The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-03
With Pathetic Voice and
Tottering Frame, Mrs.
Smith Testihes.
VOICE OF FATHER,
SAYS THE WIDOW
Wife OF Murdered Man Wei
Satisfied That Man Who Called
Her Husband Out to Shoot
Him Down Was Will
liam Seal on Trial
for Murder.
fspeelal 10 The TImes. p!apa,eh.l

Especial 10 The Times. DIapatch)
CULPEPER. VA. December 1.-The
trial OF William Seal and Fred Jen-
liam Smith on the 18th OF September
last. was commenced here to-day. Al.
though jointly indicted when their
cases were called the prisoners elected
to be tried separately. Seal being first
put upon his trial.
Deputy Clerk Irving Gilkerson read
the Indictment. to which Seal prompt.
ly pleaded not guilty. Judge Daniel
"A. Grimsley. of this judicial circuit rs
presiding as Judge, and the Commons
wealth Is represented by Common
weaith's Attorney Charles II. Waite
while the accused has as his counsel
lNessrs. Keith and wampler.
Jury is Quickly Gotten.
The jury. of twelve men was quick
71y selected from the venire to- day, and
~ constituted Is as follows: III. II.
Grimsley. S. r. otBannon, Samuel Set
4tle, j. Il. LittIcton, John S. Coyington,
~. w. Kelley. Robert Martin. John D.
Compton. George II. Hoffman, r. II.
Rixey. Walter Wager and John A. Coy
ington.
The first witness for the prosecution
was the county coroner, DIR. Z. II.
Lewis, who held the inquest over the
remains of Smith. He was only ques-
toned as to facts directly in connec-
tIon with his examination OF the body
of the murdered man and as TO the
Gauge of death. The coroner said that
the load of shot entered the full side
face of Smith on the left side, and be-
tween the ear and the nose, and that
the wound made caused instant death.
Nothing other than this was elected
Oh his cross-exanination.
Heard Her Fathers Voice.
The next witness was the widow OF
the stain man, Mrs. Corpclia Smith.
She testified that on the evening of
September 10Th. il being Sunday, she,
her husband William Smith j.. his. lnnth-
er and John Mason were sitting I'm
their yard about half-past Z o'clock.
when she heard some one about fifty
feet away callyout in a grnff voice for
her husband, and that lie. In response.
then went in the direction of the voice.
IND when he had gotten some feet
from the house gun was fired: that
the voice she first heard call for Smith
TO come out she took to be that of her
father. William Seal, and that imme-
.diateiy after the gun was fired she saw
and heard Fred Jenkins say to her
father: Mrs. Smith is coming
She further testified to various
threats from her father that he would
Kill her husband, and that he was al
ways opposed TO her marrying Smith,
and that after her marriage he kid
mapped her and held her in his house
until her husband got her back
through g process OF law.
On cross-eaamination Mrs. Smith
showed signs of somewhat wavering
as to whose voice Ii wac which called
out to her husband to come out OF
his house wh,n he was shot, naming
some one else whose voice sounded
TO her like this one. This witness was
also little shaky about what she
had testified to before the inquest. but
only as to minor matters. She also
alluded to John Mason. who was present
with her at the time the gun was
fired. and said he being asked to go
out where Mr. Smith was, replied that
he would not, that he might be shot,
TOO.
Heard Her Son Shot.
The next and the star witness OF
the day for the Commonwealth was
Mrs. Ellen Smith, the mother of the
murdered man. The old lady, whose
small and totterins frame shook with
emotion as she gave in her. statement,
her low, pathetic voice telling OF the
great sorrow at her heart at the foul
murder, as she said. OF her darling boy,
tol.. vividly as to when she heard her
son called out by his slayer, and what
followed. The gun fired told her, with
out her actually knowing, and she
cried to those around htr to so up to-
the barn. as she knew her son was
killed: that when no one would go she
took her crutch and herself hobbled
to the barn and found her son weiter-
ing in his blood dead, dead. dead"
Further. she said. with voice brols-
en- by her sobs, that around his body
where she stepped she trod IN his
blood half way up her shoes, and that
there. with no one to help her. hut
with the quiet and Implying moon and
stars looking down. she. with her own
hands, wiped the blood from her rnur-
dered sons face.
The 1estimonyof this "old mother In
Israel" though delivered In quiet, sub
dued tones made III its tragic sequel
q deep impression in Its weird details.
on Judge, jury and spectators. enchain-
ing the attention of all. 4.
John Mason, the days last witness,
could testify tojvery little except that
nt the time OF the murder he was at
Smiths house and heard the call to-
him to come out. This witness was
allowed TO CO. n.
Court then adjourned till Tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock,
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