Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-13
WHITE CONVICTED
The Manassas Criminal Must Die
For His Crime.
TIE TRIAL at MANASSAS CLOSED.
Prisoners Counsel Striving to
Save His Neck.
TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
MANASSAS. Va. Feb. l3-Notwfthstand
| Ing the assurance Of Ben Whites counsel
that. upon the reassembling of the court at
2 O'Clock yesterday afternoon. they would
ask for no further delay. the trial OF the
young negro charged with assaulting Mrs.
Elliott last month was adjourned until 0
O'Clock this morning. Immediately after the
opening statements OF both sides after the
recess yesterday afternoon. Judge Lips-
comb. however. intimated that he would
tolerate no further delay. stating that he
believed the case could be concluded today.
Inc largest crowd yet In attendance
thronged the little court room yesterday
afternoon when the court reconvened after
recess. despite the terribly unpleasant
weather prevailing. The moment court was
opened counsel for White proceeded to
spring motion upon motion upon the court
First they moved to vacate the yenire ia
cias. II being discovered that the panel of
jurymen had been summoned for the 18th
Of March instead of the 18th Of February.
Judge Lipscomb explained that It was
| merely clerical error and scratched out
| March" and inserted February"
| To that counsel for the prisoner noted an
| exception. when the commonwealth at
| torney moved TO Quash the defective venirs
1 y
| Gid despite the objections OF defendants
| counsel. another exception being noted
| While the new venire facias was being
issued and the same panel under the de-
fective one resummoned, the prisoners
| counsel moved to quash the Indictment
1 That motion was overruled, and then they
moved to quash the new venire facias.
| Their motion met the same fate, and the
| selection of a jury was then proceeded with.
A panel OF twenty talesmen had been sum-
| moned, and from them sixteen men Wuro
| to be found qualified. But seventeen OF the
twenty Were examined. one man stating
that ne had formed and expressed an opin-
ion.
In examining the talesmen the court ask
| ed but two questions, Have you formed OF
expressed an opinion as to the guilt or In
| nocence OF the prisoner" and Are you
opposed to the infiiction Of capital punish
ment?"
Having satisfactorily answered those
| two questions the talesman was asked by
the states attorney, Can you give the
prisoner a fair and impartial trial."
| Answering that inquiry In the Affirmative,
counsel for the defendant interrogated the
| talesman as to where he lived (the law re-
| quiring that the jurors should live In q part
| OF the county remote from the place where
| the crime was committedD and asked q few
| other questions respecting his qualifications.
The reading of newspapers counsel wisely
| believed did not diequalify the taleGmsn,
for when several of them had stated that
| they had read The Stars account OF the
| case counsel remarked that fact evidencsd
| intelligence. and IL was q jury OF intelligent
| men that was desired. fE
When sixteen talesmen were found uuall-
| fed, they were turned over to the DEFEND
| ants counsel, who. under the Law. were au-
thorized to peremptorily challenge four Of
| them.
That being done. the twelve men remain.
ing constituted the jury, the state having
| no right Of peremptory challenge. Thus
4 selected, the twelve talesmen were sworn
| as the jury, and then the prisoner and jury
4 faninU .
! clerk Of the court solemnly addressed them
as follows: Gentlemen of the jury. look
upon the prisoner. and hearken to hio
| cause He stands before you indicted -
! the following words and figures"
| Then the clerk read the Indictment and
| explained to the jury the discretion they had
| In the matter. That formality over. Com
monwealth's Attorney Thornton opened the
case to the jury, and was followed BY Mr.
r. r. Campbell on behalf OF the prisoner.
Mr.. Campbell explained that The jury had
| two questions to answer. WAS the prison.
er guilty?' and IL guilty. should he suffer
| Imprisonment or death?'
He intimated that the real effort of the
defense would be directed toward prevent
| cause of Whites former good character, and
because of his counsel's belief that he had
been led into the trouble by his condemned
| companion. Jim Bobinson.
| Upon the conclusion Of the opening ad-
dresses the trial was adjourned, at the re-
quest of DEFENDANTS counsel. until O'Clock
|
This Mornfng's Session OF Court.
The court was late in being opened this
e' ~ oens ateer Az oSioSA oeiosS
| tne triai was resumed
Mrs. Myrtle F. Elliott. the young woman
| who was assaulted by White WAS the frve
| u-,,nass oau.s c.. a. -, -. .l--
| -. ~. 10 eo1' :" e.'' .. ,
| Pieus' anu toio tne story OF tne ass@un
upon her IN a modest retiring manner.
| As aha Aa Aar 1w~S
court roorn lis,anad an ,,ar,ac, st,onca tn.
| miserahIe wretch who assanl,as Rev "a, hS-
| side his connsel a Tew Ssst an,av snrrrnnS-
| "a nv a scora or ,no,,a 20 scia,a~. ,.-tss
| havonets fixad u,i,h how,.S haeS anS ,srs.-
| ouslv towing u,itb hts ola sionch hat pcsn,-
| ing him ouf she tdentifad h,y, as tha y,.,
| who assaulted her To make her ,aen ,,ecs-
| tion Of him more connlete JudCa Isnscc,nh n
directed White 70 stsnd ,n and ,h.,s = 1917
1 Mrs E,ll,oft az sba y,as s,ra ha .-.. a.
| man
| Cslanciny for O. ynorep, ,ou,ara the ,rs,n-
bling nrisonar uho avor,sa NE hass s.A
| hale ,prnad Sror, h.r shs ra,,it.d a., -
| Was the man -
| Mrs Elliott stated that she ana ber s,s,er.
in-law. Mrs. Heffiin, were awakened about
| il;3o on the night OF the assault by hear
| .Iie so.ns ohe hnoen az eei. ooor. NO ons
| tu-o I,t,is .ohidran 81 90 NJ. Snssss
| ,non ,nou,rirg u,ara ,otd ,ha, enc ,,t.,.-xs