The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-01-21
nj
COUNTY COURT.
The Jury Fails TO Agree in the
Stiff Case.
ROANOKE TIMES BUREAU,
DnLARD q PERsINGER BLDG,
SALEM, VA, Jan. 20.

SALEM, VA, Jan. ~.
1t was nearly o'clock Tuesday night
before the court adjourned, and the re-
suit was not satisfactory, for Peter
Turner, who had received the turkeys
and chickens stolen from G. W. Prise by
the cambridge and Shaver boys, was
discharged because the Indictment
charged him with breaking into Prices
henhouse. Doubtless no will be brought
up again as a receiver OF stolen prop
erty.
This morning at 10 o. m. the court
sat pursuant to adjournment, and the
following is the record of the days pro-
ceedings:
The estate of Mrs. Lucy Glass, on
motion of John Nj. Oakley, creditor,
was committed to the sheriff. appraisers,
ID. c. Slower, w. r. Whitescarver, o. ID.
Oakey, w. II. Snuff and w. Lee Brand.
In the chicken stealing case a nolle
proseuui was entered by the common
wealth's attorney for Robert Smith, one
of the defendants.
The case of the commonwealth VS..
Charles Stiff for malicious wounding
was next called. The defendant ep-
peared in discharge of his recOgnizance
entered into at last court, was arraigned
and pleaded not guilty. His counsel
was w. w. Berkeley. The following
jury was then empanelled and sworn:
John n. Rhodes, j. w. Duke, Frank
Goodwin, A. W Landon, A. S. Dodson,
j. L. Hartman, S. Fl. Sears, George B.
Johnston, B. w. Logan, Alvin Magee,
J. j. Agnew, John o. Kizer.
The history of the case is about as
follows: Shortly after o'clock on the
night of Decem Der Ia. 1891, the defend
ant, Charles Stiff, boarded the cabooso
of freight train at ThaXton'S and
wanted to ride to Roanoke. Conductor
Dodson told Stiff that this was strictly
against the rules Of the Norfolk and
Western railway and made him get off.
The prisoner, however. got on top Of q
box car, and when Blue Ridge was
reached he again got in the caboose.
Words, of course, ensued, and Stiff
cursed Dodson and told him he intended
TO ride anyhow. Naturally fight oc.
Cured, and the condu NC tor got Stiff down,
who promised to get off at the next sta
ton and not bother him any more.
AT Bonsacks Stiff got off the caboose
but role somewhere on the train, for
when Vinton was reached he was there,
and some say that here the conduc tor
cursed him, anyhow as tho train was
slowly pulling out for Roanoke Stiff let
fly rock with full force, which struck
the conductor on the hip, badly bruising
him. Stiff then threw u second rock,
which missed the conductor but made a
deep impression on the side of the car.
The prisoner was arrested by Officer
Ware, of Roanoke, the next afternoon.
There were three witnesses for the
commonwealth, Charles f. Dodson, con-
ductor; w. R. Tucker, ilagsman, and
John Hudson, colored brakeman. The
witnesses for the defense were Mayor
Guam, of Vinton, Constable Pollard,
Lutte Bell and brother of the prisoner.
The jury retired to their room at $3.50,
and at 4:l5. it being ascertained that
there was no chance of their agreeing,
they were discharged, and the prisoner
recognized in the sum of $500 to appear
at next court for trial, his brother
going on his bond.
TIE TIMES reporter ascertained after
the trial was over that ten of the Jury
were in favor of sending Stiff to the
penitentiary for two years, whilst the
other two thought one year sufficient,
and in fact one of these two latter was
of the opinion that a fifty dollar fine
would be sufficient.