Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-01
HEARD FOR DEFENSE
Testimony in Behalf of Joseph
T. Wright.
ON TRIAL FOR HIS LIFE
Charged With Criminal Assault Upon
Miss Risley.
LOCAL JAIL OFFICIALS TESTIFY
Defendant Denies Having Committed
the Crime and Makes Other
Statements.

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
ALEX ANDRIA, Va, November 1. 1906
The taking Of testimony in the case OF
Joseph Thomas. alias Wright. coiored
charged with criminally assaulting Miss
Mabel Risley, now Mrs. Forest Goodfng,
the night of September last, was resumed
in the circuit court for Alexandria county
at IL o'clock this morning, Judge c. E.
Nicol presiding.
After hearing the testimony of a num-
Der of witnesses a recess was taken at
ITO o'clock this afternoon. Court recon-
vened shortly before o'clock. when Wright
was placed on the stand. The substance
OF his testimony was an absolute denlai
of the charge. He also accounted for MS
whereabouts on the night of the assault by
saying he was out driving when the al
legged offense was committed.
Among the other witnesses who will be
placed on the stand late this Afternoon
of Washington. Mr.. and Mrs. Gooding
will also be called in rebuttal. 1t Is ex-
pected that the case will be given to the
jury tonight.
Opening Testimony Today.
The first witness placed on the stand was
Capt Edward s. Randsell OF Washington.
captain of the watch at the District Jail.
Witness said he knew a prisoner by the
name of John Wright. Capt. Randsell said
that on the night of September % last OFF,
Ger Wood, Miss Rsley and Mr.. Gooding
came to Jail to identify Wright, and he had
Wright and five or six other prisoners
brought downstairs for the purpose; that
Miss Risley, pointing to colored man
named Henry Johnson, alias Alabama
Joe," said: Il think that is the man." and
that then Officer Wood informed her that
Johnson was not the right man and asked
her if Wright was not the man; that, after
carefully scrutinizing Wright. Miss Risley
said she thought he was the man. Witness
declared that after Miss Risley heard
Capt RandseH said Johnson was a much
heavier built man than Wright is. Witness
denied having made the statement that he
thought Wright was the man. Attorney
the District jail was not championing the
cause Of Wright" The witness denied
knowledge. Witness also denied having seen
Commonwealth Attorney Mackey at the
District Jail. Witness said Officer Wood
telephoned to Capt. Matthews to look at
another man. Witness said Wright was not
Identified at first. and it was not done prop
erly.
Corroborative Testimony.
James Corrigan, an officer at the District
jail, when placed on the stand said he knew
the prisoner. The night of September %.
witness said he got six prisoners. including
Wright, and that after about two minutes
MISS RlSiey lOentiueo WFiSut, anu UPON
hearing him speak said Wright was the
man. Miss Risley, he said, first pointed out
Henry Johnson, alias Alabama Joe," and
kept her eyes most of the time on johnson.
and at first stated that Johnson was the
man.
Witness was quite positive that Miss Ris-
ley did not identify Wright at first MIR.
Corrigan said there was a similarity be-
tween the noses of johnson and Wright.
Attorney Mackey severely cross-examined
Mr.. Corrigan, but without change in his
testimony.
e Capt. RandselI was again called to the
stand to testify regarding the position occu-
pied by the prisoner at the time OF the al