Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-03-21

THE WAY FROM CHURCH.-On Saturday nigh
last in the still moonlight that shone over tn
little country church near Mt. Sidney, Their
went out into the white road, a congregation
vending their way to their homes-and one Of
them to his death. There Was an alteration
blows, the fash of knife swift flying fs!ure,
the slow tread of men across the field bearing
the dy ing man, d crowded room in farm CO..
rage and the closing scene of death. The scene
changed to courtroom in Staunton, and Mon
| lay morning boy 8 years old. with the jacket
of IA school boy and the rosy cheeks and smooth
face of school girl, walked into the room
to answer the charge of taking the life of fell
low creature The room was packed by curl
Gus spectators, and in their hearing this story
was told:
Uu Saturday night, William Pate, the prison
er, and George K. Sheets, youth of 20, between
whom some i'll feeling had existed about bor-
rowe quarter, or something else as trifing,
met at Mt Pisgah church and quarreled over it.,
that appearing, from the evidence, rather to be
made the occasion, than the cause of the quarrel.
seeing, as one witness testified that Sheets abused
FALL the Pates,' including hmsefa Grst cousin
All went in church and after service came out.
Pate and his brother James starting for home
and Sheets, going with witness named Bright
and another person. Just ahead Of the Pates was
their young sister being escorted home by Il
gentleman. Sheets who, it was testified, thu eat
ened at the church to choke Pate as black as
his hat " aud promised ''by G. to kill him !"
walked FAST it is charged following the Pates
and the Pales walked slow, so, ultimately they
got together. Sheets again demanded the quar-
ter. Pate said he would pa, when Sheefs BROTH
er paid him. Sheets threatened to whip hin
and Pate, who intended to run, asked him to let
him go to q certain tree. Sheets refused and
Knocked him down. Pate got up and stabbed
him twice and ran off The wounded man dii
not pursue him, nor did ne even know he W as
cut, until he was climbing fence on his way to
y neigh ,orng house where he was to sleep
H" then fell and was found to have been stabbrd
He was carried some distance to house, near
err neighbor, Mr.. Chris Wine, having refused TO
admit the dying boy, because, as he testified,
''It Was none Of nv business, and told Brigh,
he had got the boy hurt, aud ne mustn't bring
him to my house. | thought Pates father
night not like it," He died before morning,
having stated to Or Crawford when told that he
must die that IL made the first attack am
TOO weak-the others will tell you all about it,"
The knife had penetrated his abdomen and be
bled internally until death relieved him. He
was about the same age and size of his antago-
mist.
In summing up the case before Justice Leigh
R. Waddelf, Commonwealth 8 Attorney Bum
gardner opposed with much earnestness and
force the suppositIon that taking life in case
where fstcuff is going on between two boys,
and where nothing more than rough handling
can be apprehended, is the TAXI ng life in sef-de.
fence ntenplated by the law He argued that
there was no necessity for this bov taking the
life of the other boy who was attacking him, and
1t was in 40 wise done for the safety of his own
life, or body, which were not seriously threat
ened. Such Interpretation of law might Oh.
ain in half civilized communities where the
knife and pistol were appealed to, but not in
'aw-abiding communities.
Mr.. Geo. Cochran Jr., who represen ted the
prisoner. asked for his discharge on the
ro'nd that he had been previously threatened
that he was going peaceably home, that he
begged his antagonist for an opportunity to es.
cape, and that he did fly directly he HAD freed
himself from his assaant, making, he said, a
complete of self-defence
The justice baied the accused in $500 to ap-
pear for trial The parties to this tragedy were
10th sons of respectable farmers and the aft .r
'realed much excitement in the neighborhood
Of IFS occurrence. The house in VIII oh Coroner
Gushing WAS holding the inquest WAS surround
ed all day Sunday by eager crowds of spectators,
,nxious to catch glimpse of the body of the
lead boy The arrest was nude by Deputy
Sheriff c. A. Roller and Capt. D. B. HYDE