Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-28
ON TRIAL FOR HIS LIFE
George Midgets, Alias VIM.
Johnson, Accused of Murder.
PROGRESS OF THE HEARING
Witnesses for State Tell of Fatal
ARRAY in Alexandria.
KILLING OF CHARLES T. SMITH
Stated That Prisoner Will Be Posi-
lively Identified as Guilty Man
Alleged Confession.
KILLING OF CHARLES T. SMITH

charged with the MURDER OF CnarleS L.
Smith. commenced shortly after 10 o'clock
this morning in the corporation court. with
the military guarding the prisoner. When
court adjourned a few minutes before 1
o'clock this afternoon for luncheon ten wit
neSses had been examined and it was the
impression Of those present that the case
had dragged along rather slowly.
A few minutes before adjournment this
afternoon Commonwealth Attorney Brent
stated that If the court decides to hold
night session he will be unable to be pres
ent. owing to his present physical condition.
and 1t was definitely decided not to hold
night session. AS result the case will not
be concluded before tomorrow. 1t Is more
than probable that the closing arguments
will be made to the jury tomorrow after
noon and the case will then be submitted.
Up to the present time the evidence ad-
duced had not ELECTED the fact that john
son was the man who did the shooting, al
though it is stated that Policeman Freder
lex Garvey will positively identify Johnson.
Garvey was with Smith when the fatal shot
was fired that night. He will probably be
placed on the stand late this afternoon.
Judge Barley announced that he would
have the testimony of Policeman John T.
Roberts stricken out.
First Witness Today.
The first witness examined today was
Policeman Jefferson Beach, who identified
light top overcoat found by the police in
the yard of Capt. King, on North Payne
street, the Tuesday following the murder.
The witness also testified that two bullets
similar to "A caliber produced in court
were found In the pocket of the discarded
coat.
Wash Jackson, colored was again placed
an, no 10 70 10 to ,har
conversation he had with Policeman
Knight the night of the murder. Jackson,
when pressed. stated that he might have
shot Smith.
On cross-examination the witness said
that Johnson and Robinson were frequently
together in a room occupied by johnson at
hotel conducted by the witness at the
corner of Peyton and King streets He
stated that the reason he told the officers
that Johnson shot Smith was because he
heard others say SO.
James ]. Kelly testified to having seen
the prisoner at $50 o'clock the night Of the
murder at the intersection of King and
West streets. Smith, he said, asked him
to lend him pistol. Witness said ne dld
Policeman Garvey, he said, left his corner
together.
Cora Corners, colored, testified that the
night of the murder she saw a fight, and
afterward Policeman A. J. Nicholson sepa-
rated Johnson and Robinson, who were in
a fracas. A hat and coat found by the
witness were identified by her as the prop
erty Of Frank Robinson. long, dark
coat the witness identified as being the
property of Johnson. Robinson, she said.
left the hotel about two weeks prior to
the murder of Smith.
Arthur Meeks testified to coming out of
the circus and said he saw Smith and Po-
liceman Garvey moving rapidly he SAID
he followed them and Policeman Garvey
put his hand on colored man. The officer
asked the man if he boarded at Jackson
and the man replied in the negative. A
few minutes afterward Smith grabbed the
man and in the twinkling of an eye the
man whipped out a revolver and fired at
Smith At this point, the witness declared,
Policeman Garvey's pistol fell. and the off,
Ger told him to shoot the man, who was
witness fired and the man limped as If he
had been shot. Before l fired the last
shot" Meeks stated, 1.-The man turned and
fired at me-
Saw johnson Later.
"An hour afterward 1 saw Johnson in
field some distance from the hotel where
the prisoner stopped" said the witness.
"Afterward 1 reported it to the police,
but the officers did not then go for the man.
This man, said Meeks, spoke like one who
was out of breath.
The witness said he would have shot the
man. but he was frightened, and the man
was behind a fence and had the dead wood
on him. The witness SAID MS pistol was OF
thiry-two CALDER.
BENJAMIN Waters identified the prisoner.
Witness said Midgets and Robinson came
into Richard Burnett's bar and purchased
drink He was under the impression that
both were attired in light coats. lie later
heard pistol shots.
Chief Goods of the police force identified
a .44-caliber cartridge. He was unable to
tell who searched the coat, but said the
cartridge was found on the desk at head
quarters.
Policeman Young denied having been on
duty at the station the night the coat was
found.
Chief Goods was again recalled to the
stand to tell what Jackson told him, the
object being, it was stated, to tmpeach
Wash Jackson's testimony. Chief Goods
testified that Jackson told him the night Of
the shooting that to the best of his knowl-
edge and belief Johnson (the prisoner)
was the man who did the shooting I,-
Gertrude Robinson, wife OF Frank ROD
inson. said she knew the prisoner as VIII
liam Johnson. On the night OF the murder,
she said, she was on the snow GROUNDS.
Robinson started the trouble with two
strange colored men. Policeman Nicholson
had Robinson and another ofhcer had
Johnson in charge. The row. the witness
stated, was started because Johnson TOOK
Robinsons pistol from him..
One coat was identified by the witness
as Robinson's, and the coat found in Capt.
Kings yard was identified by the witness
as the property of the prisoner The wit
ness also identified two hats.
Policeman Ferguson's Statement.
Policeman Ferguson was the next witness
called He testified that about o'clock
that night several shots were fred by two
men, who ran through an alley. The men
wore light coats and hats. The men dis
carded the coats as they ran. Afterward
Policemen Garvey, Gill and myself heard
of trouble and placed Midgets' wife and
Robnsons wife under arrest. and Smith
took charge of them. The witness said
half all hour afterward he heard pistol
shots.
when 1 returned from Harrisburg. Pa,
with the prisoner, Jackson told me Johnson
was the man who did the shooting" the
policeman stated. Ferguson then repeated
the story Of what Johnson told him when
he brought him back from Harrisburg, Pa
The story was the same as has already
been published. The prisoner, he said,
made the following remark on the train
bound for Alexandria: II might as well
60 back to Alexandria and plead guilty.
but II they hang me they ought to hang
Robinson" The witness also said that
the prisoners statement was entirely vol
untary.
Mr.. Ferguson said that .44-caliber bull
fok <alx ryop