The morning times., 1895-10-31
HAWKINS WAS UKhOVED
Never fIinehed When the Judge
Pronounced Sentence.
VERDICT APPROVED BY ALL
Three of the Jury First Stood Out
for imprisonment, But Were Final
ly Brought TO Cha nge Their Views.
Quickest Trial and Conviction on
Record In Alexandria County.

The sentence of death pronounced upon
the negro boy, Albert Hawkins. who at
tempted TO assault little Sauie Sherler In
Alexandria county, not lar from HANS
1hIlt, On Aiobudy evening last. lii the Alex
aliurla county court, yesterday. by Juuge
ID. Nj. Chichester, meets with the approval
or every one. II is regarded as a lust
sentence for a. beinous crime. and one that
Will strike terror INTO the hearts OF all
,eHiiQusrs for tne fulUre.
The people of Alexandria county are con-
graduating themselves mat they allowed
the law 10 take its course, instead OF taking
II into tneir own nsntis, Tor now tnry
know the wrong done the young girl win
Meet Win adequate punishment. In Alex
andria CITY the trial ana sentence are the
sole themes OF conversation.
The trial is the Quio kest that has ever
taken place in any court IN Alexandria
city or county, where the laws DELAYS are
very numerous and are taken advantage
OF on the slightest preteXt.
QUICK WORK.
But In this case the criminal was ar
raigucSi, Positively lueutliied by his VIC
tim and within forty-eight hours after
the crime had been committed, is III Inc
''Inurderrrs' row. of the city 1ati. await
Ing the coming of the 6tn day OF December.
wnen he Will be hanged.
The Jury was made up OF twelve OF tue
leauing citiZens OF The county, Inen VINO
could give the prisoner at tne bar ialr
anu impartial trial. AFTER hearing the
evidence -Jney reL,red TO tnelr room ana
began discussing their veroict. They all
agreed That Aa wilkins had been clearly
proven guilty OF the crime with which he
was charged, but they hung on the extent
of his punishment.
The laws OF Virginia make IL optional
with the Jury 10 impose a sentence oI
death or 20 .oopiiRe the prisoner III. the
State peniteDtiary for a term Jf not less
tnan three, or more than eighteen wears
Nine of the iurymen, on Tue inst ta'Iol'
favored the extreme peua!ty OF lnc Jaw.
wniIe the Others wanted a pehiteutlary zen
tence. An hour was spent IN nIscussing
the matter aud the three were Won yer.
aud the death sentence imposed.
Juugt Ii.IciiCslrT, ih PiOi4onnc!iB sen,
teuce upon the boy, was Biore disturbed
than was the prisoner in the box, ortlousli
t-tiie.- judge-has- been presiding over tlie
courts or Alexandria and tairIaA county
for twelve years. this is the TIrst time
he has ever been called upon 10 pronounce
the sentence OF death upon prisoner.
HawhiIls, wnen tod 10 s,isua, ana asked
If he had ANYTHING to say why sentence
should not be pronounced upon hiiil, deh,,u
in a prTfectly cool voice, nothing. lie
was, by FAR, the least disturbed person
intne court room. a nj il, face never changed
in expression when the Judge uehFereo
his sentence
PASSING THE SENTENCE.
"You have been given fair and i'm
partial trial by a jury OF your peers, you
nave Seeufound gunty or the crime eyed,
aud tue Jury has fixed your punishment at
death. The sentence OF this court there
fore, is that you shall be taken back 70 Tue
finen.enf until the 9th day Of December,
-when yossshail be hanged by the neck
until dead. dead, dead"
The sheriff was then directed to take
charg. of tine prlsoucr, and he was taken
from the courtroom TO the jail Mr.. Mur-
ray Davis, who was appointed by the court
to defend the prisoner, ss sAed Tor a new wtrlii,
hut this the Judge overruled, and Mr.. Davis
noted no exceptions TO the judges ruling
SO that Hawkins can have no hope OF life
through the courts.
nllt 4
as II the full penalty of the law might not
be imposed on Hawkins, threats or lynch
ing were heard all over the courtroom, from
men of prominence IN the county, whom the
t,.,tinnuy- OF iItlle SHuie Stsefler IN Getali-
lug the assault upon her nad workfd up
"a 1 he highest pitch. and there is hardly any
doubt but that these threats would nave
been made good had not The sentence OF
death been imposed.