Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-02-23

created the presumption of generalization.
Mr.. Meade F. White took the ground
that Burner made the attack and over
powered Amiss. He attacked both the
legality of the admission of Burners dying
statements as we'll as their truth, claiming
that Burner as an excuse for himself
sought to put Amiss in the worst
light.
Mr.. Edward Echols. Commemorative
Attorney, IN closing the case commenced
speaking at 4:30 P. NJ. He took the ground
that the prisoner at the bar was a murder
er in the first degree.
Mr.. Echo!s closed about o'clock in tn Q
evening, and the court took recess until
$50 O'Clock to await the verdict of the jury.
At that hour the jury came down and
asked the amount of punishment due MUIR
der in second degree and voluntary man
slaughter. This inquiry put the minds
of the prisoner and his counsel in All easy
and even cheerful frame. The court gave
the jury the information they asked.
THE VERDICT.
At 10 o'clock Wednesday morning the
court re-assembled, and the jury came in.
The jury's rquiries of the night before
had taken all the intense anxiety out Of
the case. The court warned the audience
against any demonstrations of approval or
disapproyal when the verdict was read,
and the foreman of the jury then handed
to the clerk of the court the following YER
dict
1--WE, the jury find the prisoner not gull
ty Of murder in the first degree. or MUIR
der in the second degree, but guilty OF vol
untary manslaughter, and fix his term of
cot finemeut in the penitentiary at four
years.
[Signed.l K. T. LUCAS, Foreman"
There was hasty conference of the
prisoner, and his counsel and the latter
announced that they were satisfied with
the verdict and would take no appeal.
The Court then ordered the release of
Leila Lester and Fannie Lewis the two
female witnesses from longer detention in
Jail.
HOW THE JURY ARRIVED AT THEIR
VERDICT.
On the first ballot in the jury room the
vote stood-eleven for murder in the Sec
ond degree and one for acquittal. The
second ballot stood-eight for murder in
the second degree and four scattering for
different degrees of guilt. There we're nine
ballots in all, during all of which, save the
last, the one juror voted for acquittal At
last the verdict given the court was
adopted as a compromise.
GONE TO RICHMOND.
On Wednesday evening Sergeant Run
| nels and officer Hounihan took the convict
at his own request, to Richmond, on the
4:3O fast express, four hours after his con-
viction. Amiss mad shawl over his hands
to conceal his hand cuffs, and had cigar
In his mouth.
| The feeling against the prisoner ever
since the homicide has been very general
and intense IN Staunton. and may be in
| ferred from the fact that yesterday morning
AN EFFIaY OF AMIss
was found hanging to a tree, in the court
yard. Sergeant Runnels acted wisely in
| hurrying the convict away, for the very
thought that Amiss was in the city with
so light sentence seemed to goad the peo-
pie to anger. The mind of this orderly
and practical people seemed to have been
transformed into gunpowder which only
needed spark to bring forth violence.
THE CONVICT IN TEARS.
! After the verdict, and his return to Jail :,
Amiss sent for Commonwealth 8 Attorney
Echols and told him that he wanted to say
! to him that he bore no malice towards
/ him for his prosecution, which, while I'M
sparing was fair. At the end of the con-
versation Amlss covered his face with bis
hands and wept bitterly.
| WHO THE JURY WERE.
The following were the members of the
jurv-Jos. Carney, of Lynchburg. Shoe
maker; D. q. Wright, of Lynchburg, To-
hacconist, J. c. Pfeiffer, of Lynchburg,
Tailor; F. W. A. Satler, Of Lynchburg,
Baker; J. A. Snyder, of Richmond, Gro
Ger; VIM. Rebman, of Richmond, Butch
er; r. F. Lucas, of Alexandria, tFore-
mani Commission business; R. T. Cook.
of Alexandra, Fish and Oyster dealer;
NJ R. Norris, of Alexandria, Carpenter;
B. W. Nails. of Alexandria, Merchant;
Thos. l.. Monroe, of Alexandria, Painter,
and Richard E. Cox, of Richmond, Col
lector. Before leaving the city the jury
wrote the following tribute to Sergeant,
W. D. Runnels and Deputy Sergeant, Geo.
| A. Hutches0n:
The Jury desire to express our thanks
to the Sergeant and Deputy, OF Staunton
for their kindness aud attention while in
their charge, ever ready in supplying our
many wants, both mentally and physically.
| A LESSON FOR THE YOUNG MEN OF
VIRGINIA.-WL len the war closed, one of
1 tho Annnsta cnnntu snldiera like most