Proceedings in the courts.
Edward H. Marable, a dealer in fish, deposed:--I was standing at my stall selling fish, when Short came along and stopped at the end of the bench.--Gray came along on the opposite side of the street, when Short saw him, and holloaed out ‘"halt,"’ repeating the expression several times. Gray turned, muttered something inaudible to witness and passed on. Short then said, ‘"if you don't stop, I'll shoot you."’ He then put his musket to his face and fired, and Gray fell, shot through the head.
Geo. Sharp, mason, deposed: I was about fifteen feet from Short, and heard him say ‘ "halt"’ to the other, and, I think, said something like ‘"damn you"’ to him. I saw him lift the gun and fire, when Gray bounced up and fell. Went up to Short, and said, ‘"you have killed that man, you son of a--: what did you do it for?"’ He said he didn't know his gun was loaded. ‘"The devil you didn't, "’ I replied. I went up to Gray; he was not then quite dead.
John Reagan, of Mobile, a discharged soldier, deposed: Was about fifteen feet off; saw Short come along with a musket. Soon Gray came along the sidewalk, in front of Brown & Peasley's. Short cried ‘"halt."’ Gray didn't seem to hear him, and kept on. Short then shot at him. Gray jumped up and fell dead. When I asked Short what he did it for, he said he did not know his gun was loaded.
George Washington Todd deposed: Was making my marketing this morning, and had advanced to the vicinity of the vegetable department, nearly opposite to Messrs. Brown & Peasley's. Heard Short cry ‘"hait."’ Deceased appeared unwell, apparently just out of the hospital, and more in want of the morning air than any other thing. He turned around, seemed to smile, and kept on. Short raised his musket (here witness illustrated the manner of the murder by means of his cane,) and fired. He shot him as deliberately as your Honor would a partridge. Prisoner, who was sent on to a called Court, to be held to-day week, stated to the Mayor that he and deceased belonged to the same company, and he (prisoner) had been on guard at the Franklin street barrack, and both left it at the same time. In doing what he had he said he only designed to have a little fun.
B. W. Knowles was fined $1 for obstructing 7th street with ashes, and the same fine was assessed against Tyler, Wise & Allegre, for obstructing 12th street by the same means.
George Wilkinson and Elias Vanderlip were committed for indictment by the Hustings Court Grand Jury for fighting in Broad street. Vanderlip was also charged with resisting the watchmen.
Joseph Wingfield was arraigned for interfering with the police while in discharge of their duty on Franklin street, while executing a search warrant. Wingfield said he regretted his interference. The case was continued until Friday.
Wm. Robinson, a soldier, arraigned for drunkenness, was sent to the Provost Marshal.
John P. Smith, a doubtful-looking character, with full face and blood-shot eyes, from Vicksburg, Mississippi, was arraigned for stealing a pocketbook containing $25 and papers worth $6,000, belonging to Josiah H. Harris, on Wednesday evening. The robbery occurred in an upper room of the little brick house next to the hay scales of the 1st Market, on 17th street, kept as a saloon by James Smith. The circumstances, as related by Harris, were as follows: He and another young man, whose name he did not know, were in the upper room playing a game of cards for money. They got into a dispute, when the unknown said he would take the stakes, whereupon Harris took off his coat and laid it on a chair, preparatory to a passage at arms with the unknown. The muss did not rise to the dignity of a fight, and Harris, on looking for his coat, found it at the bottom of the stairs below, minus the pocket-book. A witness, who was in the room, testified that immediately on Harris pulling off his coat J. P. Smith seized it and left. Messrs. Causey and others of the Eastern District Detective Corps, testified to visiting rooms occupied by Smith, at the Franklin House, opposite the Old Market, where, between two beds, they found the pocket-book, with the papers, but no money in it. Smith had previously told Dan Hardesty, who kept the saloon for the other Smith, where the pocket-book might be found. The accused said he did not steal the pocket-book; that the man who did had written him a note not to tell where it was before he could get off with the money. The Mayor said the note would have a material bearing on his fate, and asked the prisoner what he did with it, to which he answered that he had lit his pipe with it this morning. Dan Hardesty, the witness, was detained by the Mayor on the charge of selling liquor without a license, and Jas. Smith, owner of the saloon, was ordered to be arrested for doing the same thing. A detective policeman from the Provost Marshal's office was present with a warrant to execute on Mr. Hardestry, on the charge of selling liquor, but the Mayor declined to surrender him till he had sifted the case in respect to that aspect of it himself Smith, who stole the pocket-book, was committed to appear for examination before a called Court of Hustings, to be hold on next Thursday.
Huntings Court, Thursday, October 23d.--The attention of the Court was occupied during the day in trying the case of Wm. J. Bowman, who stood charged with the murder of George Bailey, by bitting him on the head with a brick-bat, some weeks ago. John B. Young appeared for the accused and Littleton Tazewell for the Commonwealth. The evidence of witnesses and argument occupied five hours in delivery. About 4 o'clock counsel concluded argument, when the case was submitted to the jury. who, after an absence of an hour, returned into Court with a verdict of ‘"guilty of involuntary manslaughter."’
Confederate Court.--No business of note transpired in this Court yesterday.
