The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-02
Massey Sticks to Story
of Blows.
HEARING CONTINUED
Testimony Went Little Further Than
Facts Published. Coroner's Jury in
Case of Deceased Maniac Prob
ably Await Post-Mortem
Examination.

X,
A. r. d. Johnson. !. c. Blair. John
Ward. ]. w. White and c. j.. Parker
yesterday morning commenced the
hearing of testimony in the matter or
the investigation of the death of
Thomas Nall, an insane patient at the
State Hospital. which occurred on
Thursday the oath, after Nall had at
tempted 20 escape.
The investigation is the result OF
charges made by I. P. Massey, farm
er who was passing at the time that
the guards overlook the fugitive, ana
who stated that he had heard and
seen q scuff1e between the three at
tendants and the lunatic; that al
though the men were distant from
him thirty-fiv yards, he had dlstlnct-
lv heard the sound of ten or eleven
hard blows. had heard Nall call out.
II give up," and had then heard two
additional blows after this token or
surrender.
The inference suggested by Mas
seys statement was that the attend
ants had taken from Nall heavy
slat which he was carrying ana
beaten him with it. When carried 10
the Caraleigh Phosphate Mllls AFTER
capture, Nall was i'm a very serious
wound which bled freely and was un-
able to stand alone.
The testimony yesterday was that
of persons who saw and noted the
condition Of the man after ne had
been carried to the mill. some OF
which was in the way of censure OF
the attendants for rough treatment OF
a wounded man; the testimony or
Massey, as outlined above: and the
mi, faY,r ~ a11f n q
who stated that he had examined Nall
after he was brought to. the hospital
and that it was his opinion that he
died from heart failure due to over
exertion or to the possible rupture OF
a blood vessel. Beside the scalp
wound. which he statedR could not
have caused death. there were no cuts
or bruises on Nails body with the e.
ception of few slight abrasionS on
the chest.
Massey's testimony is to a degree
discredited by its nature. in that
blows stricken with so heavy stick
could scarcely be heard at the distance
named and in the fact that the scalp
wound was the only one which was
of a character to follow on the use of
such 2 weapon.
None of the attendants testified, but
the statement heretofore given out by
them that the patient had run into
barbed wire fence on two occasions
during his flight is also discredited by
the testimony, which was to the effect
that only the shirt of the captured
man was torn and that there were no
wounds of am sort on his legs.
Testimony i'm Detail.
Lee Aston. colored. was the first
witness examined. He stated that he
lives in Rhamkatte and works at the
Phosphate Mill Saw Nall on last
Thursday Week ago in the afternoon;
he was i'm the burner room of the mill
and heard some one following eaten
that man. AS he looked out. the man
Nall passed the mill running: he had
something IN his. hand he thought was
an umbrella. Said two men came in
the road behind him and heard these
men call 20 man in n wagon to stop
that man. The MN was running from
the direction of the elton mill. Could
not see that anything was the matter
with him when he passed. Had on a
hat but no coat. People in pursuit
were $50 yards behind him. Saw Nall
again in the afternoon lying in front
of the office with his hands tied be-
hind him. Did not go up to him.
There were four men with Nall whom
he did not know. Could not see
whether he was bloody or not. Saw
Nall taken off in a buggy drawn by a
white mule. They started off towards
town when they met carriage. and
the man was taken from the buggy
and carried off in the carriage.
Mr. W. A. Parker. on whose affida-
Wit Coroner Jordan was acting. was
sworn. Worked at Caraleigh Phos-
phate works. Did not know Nall: saw
a man said TO be he. about $3.50 in
l,rA
desk; heard some one say stop that
man. Turned and saw three men go
ing towards Walnut Creek. One man
hundred yards ahead. the two be-
hind so yards apart. The man in the
lead came up with wagon. He
started to get in, but went around and
hit the mule. Later he went into the
woods and he did not see him again.
Saw Nall when he was brought back.
Two men were holding him. Man
behind had stick three or four feet
long. two or three inches wide. Nall
looked like a drunken man. They
brought the man up to front of office;
they leaned him against the building
and he looked down from the window.
Afterwards he went down. When
men came up he was staggering. His
hands were tied and they placed him
with back toNthe wall. He could only
be kept up by holding him. He
breathed very heavily. His face was
very bloody. On his left cheek was
bruise one-cuarter or one-half
inch long and cash on top of his
head to the left. Some slight bruises
on chest. Shirt was either torn or
unbuttoned. Nall remained at mill 20
minutes or half hour. They took him
to pump 10 wash off blood. His
hands were tied at the time. They
said they were going to pump cold wa
ter on his head. Mr.. Rowland told
them not TO do that, it would kill him
since he was too-hot. They wiped his
face with a wet handkerchief. They
took him by the hair and tried to
force his head back to make him
drink water. Afterwards he was put
on the grass. and was able to sit up
by leaning against the knees of the
men. but his head would drop on his
breast. He tried, however, to break
the strap. A Mr.. Smith drove up and
consented to remove the man.
Prof ]. r. Chamberlain stated that