The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-04-02

Fauquicr-Eroin All Over the state.
PErERsDuRo. Va. April 1.-lSpeciall-A
special term Of the Circuit Court Of Peters
burg opened this morning at II O'Clock, when
the case Of Walter johnson, the negro who is
charged with having committed criminal
assault on Mrs. Elizabeth Majors. in Motto
WAY county. on the 18th OF September 1890
was called for trial The prisoner upon ar
raignmcnt plead not guilty After theprisonor
had been arraicncd Judge Hancock asked Mir
!. NJ Mullen the Commonwealth attorney
if he YVES ready 10 proceed with iIlai OF inc
case. MIR. Mullen, IN reply. shd ne waS
ready If there was certainty tilAl nis; -i"-
Tors would be IN court to-day. MI ~ H.
Warren. The father Of the lady, who was III
the courtroom. said Mrs Majors would GER
tainlv be here, telegraph message was
sent 10 Nelson ,depot 10 ascertain MIS-. Ma
jors was there on her way 10 PETERSBURG an
answer WAS soon received which stated that
Sine WAS and would be here at ! o'clock this
afternoon on train No. z The empannellng
Of the iury was then begun. On the first
venire facas eight. competent Jurors were oD-
taine1.
A second venire facias was issued by tho
court for twelve more jurors. from which two
Jurors only were obtained.
third venire fAcias was issued for ten more
Jurors from which three jurors were obtained
fourth venire facias was next issued for
seven more jurors, from which three jurors
were obtained.
The following gentlemen compose the jury
who will have to dispose IF the case: r. A.
Hartley. W. II. Keyan, Andrew s. Johnson
James r. Jackson. Walter }. Jarrett. SIDNEY
NJ Green. larletOn L. Heath. o. Is. Morgan.
S s. Elliott. James A. Attend W. K. scott
and ". .. Browder After the Jury had been
sworn they were placed in charge OF tine
sheriff and the court at go O'Clock
this afternoon took a recess untI soy
o'clock Johnson asked for mixed
jury, Int Judge Hancock told tho prisoner
that there WAS no law for selecting or rejecting
a iurylnan on account Of his color. The prose-
cution \ 10 be- concluded by Mr.. J. NJ. Mullen,
the attorney for the Commonwealth OF Peters
burg. who will be assisted 10y Mt. ). ":
Morton. the Conmonweaith's attorney OF
Nottoway county Johnson has no coun-
sci. T. G. Johnson. colored law
yer of this city, was requested by the
court TO represent the accused. but lie de-
clined, az the circumstances % the case were
such that he did not think he would be
doing himself justice 10 take It. There are
thirty witnesses to the case-twenty-sx for
tn prosecution and four for the defense.
johnson. the prisoner, Is about twenty
three years OF age very black, and Will prob
ably weigh about one hundred and sixty
pounds II will be remembered that John.
aon. after committing the heinous crime OF
which he il charged. made his escape but
was subsequently captured at the locks near
Petersburg. where he was at work:
Tie was brought to this city and
committed 10 ia for il was feared
tbat If he was taken to Nottoway county
he would be lyuched. When he was taken T.
Nottowav Courthouse for trial, Johnson had
t. be- carried under an escort OF the Peters
burg Greys. a mlntary company OF TINS place,
10 prevent mob violence beng done TO nm.
He elected 10 be tried ly the Circuit Court OF
PETERSBURG. and Judge Hancock ordered a
special term Tor tie list OF April for trial OF
the case.
When the court met after the dinner recess,
tho examination of WITNESSES was begun.
Toe first witness called TO the stand was Mrs.
Majors who testified 20 tie assault that
was made on her 10y Johnson. She
stated that She was ut SPRING
short distance from her home.
when Johnson came up TO her and asked
her if she knew him. She told him that she did
not. when johnson said it made no d;ierenceas
he was travelling man. lie then sliced her,
threw her down. tied her hands behind her
and filed her mouth with sticks. Mrs. Ma
jors said that she then became stupehed and
could not tell what happened afterwards.
There were twenty five other witnesses Tor
the commonwealth but the evidence was 50
conclusive as TO the prisoners guilt that all Of
them were not examined.
The Commonwealth WAS represented by
MIR. J. NJ. Mullen, the C0mmOnwealths attor-
ltN OF ttitININIr. WHO WIS t-04Ntfi " MI
John NJ. Morton. the attorney for the Com
mOnwealth Of Nottaway county. Johns N
had no counsel. The case WAS given to the
jury tonight who found johnson guilty Of
rape. and fixed death a. his punishment.
In sentencing Johnson Judge Hancock sad
the Court hes taken care not to allow any I'M
proper evidence TO 20 before the Jury. The
lawyers who have conducted the prosecution
nave been extremely cautious and have said
nothing IN their argument that was not JustI-
fed 10y the evidence.
From The evidence that has been adduced,
you are glltv beyond any rational doubt; 10y
your own statement you are guilty. II be-
comes my painful duty To pass the death SEN
tonce upon YOU. IL is the Judgment OF this
court tn1t YOU be hanged 10y the neck until
dead ON tbc I'D Of May next
You should now prepare t0ithe awful fate
that aWaiis YOU, as YOU are So early 10 Ire usu-
cred into another world. The sheriff Will now
take YOU 10 Jail and viii allow any spiritual
adviser who may desire 10 do so To see YOU.
after sentence had been passed upon him
Johnson was taken 10 Jail
To Ityftential Committee met tonight
aud adopted plan fol the primary election
~ which IL candidate Toy city treasurer Is 10
be nominated. April 10th was selected as
the day upon which the election is to
be held The presidential election of 1858
was adopted as thr basis upon which per-
son Will le entitled a. vote. except that per-
sons who have since become voters shall
exercise the same right. Each Of the candi-
dates shall rccomm,ndto the committee the
names OF the-, persons from each OF the
voting precincts. and from these the commit
zee shall appoint one judge and one clerk for
each candidate. The election shall he con-
Quoted M tpe same manner a. regular cleo
tons. save that the ballots shall he inipaled
upouaWfe file instead Of being deposited IN a
box and the person receiving the highest uum-
Der of votes shall lee declared the regular nomi-
ace of the party There shall he one uniform
ticket provided 10y and printed under the Gi-
rection of the City Committee. It shall
be OF white paper. -FOUR and one-haif inches
on1 and three inches wide. and no other bal
lot Shall bee received or counted TIA, voter
must erase The name Of al the candidates
except tie candidate for whom he wishes 70
vote. IhcCity Committee shall cndeavNr 10
secure the presence of thercgisirats win their
books az ,he several precincts or faihng this
shall cause 10 be procured correct and c,rti-
fed copies OF sand books yhepolls shall b.
opened at sunrise and closed al sunset
Those persons only shall Doe voted for who
shall on OF before April 10Th haye given IN
heir names 10 the Cry Committee as cane,-
dates together with % written pledge o. abide
the result of the primary ami TO support the
nominee, and shall have paid 10 the trtasurer
OF the committee their proportion OF the eX-
pcnses Of conducting the election
Ihe report Of the Chief IF Police shows
that duung the month Of March the police
made ial arrests. The olIenses consisted OF
felony. assault and battery. lunacy. INSIDE
me"nor, larceny aud violation OF city ordi-
uarcos
Tomorrow NIGHT COprade Simon co,,.orl