Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-10-28
THE McCUE CASE.


lottesville yesterday the first work of
the Commonwealth was to discredit the
defensive theory, based upon the state
ment OF the accused that he was assault
ed, by introducing evidence Of decided
and material differences in his MARIA
tons.
According to George Mason, the accus-
ed said, on the night of the tragedy. that
he was standing in his bedroom undress-
ing when he heard "click," and turn
ing saw someone. He started for his
pistol, but it was not in place, and he
then made an effort to reach his gum
when he was knocked senseless, and dur
ing his Inconsistencies his wife was
shot.
Judge Duke testified that McCue had
told him that on returning homo from
church be had heard noise in the hall;
that he grappled with someone he found
there. broke away and ran for his gun
and was knocked on the head, and he
knew no more.
The third of McCue's stories that
went to the record yesterday through
the testimony of witness-this time
William Hurley, colored, who worked
at the McCge home-was that Mr.. Nc
Cue told him while taking The buttons
out of his shirt that he saw in the mir
ror of the chiffonier, which, McCue said,
faced the door, a dirty-looking white
man enter. According to this witness,
McCue said he knew his wife was in the
bathroom, and, of course, be ran for his
gun and slipped woshells intoit. When
he got to the doorway he was knocked
out.
Hurley also testified that three or four
years ago Mr.. McCue had told him that
his ''old woman" was jealous of him,
and said something about it affecting his
pleasure in life
Miss BERTHE Crawford, otStaunton, sis
ter the murdered woman, testified to her
sisters unhappiness, and that McCue's
treatment of her was very inconsiderate,
and that he was not much Of husband
to his wife. She had spent II days in
the McCue home in August. Her visit
ended a week before the murder. On
her arrival she found her sister in ahigh-
~ nervous state. Mr.. McCue had just
returned at suppertime from three-days
trip to Washington.
Mrs. McCue was too i'll to come to the
table, and witness took supper to her.
He asked where Fanny was, but did not
20 to see her. After supper, instead Of
going to greet her, he sat in the walk 10
front of the porch. Mrs. McCue came
down later, took a seat on the porch,
complalned about his absence, saying
that she had remained mp of nights
waiting for him, aud inquired where he
had been, to which he replied that i, was
not necessary for her to know anything
about his trips.
During Miss Crawford's stay he was
again away for two or three days. Mrs.
McCue got one letter from the accused
while he was absent and was indignant
at its contents.
The sensation of the day, was pro-
duced by the testimony of William Nc
Cue, the eldest child OF the prisoner, who
caused some comment by his absence in
West Virginia just before bis trial began.
He is slightly built youth OF less
than II. His testimony repeated the
story that he had told before The coroner
up to the point of the 81 PIPER which was
Mrs. McCue's last that preceded the
church-going. l,..
/ "At supper" said the Witness Eve
all talked in a general way. Mother
reprimanded me for letting negroes
drive our horses to Keswick. | left
the table with father and mother |
have visited father several times since
he has been in jail. Father and mother
had not had frequent quarrels."
Captain Woods, of the prosecution, at
this point said "The witness has sur
prised me" Taking paper from his
desk, he turned to young McCue aud
said
"Did not you on Tuesday morning
after your mother was killed tell Ernest
Crawford and Albert Baldwin, on the
porch under that Zig oak tree, sitting on
the steps, that your father and mother
had had many violent quarrels"
"No, SIR"
"Did you not tell these gentlemen
that your father and mother bad
quarreled with each other at the supper
table on the night of the tragedy that
you got up aud left the table and went
out on the porch that your father
followed you out there in great rage,
walked up and down the porch and
said i be damned if put up with
this another day.
a did not. Ny father was remon-
strating with me for allowing negroes TO
drive our horses to Keswick."
"Did you not make this statement to
them repeatedly and say that as soon as
you heard of the killing of your mother
that you knew your father killed herr"
al did not"
"Did you not make an appointment
to take John Perry to the wine cellar the
night of your mothers funeral, and tell
the gentleman that Perry had pretty
much the same story to tell %
mo sir; did not Ny uncle Ernest
Crawford tried his best in every way to
get John Perry to say: ooh, my God,
Sam, don't kill me- instead of oh, my
God, Sam, don't let him kill me- as
Perry had testified at the coroner's in
quest"