The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-14

The difference between constructive
| freedom and actual freedom may be
very minute to those who have never
been in q position to realize it, but
John Travis Redd and Rufus Ii. Will
hanson could perhaps explain it if in
Quiry were made to-day. since II o'clock
on the night OF tho 22nd of December,
OF within few hours after Thomas G.
Massie had been murderously assaulted
ON Campbell street, from tho effects of
which no died on tho Goth, these two
men have either been at large under
bail or confined in the city Jail.
While at largo they were under the
weight of suspicion, but during the
time they oomported themselves as in
nocent men, and in bearing and CONVEX
sation they were dignified.if thoughtful.
To-day they enjoy actual freedom.
and the natural effusiveness of the
Aryan race is to be perceived in their
every action.
On Saturday, the ard instant, they
were brought from Jail, where they had
been confined since the night of the
Goth of December, and the common
wealth requested that the case be con-
tinued until the 18th yesterday. and
stated that it was willing to accept bail,
whereupon John Davis was offered and
accepted as surety in the sum Of $500 20
insure the presence OF each on that
date.
In the meantime Commonwealth At
torney Roy Il. Smith and his colleague
in tho case, Hon. w. r. Bibb and
Robert A. Scott, Esq, sifted the evil
dencc. searched for and found new olews
to work upon, and finally concluded
that the evidence against them was
very Slight.
These labors were set forth from time
to time, as far as their nature would ad-
nit of such action, in these columns. and
yesterdays action, which had been fore
Swallowed from day to day in THE
TIMES. was finally stated positively in
the issue OF yesterday.
There had bcjn some misunderstand
ing rs to tho place of holding the OK
animation, and it was 1O:47 before
Squire Herwerton seated himself at the
mayors desk. at police headquarters,
and announced that he was ready to
pro coed in the case OF Redd and Will
hanson, charged with the murder of
Thomas G. Massic.
Roy Is. Smith thereupon advanced to
the front of the desk and said:
1.-The matter before you is very
formal we do not care to carry this in
vestgation any further. We abandon
the case"
Eston Randolph: "Wo arp'v for
dismissal OF the warrant against our
clients"
With these brief formalities, and the
endorsement to the effect that there was
no prosecution by the magistrate, the
case was concluded.
A busy hum from the mixed crowd in
the room followed the statements, and
Mr.. Smith turned to the defendants and
pleasantly said:
"You arc discharged: we gave you
good advertisement.
Redd replied: II hope NO will get
some advertising of the right sort: we
certainly have had enough the other
way. The Lord knows it has cost us
enough"
Friends OF tho two men crowd ed
around and fervently congratulated
them, and they went on their way re-
joicing.
Later they were both seen by a TINES
reporter. They said they hoped the
guilty parties would be captured and
punishec. but both said they earnestly
hoped that no moro mistake would be
made; that before an arrest it would be
known that the suspected parties were
guilty.
The police are somewhat excited over
tramp they have in the station house,
from the fact that tho late Mr.. Massie's
son has recognized him as man who
cleaned snow from in front Of tho Mas
sic residence after both snows-the one
OF the 18th and tho one OF Christmas
day.
This party, who gives his namo as
William llaglewood, was yesterday
sentenced to Jail for sixty days on
charge of vagrancy. His appearance
would indicate that i thorough washing
would be about the worst punishment
tlat could DO inflicted upon him.
THE CITY AND COUNTY TAXES.