The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-08


pers of Vengeance In the Courtroom, &c.
The examination Of Barbara Frances
Miller and Charles Henry Lee, arrested and
Jailed ut HcDrico county courthouse on a
charge OF having murdered, on the 14th OF
February last, Daniel Miller, the husband
OF Barbara, came off yesterday morning
before Justices George &. Anderson and
j. G. Blackburn. Major W. +. c. Gregory
appeared a. counsel for Lee, and Mr.. Bev-
eridge for Barbara Miller. The Common
wealth was represented by Mr.. Washing
ton Thomas.
INTEREST IN THE CASE.
| The courtroom was crowded, the COL
ored people having swarmed into the room
until nearly every foot OF standing space
was occupied, and it was found almost inn
possible TO get IN at the door. They
squeezed against each other and pressed
against the railing around the bar until it
cracked beneath the weight. In order 10
accommodate those behind them the front
rank knelt, and above this line the nappy
heads, parti-colored faces, and stretched
necks were packed closely together.
| The crowd looked sullen, and murmurs
OF discomfort ran through the mob. "He
ought to be killed right OFF," said an inn
mense black man with muscle enough to
knock mule down, and some one said,
eyes, bofe ov 'em ought; dat woman is
1 jess rs much ter blame as de man." Out
side in the courtyard were carts and
wagons and scrawny teams, which had
been used by the country darkies in COM
ing into town. They evidently had mis-
taken the examination for the real trial, and
had therefore turned out in force. The
officers OF the law had heard the threats,
and were fully prepared to meet any
emergency.
| BARBARA BROUGHT IN.
At IL O'Clock the magistrates took their
seats, and Jailer Shaw was instructed to
bring in the prisoners. When they were
ushered through the crowd there was a
simultaneous craning Of necks and tiptoe-
| ing in order to get a glance at the strange
couple. Barbara has been sick--not dam
gerously. but simply suffering from melan-
cholia and general depression OF spirits.
She takes but little food, and has evinced
great restlessness OF spirit. She had
nervous and highly-eXclted appearance
when she came before the court. The dark
| glances shot from the glarins eyes OF the
sullen crowd, and the angry but subdued
| tones seemed to her to fashion themselves
into threats, and she shook with dread.
Her head was encased i'm 4 black rag that
fitted close down to her eyes. Around her
shoulders was an old dirty shawl which she
occasionally cutched mt nervously, and a
white apron trimmed with ruflleS was tied
around her waist.
Mr.. Beveridge asked leave 10 consult his
client, and for this purpose they retired to
an ante-room. When Barbara came back
she was placed on the witness-stand, when
| Mr.. Beveridge stated that he had told her
that unless she was perfectly willing to
make voluntary confession he would OBJ
ject to her making any statement. To this
Barbara answered,
CT AM A TRUE-BoRS CHILD OF GOD,
"and God has told me to tell the truth, and
/ must tell it to everybody" She then re-
peated the story she told in jail; how Dan
iel Miller and Charles Lee went out about
5 O'Clock A. VI. on the 14th OF February;
how she heard her husband "holer out y;
that when Lee came back he told her he had
killed Daniel because he was tired OF his
eating what he Nee) had brought 70 the
house; that the axe was not bloody; that
She recognized the clothes brought from
the railroad, where Lee carried the body
after killing Daniel, and that she had never
seen the remains.
She told this story in wild, chanting,
sing-song style so common among negro
religious fanatics, and every now and then
from the crowd would come responses
such as, "Yas, Lord" " iiish, child"
.'De Lord have mercy" Tears streamed
down her dusky face, and it was PLAIN That
she was greatly agitated. she said that
Tuesday before Daniel was killed (Charles
Lee being present. she told her mother
that Lee had threatened TO kill her hus-
band. and that Lee denied this, but said
he was tired OF Daniels " eating what his
money bought"
A MANGLED MAN.
Barbara stood aside, and Mr.. A. J. Jones,
section-master on the Richmond, Frede-
ricksburg and Potomac railroad, took the
witness-stand. He said that on the morn
Ing OF the 14th, when quite early-so early
that objects were quite indlstinct-that he
came upon the body OF Daniel Miller. At
first he didn't know what 1t was, but upon
examination he discovered that it was the
mangled remains OF n human. He was the
first one to report the affair. In the mid
die Of the track was big pool Of blood,
and about twenty-five yards from this he
found human foot; further on, about
sixty wards from the pool OF gore, he found
the skin Of the breast and body. Portions
of the remains were scattered between the
points mentioned along the track. The
boots were found in the ditch.
RESTING THE CASE.
The case under consideration was that Of
Charles Lee, and the Commonwealth here
rested, notwithstanding that number OF
witnesses present were not examined.
Major Gregory, Lees counsel, expressed
surprise at this, and said he thought he was
te have the benefit OF full deal. Hecould
moi. however, force the Commonwealth to
examine the witnesses.
~ knew that forty years ago." said Mr.
, Thomas.
When the witnesses were brought for
ward for recognition for appearance before
, the grand jury next Monday, Major Greg
ory again remarked: "This is strange
nrncticc. You don't mean to recognize
, witnesses that haven't testiiedl"
"This il q strange case" replied Justice
Anderson.
, Major. 81 am getting old, and l want to
, learn" -,
"If YOU will come down here we will
, teach YOU, said Mr.. Thomas; land know
we will have an apt scholar"
Charles Lee was then sent on for eXaml-
nation before the grand jury, and was taken
! back to Jail.
When Barbara Millcr's case came up her
counsel waived an examination, and she
was sent to the grand jury also, and was
taken to her cell.
TIE WITNESSES.
The following is list OF the witnesses
! ,,,noned by the Commonwealth Warner
.. wills. Griffin Hawkins, Julia Hawkins