The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-14
JENKINS TELLS ALL
ABOUT THE MURDER 4:
Says He Borrowed the Gun and
That Seal Called Smith Out
sand Shot Film.
EVIDENCE FOR THE DEFENSE
--------------------s
fspectnl 10 Tic Imes-pI,patcl,.l

= liam Smith. The Jury retired Will,
Witnesses were being examined befOr,
.hc court as to confessions by 'Jenkfn
OF his killing Smith, after which til,
Z court admitted the testimony to go t.
the Jury.
w II Fisher swore that he say
Jenkins on the evening after the mur
In charge as by command OF thu
slrrriff. and that Jenkins yoluntaril,
made a confession to him that u,
4 killed William Smith. and that Claud'
Norris gave him (Jcnkins) 50. q bottl:
of'whiskey and gun to kill Smitli
and further that he (Fisher) did no
at any time offer any inducements u
any kind to the accused to make thi:
confession. but that he (Fisher) wa.
armed. and Jenkins could have seer
his pistol. and that jenkins told hin
that William Seal had told him t.
mike this confession. This witness or
cross-examindtion said that he did tel
jenkins that he ought to tell all he
knew OF the murder.
James Judd, deputy sheriff OF Cul-
pepper. said that on the 18th OF last
September he heard jenkins make the
confession that he killed Smith. and
him under arrest" said the. witness
"and / told him that he had better tell
all that he knew about the murder.
and he said that William Seal had
told him to make that confession SO
as by that means to save him (SeaD.'
Testify to Good Character.
Tho state here rested. and the de-
tense, for its first witness. had j. j.
Miller. who said that he had known
jenkins for years. and that his general
reputation was frst-classt for peace
fitness, sobriety and honesty; but he
is very timld boy.
Robert Hand said that the general
reputation OF the accused for sober
ness, honesty and behavior and timid-
ness was Just as the preceding witness
had stated.
Tom Fisher testified on the same
score as did the two last witnesses.
George w. Tidler. justice of the
peace In Rappahannock county, was a
good witness to the good qualities OF
the accused.
Mr.. Olney Finks, another character
witness. gave the accused the best of
character. Mr.. Eugene Willis was in
the same class of witnesses as the fore
going for the prisoner. but in addition
said that jenkins was timid boy and
likely to do what one OF stronger will
power told him he must do. Waiter
all the foregoing character witnesses.
Wise Dodson. also a character witness.
in addition told the Jury that he heard
William Seal say he certainly would
kill William Smith, his own son-in-law
Charles Sisk also told the Jury that he
heard Seal say that he would kill
William Smith. no matter hoy long
It took him to do II. Robert King also
tctd that Seal told him he would kill
Smith for marrying his daughter. and
at the time he saw Seal show a pistol
\ little way from Smith. William Simp-
fFon also heard Seal shy he would Kill
Smith. Frank Jenkins. father OF the
accused. said he heard Seal threaten
!het life OF Smith, and a. the time saw
pistol In his pocket. Mrs. Liza VIII
lis knew William Seal. and he told her
last July that before two months he
would kill Bill Smith.
Jenkins Tells OF Murder.
Then came the accused who. though
an Ignorant boy, told his story in a
seemingly simple and honest way.
During the testimony of this witness
IN MS own defense there was great
deal OF suppressed excitement In the
courtroom, and all craned their necks
TO hear what the prisoner would say.
ne being himself in the shadow of
$50 e,oiaONo. nc ltOlu IN the most MIN
ute detail all the circumstances con-
.nected with the killing of Smith. how
DID man William Seal ordered him to
go to Claude Norris's house and bor-
row his gun and kill Smith; how he
got the gun. Seal. taking 1t from him
after telling him that IL he did not
then shoot Smith that he (SeaD would
XIII him (Jenkins); that Seal then
went to Smiths barn and called Smith
out from his house, and then he saw
6eal shoot and kill Smith; that after
the shooting Seal told him to go anu
return the gun and go through the
corn field, and that he (SeaD would
take off his shoes and go home over
the sod land.
The prisoner bore up we'll under. rig
orous cross-examination. and his tes-
Hmony in chief was not to any extent
shaken. The prosecution was little
shocked when Jenkins swore that at
this time Seal had bottle OF wi,is.
key which he made jenkins take. bit
that he emptied Its contents on tile
Ground. which made Seal very angry.
md that Seal then said he would not
charge, him with the whiskey II ha
would kill Smith, but he told Seal he
would not kill Smith.
Said He Knew Nothing.
After this witness came James Judd. |
He arrested both Seal and Jenkins for
The murder OF Smith, Seal saying that
be wanted to see Jenkins alone. and
Mat the latter told him he knew Moth
ing OF the killing OF Smith. and that
Smith had always treated him white.
Mr.. VIII Jasper, a member of the i
Inquest jury. identified the testimony
rs taken down at the inquest as given
n by Jenkins.
Mrs Fred Jenkins. wife of the ac-
FUSED. in her testimony, placed Seal
lway from his house for some time
lfter the killing Of Smith,. This wit
less is the daughter Of William Seal
'ataly acquitted of this same murder
Here the defense rested, and the
prosecution introduced some witnesses |