The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-30
GUARDED IN COURT.
Lee Hehin Narrowly Escapes Death mt tn,
Hands of a Mob.

Hands of Mob.
WARRENToN, Va. Dec. 29.-Lee Hef-
lin sleeps tonight in the courthouse
here which is strongly guarded to pre-
vent his lynching. He was tried YES.
terday for the murder of Mrs. Hines
and her children at Calverton, in this
county, and shortly before O'Clock last
evening the jury. after being out some
hours' gave verdict of guilty in the
hrst degree. Hefiin persists in SAVING
that Joseph Nye did the killing and he
the burning. Nye will be tried next
month, and Helm will be used as n wiz
ness. 10 Wv
AT an early hour the town began to
MI with excited men, and bv noon a
throng packed the streets and sur
rounded the courthouse. At 1910 tho
grand jury having found bill of in
o1ctment, Judge Lipscomb, holding
court In place OF Judge Spillmon, the
Fa9Qui judge, began the trial.
NO lawyer having been secured by
the prisoner. Il. R. Campbell was an.
pointed by the court Just before the
proceedings opened.
The prisoner was hurried to the
courtroom through an excited mob that
surged about the building and vainly
sought entrance. So strong was the
fear OF lynching that the guards were
still retained oven when the prisoner
stood at the bar.
James Jeffries, the commemorative
attorney, opened for the prosecution, de-
failing the circumstances of the crime.
scarcely had he taken his seat when a
tumult arose from outside. Loud cries
and threats were heard and the doors
bursting open, it was feared the mob
wore about to execute upon the pris-
oner the summary process of the lynch
law. In moment all was eXoitement.
The shouting crowd pressed inward,
while those inside sprang to their feet
to repel the invasion.
One of the detectives, q slender little
fellow, hoped upon q chair and held a
cooked pistol before the crowd, as it was
thought they were upon the prisoner,
Hon. e. e. Meredith, who had been sum.
moned as witness, also drew his weapon
for an emergency. For several moments
great excitement prevailed, but grad
ually order was restored, and the door
was secured.
Mr.. Robert r. Campbell then rose.
Explaining that he had had no time to
prepare for the defense, he urged upon
the by-standers to aid in protecting tho
and leave TO the law to decide upon his
guilt and punishment.
Although he had made several con-
LESSONS Helm pleaded mot guilty."
consequently the prosecution called
several witnesses to the stand. Among
them we're two doctors, who testified to
the death of the Hines family by MUIR
der, several men who found the dead
bodies in the burning house, and finally
the confessions made to the detectives,
Dusten and Smith, as we'll as to Hon.
e. e. Meredith, were heard from those
gentlemen respectively.
There were no witnesses for the de-
tense. Haflin, who is largo brutal
looking man with stupid, boorish
lace, sat unmoved during the trial, eN.
cept when he occasionally WHISPERED 10
his lawyer.
Hefiin was farm laborer living with
Dye. who worked on tho Same farm. Ho
heard that Mrs. Hines, q neighbor, had
largo sum of money in her house, and
determined to obtain it. Just ut dusk
he went to the Hines house and boldly
demanded the cash. Being refused, he
attempted to open trunk in which he
suspected the money was concealed,
and Mrs. Hines tried to Illustrate his de-
signs.
struggle ensued, during which
Hetiin seized stick of wood and struck
the woman savage blow ON the head,
which felled her to the floor. Ono of
the children started screaming from the
room when he dealt it blow which
killed it instantly, and then murdered
the other two children in the same way
to silence their cries for help. Then
he took the money from tho trunk and
buried it under q fence near the house.
After washing the blood from his
shoes no returned to Dyes house. ate
supper as calmly as though nothing un-
usual had occurred, and retired to bed.
The next morning he went back to the
scene OF his crime. where the four bod
les lay upon the floor, and set fire to
the house. Seeing some negroes at
work in an adjoining field he told them
that the house was burning and gave
the same information to Dye. The fol-
lowing day he was arrested.