Year: 1875

meant 70 do be then struck h, IN some place on the
ioreheAdi thompson ana E'y then picked the man up
him through the woods until they 20 a large
steep rock; Ellis then STUCK him several blows the
road put the bundle the stone wall and got the
basket and carried it behind the bushes; Ellis then
said 20 me- "You are tine sucker,' told him
would having nothing 10 do with it, then Thompson
got large sized stone and threw il on the mans head
while Ellis had hs foot on the mans throat the
raised up his head and chest with his
face covered with blood and said ''What
do you mean 10 do with meg are you going to murder
me f'' Thompson then struck him the head with
stone and he then fell back again the commenced
10 balloo, and Ellis said TO Thompson, ''Give me
knife and IN stop the son Of b--hl' Thompson gave
Ellis four bladed knife tipped with silver don't
opened the knife and


MADE THREE JABs AT THE MAs's NICK;
ne cut his neck and think cut his Jugular vein the
blood flowed; Thompson then went through the mans
pockets he took two boxes OF matches some chewing
tobacco, comb and his pocketbook; the pockatbook
now produced Is the same Thompson took from the
mans pocket it had lot Of papers and money in It
Ellis then went over and united the bundle; he looked
for pair OF pants and there none in II Ellis got
pockebooks out Of the pedler's basket Thompson
then went 10 the lower end or the woods and haooed
TO us to Come on - believe Ellis took undershirt
from the bundle before leaving


Here The negro questioned follows by Assistant
District Attorney Herring


. Did the man cry out or make any noise when
No SIR, but he wasn't quite dead then.


q How was IL after Ellis jabbed him in the throat
He drew three long breaths after Ellis put the knife





q Now what happened after Ellis took the shirt and
two pocketbooks2 A. was out the edge of the
road while 1t was happening; could see all they were
doing, though Ellis came over 70 where | was and
offered me pocketbook, bat wouldn't take il; he
then gave TO Thompon; it had little catch
IN a hurry;n We walked down the road
two or three miles, until we came TO a
lot enclosed by stone fence; there was an
opening the fence large enough to allow a
horse and cart TO 80 through and went in and
down stone; Ellis then took out the pocketbOok; ;
her Of L nd
notes in the pocketbook; think it all amounted TO
Sl4 10; Ellis, Thompson and myself sat rock; ;
Ellis asked me ii wanted any of it and said no
didn't take any of the money at that time just then
there man passing through the lot and Ellis


POCKET PAPERS


between his knees; they aterward tore up the papers
and threw them behind the rock all three left the
lot together and went down the road went into a
small tavern that stood on the right hand side and
i've dollar bill to pay for the drinks; l paid
for them, and when going out of the place gave Ellis
the change 81 70 we then went down the road and
the bridge to the city; that night went 20 No
10 Grand street. and remained there during the night;
there when was arrested have nothing more


on being further questioned by Mr Herring Weston
stated that Thompson had PAIR Of overals at the
time of the killing and that he took them of and
threw them in the woods; they didn't bring The club
out OF the woods


William Thompson one of the accused parties
then called and in questions put by Justice
Wheeler, stated that he native of Mary
land, twenty seven years Of age; was sea
farng man by occupation, and hved when ashore
at No 81 Thompson street Having been cautioned
TO the importance TO himself of anything he might
say, the prisoner made rambling statement, admit
ting that he had participated the murder, but
deavored to throw the chief share OF the crime on
Weston.


William Ellis, on being arraigned said he was a ma
tive Of Maryland, and ships cook by occupation
He also admitted his participation in the crime, and
said that Weston planned IL and led him into it.


At the conclusion of the testimony Justice Wheeler
fully committed all three Of the prisoners TO answer
charge of wliul murder.