Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-30

court spectators, many business and pro-
fcssional men figuring In IT,.
At quarter to o'clock. the court
having reassembled. the jury were hand.
ed the instructions and Indictment an"
sent 10 their room.
In one hour and quarter they returned.
While the roll was being called the PIT
soner's two sisters, who had been pes'ue
him all day. were led from the room
GUILTY. SAY THE JURY.
Gentlemen. have you agreed upon n
verdict?" asked Clerk iawton.
There was no reply. and the query was
repeated.
I'VE have" replied the foreman.
"w. T. Gaul. stand up" said the Clerk.
Look upon the prisoner. what say you,
Is he guilty or not guilty."
Guilty" rejoihed the foreman. hand
ing the Indictment TO the Clerk, who read;
I'VE. the jury. find the prisoner guilty
OF murder In the second degree. as chatsed
in the Indictment. and ascertain MS pun
ishment at five years imprisonment IN
the State Penitentiary."
IT WAS PITIFUL.
For a moment there was an intense still
ness. and there came from tho corridor.
where the prisoners two sisters were. a
series Of heart-rendng shrieks, which the
CtorlDS OF tle door OniN piiNioasS h"F>i'F'.
4 look OF sympathy was on the face or
every one, from the Judge down.
After a minute or so Of silence Mr.. III.
NJ. Smith. for the accused, asked that
the Jury be uolled. This was done first
collectively. and then individually. and
each Juror replied that he acquiesced in
the verdict rs read by the Clerk.
Mr. Hi Carter OF counsel for the de-
fence then made n motion 10 set the YER
dict aside as contrary TO the law and evil
dence. and asked that the hearing OF ar
gument thereon be continued until the
next term
The prosecutors Offering no objection TO
this. the Judge granted the request
THANKED THE JURY.
Turning TO the jury Judge Witt thanked
them for the efficient manner In which
they had performed their duty. saying
they were the most attentive Jury that 10
had ever seen in his court. He then I"ft
the bench and shook hands with and
thanked each juror separately.
In conplmenting the jury as he did,
his Honor simply reiterated what ne
stated in private conversation with n
Dispatch man an hour or two earlier
The jurors were then asked to step into
the Sergeant's office. where twelve little
piles Of money--about sl3 each-had been
laying all day awaiting them.
HOW THEY STOOD.
In reply to n query from the Dispatch
reporter a juror stated that one OF their
number had favored fifteen years, two
thought ten would he right. and the other
nine ranged downwards TO two years. \
decision was reached by adding the differ
cnt times together and dividing by
twelve--a very common method used by
Jurors in framing verdlcts
VERDICT APPROVED.
The verdict OF the Danvilla jury IS COM
mended on almost every side. In fact. IT
has only strengthened TIE position Of the
public that the finding for five years in
the case Of McNamee was not what il
should have been.
1t seems to have been a faulty of cir
cumstances that the verdict of the Nc
Nance jury should have been so sharply
contrasted in an unfavorable manner
twice in six days. In the first instance
ridicule was hcaped upon it by reason OF
a Hcnrico jury at almost the same hour
giving negro the same sentence dive
years. for the comparatively light offence
of breaking into an clubhouse and stealing
a calf.
Last nights decision. rendered by
twelve disinterested men from another
section of the State. will also be held mp
rs a contrast 10 the penalty imposed upon
McNamee for taking the life OF Atwell.
Just before leaving the bench Judge
witt told Sergeant Epps to have McNa-
NEE in court to-day that he might he
sentenced In conformity with the verdict
in his case.