The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-02-18
|, Tia, father of Mr. j. P. Harrison, and to
friends in that county. Ss !.
Snow fell this morning to Che Depth OF
,,,,r inches. - ALPHA.
NEW YENT COUNTY.

NEW KENT COUNT .---..:.--.--
THE I.acr ,aURDERERs UP. FOR TRIAL TWO OF
] THFs SgsRoEs CONVICTED AND SENTENCED
,,oyz TIE 25TH OF iRcH----ffiss
. TRIAL OF THE OTHERS POSTPONED UNTIL To-
/ DAY, &C. u 5a'tl ts STD -
/ Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.l
/ NEW KENT COURTHOUSE. VAS,
/ stseas nigossa February Is, 1879. -
i The brutale murder OF John &c Lacy,
which occurred on the 18th OF last month,
has created profound sensation ana ~
terest In this and surrounding counties. al
the time of the preparation OF the outrage,
as your readers were informed, threats were
made and. fears were, entertained tnat, tle
ALLEGED murderers would be handled ac-
cordft1g to the code Of Judge Lynch put
better couijse1s prevailed, and the persons
cbarpeff, with the crime TO wit: JULIUS
Christian. Patrick and Claiborne Smith, ana
Andrew Whiting-were taken TO the Hen
rico-county Jail to await trial at the Febrn-
ary term of our County Court -.
Accordingly, on Thursday last Shcrln
IRoyster arrived from Richt1ond in charge
of the prisoners. Most OF the day was taken
min examination Of witnesses by the grand
iliry. who found true bills against all the
parties accused; and it was not until late 10
the afternoon That jury vas empanelled Tor
the trial OF. Julius Christian, whom it was
determined first to try, the accused having
elected TO sever in, their trial: -
The Jury was adjourned, over until 10
O'Clock Friday, when, upon assembling, the
Commonwealth proceeded to examine her
witnesses. The principal and most import
ant evidence was that OF Mr.. James ".
Stamper, of Richmond, to whom The prison
ers had made confession while in Henrico
jail. > Mr. Stamper gave IN his testimony IN
a very lucid manner, detailing all the cir
cumstances connected with the murder as
confessed BY the accused, making up Il case
OF the most shocking and diabollcal brutal
ity. .,.
The Commonwealth was represented BY
R. II. Lacy, Esq. and the prisoner, at the
request of the court, was represented by
William E. Hart and George A. Jones,
ESqs.
The case was submitted without argyll
ment about 8 O'Clock yesterday afternoon,
and after an absence OF ten minutes the jury
returned with a verdict Of "guiltY OF MUIR
der in tue first degree" Judge Christian,
amid profound silence on the part Of the
large crowd assembled, then proceeded, in
Il most touching and impressive manner, to
pass sentence upon the condemned man,
who received the same with the stoid in
difference OF an iceburg, and seemed less
moved by the pathetic remarks OF the Judge
than any one else present.
At this writing Patrick Smith IS on trlaI.
Yours, n. K.
FEBRUARY 1G, 1879.
Since I last wrote you another OF the
Lacy murderers-Patrick Smith-has been
condemned to suffer the extreme penalty OF
the law. The accused was defended by
Messrs. Hart and Jones, who made the most
of the facts in the case for the benefit OF their
client. while X. T. Lacy. Esq, represented
the Commonwealth. Alter an elaborate ar
gument OF the case, the jury retired for
few minutes, when they brought in a
verdict as above stated. II possible, the
prisoner manifested more daredevil in-
difference to his fate than the one pre-
ylouSlv convicted, and remained perfectly
unmoyed during the delivery OF the affect
ing sentence OF the Court. The interest in
the trials remains undated. and dense
crowd throngs the courthouse each day.
Owing to the necessary absence OF counsel
on tomorrow, the Court last night adj
journed over to Tuesday the 18th instant,
when the remaining two prisoners will be
arraigned for trial. | will endeavor to
keep you posted as to the result, notWith-
standing the tardiness OF our mails. The
prisoners are kept under guard. our Jail
having been burned more than year ago.
Yours hastily, : n. X.