Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-06-29

Connolly ON TRIAL
FOR KILLING NEGRO
Commonwealth Puts on Practically
Al Its Testimony During
Flrsl Day.
DEFENSE WILL BEGIN TO-DAY
Eye-wItnssses Tell Of Row Between
Accused and Negro, Followed by
Flight and Fatal woundIns OF lat
ter-"Jaek" Lee Assisting Mr.. Lett
In Defense.

the Commonwealth was heard yester-
day In the Corporation Court at the
sirst day of the trial OF j. c. Connolly,
prcprielorof the Crystal Springs bot
Ting works. for the killing Of " iiliam
Jackson, negro. Probably the most
damaging testimony was that OF j. II.
Pearson. with whom the negro was
working at the time OF the tragedy,
and James Burkett. q negro, wno was
!. cleaning harness in w. V. Conards
livery stable, where the fatal shot was
fired. The evidence ;. abe former was
TO the effect that the negro showed
very plainly that he was afraid OF
Connolly and that he ran across the
street just as soon ss Connolly came
out OF his place and would not return
when he tPearsonD called 10 him IL
come back and go TO work. Pearson
also testified that Jackson had the
wrench with which he had been work.
Ing in his hand when Connolly inst
stepped out ON the sidewalk. Burkett
testified that he heard Connolly tell
the negro that he was going 20 shoot
him and then heard him fire one shot
and saw him fire the second, and fatal
shot. Burkett also said that he saw
only one rock thrown by Jackson and
that after the first shot was fired.
state Rests This Morning.
Just before court adjourned at
O'Clock in the afternoon, Common
weaith's Attorney Berkeley announced
that the State might rest IS case with
the testimony OF the nine witnesses
thus far examined. jack Lee, sthe
celebrated criminal lawyer of Lynch
burg, who Is assisting Attorney X. M.
Lett In the defense. told the court that
the defense was ready 10 put on it's
witnesses, but that 1t did not care to
take np it's side OF the case until sat
isfied that the State had rested. Cap
tain Berkeley then said that he would
net call any more witnesses at that
time. hut that he might call others
today. Judge Barham then adjourned
court until 10 o'clock this morning
ana City Sergeant Milstead marched
the Jurors to the Coferton Hotel,
where they were "locked-up" for the
night.
II is practically certain that the
Commonwealth will rest early this
morning and the defense probably
will conclude its evidence either this
evening or early tomorrow. The case
may go TO the jury tomorrow after
noon.
conneiIy ls Composed.
Connolly arrived at the court room
! sometime before Judge Barham as
cended the bench. He occupied chair
to the left Of Attorney r. NJ. Lett,
and sat most of the time with his
fingers intarlocked and his legs cross
ed. lie seemed to be perfectly calm
and self-possessed and he took keen
interest in the examination of the
3urymen and the testimony OF witness
es-
Occasionally his glance wandered
about the court room. but most of the
time he kept his eye guled on the wit
nessss. After court adjourned, he hn-
gered IN the court room. but later lett
shs building unsccempanied. He Is
at liberty under bail bond OF s. 900.
Jury Secured Easily.
Little trouble was experienced In
enpsneliinx a jury. the twelve men
being selected from the venire Of
twenty-six tkat had been summoned.
Zen men we're excused. three because
ttey did not believe m capital pun
ishmens. and the other sixteen took
their seats in the jury box. -Four OF
these were stricken on the list. leav-
ing the following twelve men who are
irving the case:
7. ". Ware. 30 Forty sixth street
Or. Robert A. Davis. is3 Thirty
fourth street.
X. T. West, us Twenfy-ninth street.
George c. Bland. 1915 Huntington
avenue.
}. W Moore. 1928 Twenty-sIxth
street
V. p. Barclay. rs ThIrtieth street
r. NJ. Garnet So T~euty-eighth
street.
W. A. Howard. seo5 orcutt avenue
c. VI. Davis. 7I0 Forty-third street
J. y. Shorter. 2eoo Roanoke avenue.
c. +. Bradley. IT, 1911 Twenty
third street.
Charles Cranstone 30 Thlrty-fourth
street
sUry Visits scere % Shooting.
" V. Conard. Who conducts the Nv
ery stable n the Old market hriidicE.
Huntington avenue and Thirty-nrst
street. IN which the sfcond and fafd
shot vas fired. vas the first witness
called BY Captain Berkeley. he vas
on the stand Tor nearly an hour and
was subiecfed 70 rigid cross-exami-
nation - Mr. lee During Mr- Co
aard's testimony, Mr.. Lee ssked the
court 20 allow the jury 20 visit me
scene q the shooting. Judge Barham