From the Richmond Dispatch, 7/10/1866, p. 1, c. 4

THE RIOT AT ROCKETTS ON SUNDAY, THE 1ST JULY. – On yesterday a negro named Taliaferro Fisher, of Henrico, upon the charge of killing James Doyle in the riot at Rocketts on Sunday, the 1st July. Mr. Mott appeared as counsel of the deceased.

Mr. Doyle, the father of the deceased, was first heard. He knew nothing of the riot personally, and did not see his son until after he was shot. The prisoner had said in his presence that he had never been on Chimborazo hill in his life, and did not know where it was.

Mr. Bennett testified that on Monday, the 2d, the negro came to his house, and was engaged to work there. Prisoner told witness he had never been to Chimborazo; and when witness returned from a visit to Richmond, asked him particularly whether he knew any of the Irishmen in the city. The prisoner had his clothes in the city, but was not willing to go in for them himself, saying it was on account of there being so many riots there. Prisoner’s manner was restless and uneasy.

Mrs. Anne E. Howle testified that on the day of the riot she heard that Doyle had been killed and her own sister’s child badly hurt, and went out at once to Doyle’s house. She there saw Doyle in a dying state, and also saw prisoner and three other negroes standing upon the hill looking down at the crowd; took particular notice of prisoner; was near enough to identify him positively; he had no gun at the time.

Michael Lillis, aged fifteen, deposed that at the time of the riot he saw a negro dressed like the prisoner running along the hill with a gun in his hand; was one or two hundred yards off, but thought that prisoner was certainly the man; he had the gun in his right hand. Witness was only ten or fifteen feet from Doyle when he was shot; only saw one man with a gun.

Martin Driscoll, aged thirteen, saw the fight and saw negroes armed with pistols and guns firing upon the whites, but left before Doyle was killed.

Theo. Echo deposed that he had seen the prisoner on Chimborazo hill at least twenty times.

The case was then continued until 10 o’clock this morning.

The case of George Brown, negro, charged with being concerned in the same riot, was also continued to the same time.

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