The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-09-25
NO VERDICT YET.
Tho Evidence Decidedly Against Saral
Leftwich.

Slowly and with unwearied patience
the coroner's jury in the poisoning case
OF Amanda Leftwich and her father,
Steven Leftwich, dragged tho day
through yesterday without reaching
verdict.
All the testimony was heard, how
ever, and tho jury adjourned to meet
again to-day at the call of the coroner,
when the report of the chemist on the
analysis of the stomach will be heard.
The jury examined several new wit
nesses yesterday, and several who had
been heard tho day before were again
put on tho stand.
Steven Leftwich, the father of tho
poisoned girl, and who came near diving
himself, was placed on tho stand three
times. The last timc he was closely
questioned by tho jurors, and admitted
that he believed that his wife put
poison in his beans. This was because
She had said she wanted to get rid of
him and his daughter. There was some
trouble between him and his wife. and
She frequently whipped Amanda for
trivial causes and advised her to run
away. Sarah wanted him to send tho
girl away, but he refused
John Barksdale, who from tho owl
dence hoard figured as lover of Sa-
rah's, was found at the Roanoke Ma
chine Works and carried before tho ,ury.
lilo know nothing whatever about the
case, and denied being on intima te
terms with Sarah Leftwich.
Sylvester Price was Il very important
witness. He lived near by, and testi-
fled that Sarah Loftwich whipped her
stcpdaughter ono day in an unmeiciful
manner because she had said She would
tell on John Barksdale and Sarah.
Tho latter remarked at the time that
she would fix the girl SO that she could
not tell.
In fact, all OF tho testimony heard
yesterday goes to show that Sarah Left
wlch is guilty, and should tho chemists
report tell just what kind of poison was
used, the jury will experience no trouble
in finding vcrdict when, how and
by what means the said Amanda Left
wich came to her death
The facs that Sarah Leftwich was SO
quick in swearing out the warrant
against Sue Campbell, u person who has
been clearly indicated and who it was
proven was not near tho house at all,
goes to show that Sarah had prcmedi-
'HISu Inc aCI anu OpcHcu up an avenue
of escape.
Tho case will be heard before Justice
Howerton this afternoon at o'clock.
Susan Campbell and Sarah Leftwich
will both be put on trial in the prelimi-
nary examination.
Emma Brown, sister of the latter,
who lives in Lynchburg, arrived in the
city yesterday, and visited Sarah at po-
lice headquarters. The Brown woman
reproached Sarah for getting into the
trouble, but said she would do all she
could for her. She said she would Sc
cure Mr.. j. n. Williams. the celebrated
criminal lawyer OF Lynchburg, to take
the case in hand.
| There is no undue excitement over
the case among the colored people, as is
usual i'll such eases. On the contrary,
they are very quiet, and it seems due to
! the fact that the l.eftwichs are not widely
known among tho colored population of
Roanoke. Should it become currently
reported among them, however, that Il
woman is about to lose her neck, there
will be Stir enough for a camp meeting,
and especially among the Lynchburg
negroes, where Sarah is well-known.