The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-05-06
|CorOner's Jury Found
That Charles Fisher
Was Murdered
PECULIAR CASE
Albert Nelson, Bertha Nelson and
Jane Williams Charged With the
Murder-Entire Day Consumed i'm
Hearing the Evidence-An Of the
Evidence is Purely Circumstantial.
Case a Very Mysterious One.

The c%orone-'s jury which was sum-
cause Of the death of Charles Fisher,
1.-THE negro who was found dead in a
house on McRee's alley, near Nixon
land Seventh streets, on Tuesday morn
ling. met yesterday morning at 10
O'Clock, and remained in session
until 5 o'clock in the after
moon, with the exception Of about
two hours. when the jury adjourned
for dinner. After thoroughly investi-
eating the matter, the jury returned
the following verdict:
I'VE, the undersigned coroner's
Jury, having been duly summoned and
Sworn, by DR.. c. D. Bell, coroner of
New Hanover county, beg to report,
that Charles Fisher came to his
death from a rupture of aneurysm by
resisting an assault made by Albert
Nelson. Berta Nelson and jamie Will
lliams for the purpose of robbery.
REUBEN GRANT,
(Foreman),
EDWARD F. LEWIS,
c. c. RICE,
GEO. l.. DUKES,
VIM. A. ALDERMAN,
HARRISS NORTHROP.
There were nine witnesses exam
lined. They were John Fisher, George
1sham Merritt, Robert Thomas,
Peter Hare, Isabel Wagner, Rosa
IBrown. Georgiana Hicks and Emma
lPugh. The evidence brought out by
the witnesses was very conflicting,
but there were several material facts
(which were testified to by several of
1.-THE witnesses and makes the case
against Bertha Nelson and Albert
Nelson, the white man and woman
land Jane Williams, the colored wo-
imam, very strong.
The evidence showed that Charles
Fisher was an employe of the Hilton
Lumber Company and hat he was
Ipaid off on Saturday night. On Mon
day night he went to the home of
lJane Williams, on McRee's alley, to
lspend the night. While there he dis
played his money and sent Jane Will
Ilfams to a nearby saloon several
times to buy whiskey. In the house
Twas Charles Fisher, Jane Williams
and Bertha Nelson, the white woman.
On Tuesday morning Albert Nelson
went TO a store in the vicinity of
Seventh and Nixon streets, and while
talking to John Fisher, colored, spoke
of Charles Fisher being fixed"
John Fisher told Nelson that Charles
Fisher was his cousin, w~hereupon
Nelson said, Cousin or no cousin,
he is done for now" Nelson also
made a statement to another party
that Jane Williams and he got $11
out Of a man.
Several witnesses testified that Jane
Williams had between ten n fifteen
dollars on Tuesday morning n n
witness testified that she requested him
to keep her money but hat he. refused
believing the money to have been sto,-
len. She also made the remark to sew
leral people that she would whip a Ger,
tain woman hat she diSliked and that
she had the money to pay for it too.
Peter Hare, who is a negro preacher,
testified that early Tuesday morning
he saw Bertha Nelson leave the house
land put an axe in a ditch not far from
the house. He said that Jane Williams
appeared to be drinking on Tuesday
morning and he saw her nav about
dollars.
Georgiana Hicks it is also thought
had something to do with the matter.
IShe has a wound on her head which
she admits receiving Monday night
and the accounts told by different ones
who she talked with differ very much.
The suppOSition is that Fisher, While
drunk, was assaulted by these peo-
pie who attempted to get his money;
that he resisted, and in doing SO was
forced to use such eXertion as-to burst
Ian artery near the heart. All of the
evidence is purely circumstantial and
1.-THE fact that the bursting of an artery
Icaused the negro's death, does not alb
Isolutely establish the fact that he met
death by violence. There were -
maTks Of violence on the negro's body.
THE case is a very peculiar one The
tho tho yNTilI;n-oc ~ l@J -
much money that she acted so pecu-
lliarly in regard to it; that old man
Nelson should have spoken of the ne
Igro's death as he did, all adds a mys-