Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-02-28
DAVENPORT TEST|H|ES
IN HIS OWN DEFENSE
le||i Jury He Was al Ills Home
or Oak Avenue al Time
Of The killing
Seems 70 MAKE POOR IMPRESSION
Case Of Commonwealth Apparently
Not Weakened by Evidence Of pris.
cner--ComiradIctor> Statements =
Last Witnesses GO on Stand This
Mcrning.
Seems 70 MAKE POOR IMPRESSION

racing the iuiy with Il more cheer
ful deDcanur than he had before as
sumed during his trial for the muir
der Of Willie Thomas. Andrew l..
Davenport yesterday afternoon tcsti.
fled in his own behalf He was ON
the stand for about half an hour
and when he resumed his seat at
the bar the general impression In
the court room was that the common
wca''h's case had been strengthened
rather than weakened.
Davenport siammcrs badly. but he
seemed to he calm throughout the
examination. Some of his statements;
were contradictory and the cross ca.
animation was rigid. but his answers
came deliberately and cmpbaticaly
Court adjourned yesterday after.
noon a. . o'clock until . O'Clock thi5
morning. \ subpoena was issued for
w a s. Adams, lie insurance
agent, and he will be put ON the
stand by the defense this morning.
II Is probable that Adams will be
the last witness for the defense. Al.
Ter several witnesses Tor The com
monwcalth have been heard in re-.
buttal. the argument over instriiu.
lions will begin l. likely that the
addresses to the jury will begin when
court convenes after the midday re-.
cess. Ncwsomc will open for the
prosecution.
Davcnports own statement that he
was in his house at 1910 Oak avenue
at . o'clock on the night Of the muir.
der and testimony tending To show
that William Wimbush mpcrsonated
Willie Thomas and. accompanied al
ways by Davenport. applied for and
secured insurance upon the life OF
Willie Thomas, with Davenport as
beneficiary. seem to constitute the
only defense against the strong chain
of circumstantial evidence introduced
against the prisoner.
Davenport and Undertaken.
& c. Cunningham. the negro un.
dertaker who buried Thomas, was the
first witness called by the common.
wealth yesterday morning. Cunning.
ham said that "A few minutes before
o'clock on the morning after the
Killing, Davenport called on him and
told him of the killing of Thomas.
Davenport told him to take charge
Of the body after the inquest. take
il to his house and hold it until he
told him To bury it, Davenport
said that he had an insurance pulicy
upon Thomas who was his nephew.
aud that he would pay the funeral OK.
penses Cunningham went on to say
that when he examined the body he
found that the dead man was Il mem.
Der of his lodge Thomas could
neither read nor write.
Woman is Contradicted
Chief Of Police Reynolds was re
called TO contradict the testimony of
Mit,ic Sanford. the woman who lived
with Davenport and who testified that
Davenport was in the house at .
O'Clock. The chief said that the wo.
man had told different stories about
me affair and that just before she
went on the stand Monday she stated
positively to the witness and Com.
hohwcalth's Attorney Robinson that
davenport went out of the house
about o'clock and was gone an hour
VI an hour aud Il half: that she did
ho' notice the time particularly
Brooks Saw Davenport.
''"hh y. Brooks. one of the men
named in the note found npon the
deai man said thai Davenport came