Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-10
MARTHA KINGS CASE.
TRIAL OF THE ACCUSED IN THE CIR
CUT COURT OF HeNRICO.
a Coiored Woman Charged with Beating
Her Daughter to Death-Two Little
Boys Tcstify Against the Prisoner.

The trial OF Martha King, the colored
woman charged with beating to death her
adopted daughter Mary. was begun in the
circuit Court of Henrico county yester-
day. Judge Wellford presided and the at
tendance was unusually large.
The prisoner, who is apparently about
twenty-five years old. was dressed with
extreme neatness and care and certainly
appeared rs harmless and innocent as one
can look. She worc q neat-ftting dress of
piack and white apron. which had evil
IDENTITY been starched with unusual care
for the occasion. A well-laundered lace
cap on her head added to the respecta-
oility OF her appearance.
THE PRISONER CALM
She was perfectly calm at all times. and
the expression on her face rarely changed
except 70 give place to an occasional smile
wnen some evidence of particularly
damaging nature was given. MIR. Hill Car
ter acted as her counsel
The proceedings Of the tribunal formal
ly commenced few minutes before IL
O'Clock IN the morning. but 1t was nearly
two hours before the jury was sworn Ill
and the examination of witnesses com
menced. When the names of those sum-
lnoned 10 testify were called 1T seemed "a
II large proportion Of the county popu-
iation were interested in the tragedy. for q
great tnumber-perhaps sthirty-responded
There We're honest-looking farmers in
the crowd, brawny colored men and
venerable colored SISTERS" and last,
but not least. two very small boys.
one white and one colOred
WOULD BEAT THEM HALF TO DEATH.
The Caucasian youngster was greatly
alarmed at being thus brought before the
public. and evidently expected that ne
ordeal. As he kissed the Bible tears as
large as glassagatcs coursed down his
ruddy checks and he showed that he was
scared Unfortunately the little fellow
was the first witness called upon TO take
the chair. and this added 10 his terror.
Commonwealth Attorney Conway
Sands. who WAS conducting the prosecl-
tion, was as gentle as possible with the d.
mnutIve chap and called him Sammy
(the witnesses name was Samuel Wade) i'll
a soft, seductive manner, calculated 10 re-
assure almost any one under any circun-
stances. but the urchin refused to be
comforted" and blubbered throughout
the whole of his testimony. Sammy SAID
tnat on tho day preceding the death of
Mary King he found a cow-b bell. formerly
attached to one of Martha's bovines. and
took 1t to the prisoner. She thanked HIM
for his politeness, but said that her chill
drcn had he'd to her about it and that she
was going to beat them half 10 DEATH
Mr.. A. NJ. Wade, the father of Sammy,
corroborated the statements made by his
son.
THE ADOPTED sons STORY.
The next witness was Ernest King, the
adopted son OF the accused. He Is only
nine years old, but exhibited 3 remarkable
degree OF shrewdness and intelligence
while making his statements. Mr. Sands.
as sort of premOnitOrv interrogation,
asked the urchin if he knew the punish
ment inflicted upon those with mendacIous
proclivities. or in plainer words, those who
lied, whereupon the boy replied They
go To torment" The story of the murder
as told by the youthful witness re
vealed q startling tale Of cruelty and
brutality. He said Martha when she saw
the little girl stripped her OF her clothing
and commenced beating her; Ihen
she pitched the unfortunate child III the
fire. and when the latter rescued herself
from this position she threw her in a tub
of wafer Then the pitiless woman at
tached rope to the neck of the sufferer
and hung her up on the wall and beat her
with stick. Not content with thus tor
turing the girl Martha threw her down
and stamped her on the neck and body:
- L nen mamma MT ner cross lne heau,
SAID the little fellow. "and she died" a
BRADSHAW WAS PRESENT.
When Ernest was asked If any one wit
messed the heart-rendIng scene he sad
;hat MI" Bradshaw (the colored para
mour Of the accused was present and did
not interfere. 1t will be remembered by
those familiar with the facts Of the case
that Bradshaw was arrested as a pdrficeps
cripltI.,s Of Martha. and his case sent on to
the grand Jury, but this body failed to find
a true bill against him.
All of the witnesses for the Common
wealth were examined and their testimony
consumed several hours. few minutes
after O'Clock the evidence for the prose-
cution was concluded and the court ad-
iourned over until 10 o'clock TINS morning.