Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-13
THE SPEAKS MURDER
TRIAL or THE FIVE NEGROES lNpIcT-
Ed FOR THE CRIME.
Edgar Cash Sentenced for Five Years
New Evidence Against Necahsm vii.
,iams--spesks Desperate Criminal.

CONFORM, VA, April 12-(Spccial)-
rbc King George County court has been
in session six days, and In all probability
s,x more will be required TO complete It's
.rduous work. The Speaks murder case
IS the absorbing topic, The jury has just
brought in a verdict OF guilty" against
Edgar Cash and sentenced him to FIVE
years in the penitentiary as party to
the murder. Henry Hall ia now on trial
for the same offence. and his case will
consume considerable time. In addition
10 the four negroes first charged with
killing Henry Speaks on the night OF
March 10th Ncedham Williams has just
been arrested and lodged in jail as n
party TO the terrible tragedy. There are
four indictments against him-one for
murder. one for selling whiskey. and two
others OF equal magnitude. The latter
case will probably bc the last one tried.
and the Judge is considering the plausi-
buity OF having a negro jury In that case.
Tho courthouse md court-green has been
dcnsciy crowded for week. and the jail
is surrounded by strong guard day and
night
NEW EVIDENCE.
Each days proceedings brings 20 light
some new evidence relative TO the Speaks
murder? Through a whole weeks pre-
liminary Investigation. and the month
subsequent 10 the affair, Needham VIII
liams was not suspected Of being party
TO the murder. but now IL develops in
evidence that he dealt a blow to the
murdered mans head with an iron ham
~.
circumstances point now TO premeditated
murder. and one Of the indictments
against Needham Williams is for murder
in the first degree"
Speaks was q desperate character and
terror TO many OF his own race He mad
served a term In the county jail here. and
a warrant was out for his arrest when he
met his untimely end at the fatal festival;
bat he eluded the officers and fed 10
Washington. Shortly before his murder
he robbed "a lady on the streets Of the lat
ter city and Immediately fed to Maryland.
thence secretly TO this county. and il was
mot known 10 the authorities that he had
returned here until his death was an
u.unceI. About three hours after he
lrtathcd his Hast in the deserted cabin
900 officer from Washington landed at
suns Wharf. this county, in search Of
hm.
4 FULL JAIL.
The King George jail is now fuller than
II has been al any former period, and
every week one or more law-breakers are
added 10 the crowded apartments. Last
sunday while Rev ". h. Savage and
family We're at church one Zen Shankln
entered the diyines Kitchen drove the
cook out. and appropriated the toothsome
Ni1uGs The Offender was promptly ar
rested and lodged in jail TO await the
action Of the grand jury.
10 is estimated that the Speaks muir
DIR and other cases engaging the present
term II the County Court VIII Involve a
cos. 10 the county and Commonwealth OF
gr least Y.OgU Criminal cases have been
Of such uncommon occurrence in kinS
Georgc for so many years that the people
here are greatly exercised over the crimi-
nal expenses accruing the first quarter OF
the present year
LOSSES BY FIRE.
Prior TO Wednesdays heavy rainfall for
est fires were playing havoc with fences,
timber. ami other property. Among the
heavy losses by fire last week was the
cOmmodious dwelling Of Mrs. Ehza-
beth Anderson. an aged widow OF TINS
county. All the contents of the house
including furniture, clothing, PROVISIONS
papers. and some money, were ehllIey
DESTROYED. No Insurance on the builolnS
or contents. hence a large family was
reduced TO want.
: High water in the creeks and runs IN
icrfered with the United states mails
in some sections of the Northern Neck
and owing to the heavy rain in the upper
counties some of the creeks are stiii very
much swollen ana render Gravel quite
difficult. go
The public schools Of the county will
Close this week with interesting exercises.