The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-10-14

II 1IdTA DIS lit OAAC AE NOCh ~
| preaching and in Clarkton. Tne past
office. the depot waiting room and a
nearby store. which Seliars stated, in
| his eagerness to show plainly his
| movements, he a visited, were also
visited by the hounds and il formed the
last part of the trail which they select
ed themselves at the scene OF the hor-
ror. II the hounds were in error ii was
a remarkable aye. a wonderful COIN
cidence. But IL will not stop there II
will also be shown tha the hounds sub
| s%eduently were lead into the presence
| of the negroes and the two DUMB
brutes. after cycling the two alleged
human brutes, went shifting up TO
SelIars and stood guard at his side,
paying no attention to the covering
Brown.
TWO SHIRTS.
A couple of shirts will also be made
links in the chain and one of the two
will be a strong one. II was found at
the hut of the negroes and, though il
had been w~ashed-and within severaf
hours before it's discovery, the state
will claim-shows dark stains similar
TO blood and which is supposed to be
the blood of the dying woman. Brown
claimed this shirt as his own property,
but il will be argued that he did his to
shield Sellars, who, after the commits
sion of the deed, gave ii to him to
either destroy or wash Shirt No. 2 is
tie one Sellars wore when arrested.
He stated that he had worn it for a
week or more, when it was plainly evI-
lent from its cleanly condition that he
had only worn it but a short while.
SAME SIZE FOOT.
Footprints in the sand will also fig
ure. 1t will be shown that impressions
of shoes discovered at the scene OF the
tragedy and which were evidently made
by the black assassin correspond n
size. 10 shoes worn by Sellars and 6hat
they were made by a pair Of new shoes,
such as were S~ellars'.
MORE CIRCUMSTANCES.
A number of other circumstances will
be shown and which will be of great
Importance when made dependent one
on the other. but which would be, mea~
gre if they had to stand alone. Thes-
circumstances will be furnished by =
score or more of witnesses.
WIFE CANNOT TESTIFY.
One interesting parsonage here is the
wife of Sellars. She is interesting for
the reason hat it is said that she could
supply an important piece of testimony
for the state if she could, but she an
not do so, as a wife cannot testify
against her husband. She was sum-
moned to court by the state, but not to
use as a witness, but in the hopes of
obtaining something from her that
could be used towards securing other
evidence. 1t is said that 20 her Sellars
made an admission of Importance. He
did not confess his guilt, but upon ar
irving at his home near Councils the
morning of the tragedy he Informed his
wife not to tell that he was home if ne
was sought by officers of the law, as
there had been a woman killed at
CErkton and that. they would probably
want him as a witness.
AS TO BROWN.
The state will close it's net around
Brown by Showing that he was in the
vicinity of the Packer home on the
morning of the tragedy and that he and
Sellars were at the house the night pre-
viously on the pretext of desiring a
match; also that, according to his own
statement, he was at his howell Of a
house all the morning and denies hear
J ing screams, when the witness Santee
heard them at his house, which is much
farther away han the negroes hut. His
damaging admissions will also be used
If the court permits it under the cir
cumstances, but ii is thought it will
be ruled out.
THE DEFENCE.
The defence, of course, will attempt
to riddle the wall of circumstantial evil
dence by showing the lack of reason
| able evidence. AS to the part the dogs
took they will argue in all probability
that scores of people had trodden the
same route during the excitement and
hat the animals could not adhere to
any definite trail. The shirt found at
the hut they will contend showed
signs of having been washed for a day
or two and that the shoe tracks were
simply a coincidence. Browns admis-
SONS they will claim were made by
him through fear of harm. They may
also prove Sellars and Browns to be
good characters.
JAIL GUARDED.
Last night a detail Of five guards did
duty at the Jail, which is quite a fine
appearing building and which is decid-
edly modern in makeup. 1t is of brick
and would resist for some time most
violent assault
REPEATED CONFESSION TO
GUARD.
To a guard last night Brown reiterat-
his former statement, but this morn
ing he was decidedly reticent and
showed a strong inclination to deny
what he previously stated. Whether
this new position of his is due to a
realization of his peril or whether to
ed his former statement, but this morn
some influence exerted by SellarS Is
the question.
HAD a ROW IN THE CELL.
The two negroes now occupy the same
cell and late last night they had a row
in their lonely, iron barred home. They
almost came to blows and the guard
thinks it was caused by Browns ad.
mission Of Sellars' guilt. Upon hearing
the fuss in the cell the guard hurried
there, but in the meantime it had quiet.
ed down. Since then Brown has as
Sumed his air of reticence.
PROSECUTED WILCOX.
Judge G. w. ward is making a fins
impression and will conduct the cas-;
ably and fearlessly. 1t is interesting
to note hat His Honor was the solicit.
tor who with such marked ability di
rected the prosecution of James Wilcox
of Elizabeth City.
WHEN THEY WE'RE ARRESTED.
AS soon as the discovery of the Grim,
was made inst 0var a month AGO AM