The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-28
GOES ON STAND
IN OWN DEFENCE
-
Junius A. Williamson Charged
Witn Uxorcide Tries to Ac-
count for Actions.
rs WIFE KNEW ALL
Letters Written BY Prisoner Not
Read to Jury-Other Peters
burg News.

Especial to The Richmond Virginian)
PETERSBURG, VA, april 2s.-The
trial of Junius A. Williamson for the
alleged murder of his wife on the 9Th
of June last was resumed this NOM
ing shortly after 10 o'clock. with the
court room packed to uveriiowing. The
attendance was SO large that the court
had to order the aisle nf the court
room cleared.
ON the opening of the court Judge
Mullen stated from the bench that he
had carefully read tn letters from
Williamson to his wife while the
former was in PennsyN ania. These
letters were offered In evidence at yes
terday's afternoon session. They
cover a period from December, 1908, TO
February, 1903. Judge Mullen stated to
the jury that their contents were
couched in very affectonate language.
Williamson in these letters wrote his
wife of his trials and tribulations ant
of his seeking employment.
After this Statement from the court
C0UnE6T Tor the defense did not insist
on the letters going IT, the jury.
Williamson, the accused, testified at
yesterday afternoons session that on
the day of the death of his wife he got
home about Il O'Clock, or Whereabouts,
and that dinner was not quite ready
| Williamson said he ate some OF the
cornbread and cabbage at dinner ana
that his wife was taken sick while she
was eating dinner. Williamson said
he at once went for doctor.
Says Wife Knew OF 6igamy.
l. In answer to questions by Common
wealth's Attorney Mann. Williamson
sid his wife knew that he was mar
ried To another woman when she mar
ried him and that she knew that mis-
other wife was living. lie denied that
he had written letter to Texas to the
effect that he was dead
This morning, on being recalled TO
the witness stand. Williamson testi-
fled that prisoner in the Jail told
him that the Jail door was to be
unlocked and his reason for escaping
from jail was that his child was dead.
/ In answer to questions by common
Wealth's Attorney Mann, the prisoner
said that after he left Petersburg ne
enlisted in the United States army.
that he was arrested at Fort Russell,
Wyoming, and that he did not write
to any one where he was, nor did he
/ write To any one Mt the Jail telling
where he could be found. In reply to
/ questions by Mr.. Peck. of counsel
/ for the defense. Williamson said that
when he escaped from jail he knew
that he was charged with bigamy.
Emmett Collier, a painter. said that
he saw Williamson. the prisoner. come
out OF r. l.. Bowman's drug store,
on the corner of Bank and Market
/ streets. on the 9th Of June, between
/ 10 and il o'clock. Several witnesses
We're examined in rebuttal.
The examination OF witnesses both
for the Commonwealth, and the de-
Tense was concluded shortly after
noon. when an adjournment was or
| dered until l O'Clock p. NJ to give
( counsel an opportunity to prepare
I the instructions.
Democrats Hold Primary.
A democratic primary election was
I held in Petersburg Thursday fer coun-
! cilmen from first and second wards.
/ There is no opposition In the other
wards.
Forms "Woodmen's'' Camp.
Last Monday night District Deputy
/ r. f. Mayes, Of Petersburg. organ
| lied a camp Of Woodmen of the
! World at City Point The following
officers were elected: Consul com
mander. Henry l.. Marx: advisor lieu
tenant, George NJ Munt: banker. Ben
jamin A. Fenner clerk. Henry Sher-
man: escort, j. Percy West: watch
man, John \. staples; sentry, Thomas
/ S. Munt. Jr: managers, Clarence A.
! Belch. one year; James S. Gillian,
two years: S K. Bum, three years
I The camp will he known as Maple
/ Camp.
I Find Dead Body.
! The dead body of man, from pa
I pers found on his person supposed to
be that of K l.. Jackson. who has
been missing from his home on Rome
street. in this city, was found yes
terday afternoon by Thomas Coving-
I ton. Jr, in his marsh on the Appo-
mattoX river. two miles from Pc
! tersturg. An inquest win be held
/ to-day by Justice Lundie, of Ches-
terfield county