Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-10-29
THE MccUE CASE.

vile was centered in the efforts Of the
prosecution to impeach the testimony Of
young J. William McCue, son of the ac-
cused, which yesterday was so disappoint-
ing TO the lawyers for the Commonwealth.
Several witnesses testified that young
McCue expressed the belief that his
father had killed his mother, that his
father and mother had violent quarrels
and that his father once attempted 10
shoot her.
Further evidence was sdduced to show
that number Of persons we're in the I'M
mediate vicinity of the McCue house
about the time OF the shooting, the evil
dent intent being to discredit the de-
Tense burglar theory. The proceedings
were attended by innumerable objections
on the part of the defense, nearly all OF
which were overruled by Judge Morris
and exceptions taken by the counsel for
the defense.
The most interesting witness of the
day was Mr.. Ernest B. Crawford, young
lawyer Of Hsrrisonburg aud brother OF
the murdered woman. Mr.. Crawford
said that day or two after the murder
OF Mrs. McCue young William McCue
told him that when he first heard OF his
mothers death be knew his father had
killed her.
"On one OCCASION said Mr.. Craw-
ford, che told me that his father and
mother had frequent and violent quar-
rels and that they quanreled so at the
supper table on the day of the murder
that he lett the table and went ont on
the porch. He said his father followed
him out on the porch in great rage
and said
I'Il be-if / stand this thing
another day. I'm getting tired of it,
cat another time Willie told me that
one night he was in bed and his father
aud mother quarreled. His mother
ran into his room and jumped into bed
with him and begged him to protect her.
His father followed his mother into ihe
room with pistol in his hand and
Willie said he jumped out of bed and
his father threatened to kill him. He
added at the time that his father and
mother lived like cats aud dogs and that
his home had been perfect hell for the
last three or four years.
Mr.. Crawford said that Detective
Albert Baldwin was present when Will
liam McCue made the last statement to
him, and that young McCue repeated
the statement at another time TO both
of them at the Gleason Hotel. Mr..
Crawford also said that while student
at the University OF Virginia several
wears ago he boarded at the McCue
house and witnessed numerous violent
quarrels between Mr.. and Mrs. McCue.
II never saw him strike her." said
Mr.. Crawford, "but his manner toward
her was most brutal. He would curse
and abuse her frightfully. ! overheard
one quarrel, in which Mrs. McCue up.
braided her husband for meeting a GER
tain woman and she said she knew that
the woman visited him at his Office. !
knew my sisters home was most I'M
happy one"
The defense objected to all Of Mr..
Crawford's testimony and moved that it
be stricken out as illegal. Captain Woods
replied to the objection by saying that
the object of the prosecution in introduc-
ing the evidence was to irnpeach the We
racity of young McCue. Jvdge Morris
overruled the objection, but cautioned
the Jury that the testimony of Mr.. Craw-
ford, so far as it related to what young
McCue is alleged to have said, should
lot be regarded as evidence against the
prisoner, but merely as evidence to i'm
peach the testimony of young McCue.
The prosecution produced piece of
blue writing paper, afterward proven to
be record made by young McCue OF a
statement made to him by John Perry,
the negro servant, who was in the Nc
Cue house when the tragedy occurred.
The defense at once objected to the paper
as evidence, and Judge Morris ruled that
its contents should not be read BY or to
the jury. Mr.. Crawford identified the
paper as having been given to Detective
Albert Baldwin by young McCue in the
presence Of himself and Detective VIM.
| G.. Baldwin.
The paper was shown to several wit
nesses by the defense, but its contents
were not read. 1t is said that it is
statement made to William McCue by
John Perry, in which the negro said he
heard Mrs. McCue cry, ooh, Sam, you
are killing me /" Immediately afterward
he heard the shot.
Mr.. Edward A. Crawford, another
brother of the murdered woman, testified
that William McCpe told him of the
time when Mr.. McCue chased his wife
into his bedroom with pistol and threat
ened to shoot both her and his son.
Witness also said that young McCue
told him that his father and mother
lived like cats and dogs and that his
home was perfect hell on earth. Mr..
Edgar A. Crawford was not cross-ex-
amined by the defense.
Among the other witnesses who testi-
fed to young McCue's admissions were
both of the Baldwins, Miss Gertrude
Irvine and Julian Paoli.
Young william McCue was recalled to
the stand by the prosecution, and, as
stated yesterday, he emphatically de-
MED all of the statements attributed to
him by the other witnesses.
Charlottesville, Va. Oct. 29.-When
the McCue murder trial was resumed