Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-02-01

as had had trouble with Johnson on
account of woman. The sergeant
went on 10 tell Of the arrest of Sam
Johnson ami said that before ne had
. put Johnson behind the bars ne was
| convinced that he had arrested the
wrong man
Recognized Handwriting.
Next Chief of Police Reynolds testi-
fed, relating the story Of how he re-
| cCgnizei the similarity between the
writing upon note addressed To J
r. Newsome and that of the murder
or; had talk with Newsome and
then arrested Davenport. who had
come TO the station to attend the coz
oner's inquest. The chief produced
the note 10 Newsome ana various
other samples of Davenport's writing
and the jury noted that the haniwrit-
ing apparently was the same as that
in the murderer's notes to the police.
Next the chief said that he visited
DavcnportS house Tuesday and found
there l2-bOre repeating shotgun He
threw out Il loaded shell. which was
exactly like the empty one found he
side the corpse. The gun was exam.
incd in court and found to contain five
other loaded shells, three containing
number Il shot and two number .. The
gun apparently had been fired very re-
Gently. although the woman in Davcn.
ports house told the chief that it haa
not been used since Christmas
Insurance Policy Introduced.
Before leaving the stand the chic:
Introduced the life insurance policy.
which was found by Detective Ser
geant O'liara among Davenporl's eff
fcctS
Messrs. w. a. Adams and A. A
Dudley. representatives of the Metro
politan Insurance Company, testified
concerning the insurance policy. Ac
cording TO their story Davenport hal
Thomas make the application for the
policy. going TO considerable trouble
10 do it. Thomas paid 81 when the
application was made ana later Daveh-
port paid the remainder of the premi
um. amounting to about Sll and re
ceived the policy saying that he ha
been sent to the Office by his
nephew" He received the policy on
January II.
II. II. Harris, who conducts bar
and grocery on Jefferson avenue. tcs-
titled that Davenport came TO his
place Tuesday and wanted To break
into rooms above occupied by Thomas
with n Ratchet. Davenport said that
look over his possessions.
Minnie Sanford on Stand.
Minnie Sanford. the young white
woman who lived with Davenport as
his wife. was the next witness. She
took the stand with bold air and re-
tanned an unabashed demeanor
throughout the examination. She said
that Davenport left the house about
7:30 o'clock Monday night, saying he
was going for The doctor for he baby.
and did not return until about $40.
She was In the kitchen when he left
ana returned and did moi know
whether or not he carried The gun
with him. She thought Thomas was
Davenports nephew ana the former
had been Ia the house on two occa-
sionS.
Another Link Supplied.
Ada Ford colored, testified that
Thomas was at her home on Twenty.
Monday night and left saying that he
was going to see DavenpOrt's new
house; that the latter had been af
ter him to go To see his house fol
some time and he had made Il faith
fur promise to do so that night.
Had to Such Uncle.
brother of the dead man testified
that he had no relations named Davcn
port and that he did not know the
man who had posed as his uncle
The new house which Davenport is
building is located at the corner ol
Chestnut avenue and Thirty-iiftl
street and is almost on n direct line
with the spot where the body was
discovered. The police believe the two
men were returning from the house
when the murder was committd.
DR.. Gary's Statement
DIR. Gary made a statement ia the
jury concerning the post mortem OK
animal inn pOn6lirt ed l,v hin,