevent the committee from making |
a report.
The most rigid cross examination of |
the witness by Mr.. H. M. Smith, Jr.,
failed to shake this testimony. Mr..
Jonathan answered all questions and I
was finally told to stand aside.
THE RECORDS OF THE CHURCH.
Bro. B. P Vandervall, clerk of the
First Baptist Church, who had been
as witness for Nelson Will
lam, Jr., brought the church records as
ordered by the court. He was called to