The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-20
TUESDAY. AUGUST 20. 1895.
An Astonishing CASE.

connected with the murder OF Mrs Pol
laid. in Lurenburg county. and the four
convictions therefor. are considered, the
c.se casily becomes one OF the mos; re-
rarkahlc I'm all the history Of iudicature
We will recall some Of its leading facts.
The Horrible murder ard the confession OF
solomon Marable. as soon az he was ar
rested duplicating three negro women
with himself. aroused the people Of Lu-
nenburg county 20 such a pitch Of frenzy
thai the dominating spirit Of the county
from that moment 10 this has been bent
on the conviction and execution of the
accused. Every allowance is 70 he
made for the excited state of the
public mind there. bnt the fact cam
not be overlook "a. all the same. that lie
peopl. have been in no frame of mind TO
make a thorough AMI m impartial inves-
;!gation into ;he fac.s and circumstances
Of the case. Consequently, the four ne
goes supposed to be implicated In the
murder had 10 be removed 20 the Peters
brig Jail 10 save them from the fury OF
the mob and kept there until the tirae for
their arraignmont and trial. When they
were tried. they had 10 be carried TO Luz
nenJurg county under military escort,
ana the military had to attend on the
court all through the trial. and escort
them out of the county after conviction,
10 prevent the mob from Selling them
ana executing them summariiy.
The negro man Marlblo is a stupid.
brutal. Congo negro with little more IN
telligence thar an idiot, and tho three
fol hqp
with no more intelligence than individ-
uals of their class ordinarily have. When
arraigncd for trial. they were without
the benefit of counsel and they had aDso-
lCtely no advantages for defending thcm-
selves except such as stupid illteiate
creatures OF their character might think
Of. They had, therefore. no trial at all,
so far as their defence was concerned.
When the trials were over. The public
learned that Marable himself had toen
convicted upon his own confession, aud
that the women had been convicted upon
Lis confession. aided by a few very mea-
gre discriminating circumstances. but 1t
also learned that the discriminating cir
cumstances were not sufficient by them
selves to sustain conviction, and that
;
the women would have to be acquitted.
1t learned also in this connection. that in
the progress OF the trial Marabie had
retracted the confession that ircrimnatod
the women. and had made second con-
fession which exculpated them entirely,
and made his acconplice a white man.
HON he named.
This state of the case aroused n power
ful suspicion in the public mini that those
women were possibly innocent Of the
crime. and that the State might be run
ming the risk, in executing ;hen, OF send
ing TO the gallows people who mad moth
ing 10 do with the murder. Next, The
public had an admission of Juror Halle
wood. that when be consented 10 the
verdict Of guilty against one of the wo-
men. nc did lot think The evidence sam
dent TO justify 10. aud that he is yet OF
that opinion and Juror Edwards stated
also that he was not satisfied with his
verdict. though ne has since though. over
tie case and now believes the cOnvlc-
ton is right But the public has not taxi
en- much account OF Mr. Edwards last
c"anse Of opinion. made. IS IT as l''n,
uIecr oCrdition OF thin - that terri
i~cs NeIy citizen Of LInsno irg lIto s5y-
lag thst he thinks the WON ~ guilty.
b tie caTstone mas nov hcsr Iut
tloH rie case. Another juror +. a.
Jones Ia published a letter IA whi.1 ie
macs tie following stoluing sale
rtu.
AT the conclusion Of the evileace. Nor
Cay evening. about dark, the Common
W4IlfnfN AIFnFIIN A.H I.
tai q supper ana come over 10 the court
tom al = O'Clock. AM lc WCJld thea at
sue the case and turn IL over TO the
li.ry that night. Aftcs We had eaten SD.
per, or Just before eating, we talked over
the case one WIKI another. as all the evil
nchee was ~. and We found mat the jury
were not willing 10 convict on SolomOn's
testimony. When we were taken back 10
the courtroom. about 8 o'clock. We asked
that solomon be put back on the stand,
which request was granted. and both
jury and attorneys took Solomon through
one OF the most rigid and severe eXaini-
"'"''
cir. Noriett ana his associate. seeing
the unsatisiied disposition OF the Jury,
asked that the court adjourn over un,,
next day, TO get more testimony. watch
was done. Mr. Neblett did send for an
other witness on the next oay-Afrs.
Clcments-who testified that Mary ADer-
nathy while at her house asked 10 SIC
atT p4NdA'ils anu, the request being
granted. Mary asked her " she (Mrs.
clements) thought If the persons who
had Mr.. Pollards things would bring
them back and put them where ne could
get them II MIR. Pollard would DION me
prosecution and have nothing mors % 40
With IL. Mrs. Clements said she :old
Mary that she did not know; that this
was a very deep crime-Mary Aberlfathy
crying all the time"
Now. this juror has let us into the fact
that after the case had been fully tried.
the jury delibcrated upon it and resolved
tia; they could not convict ron the evi-
dtnce before them. That They were
brought into court again and Marable
WAS again put upon the rack. and they
took Solomon through one OF the most
reid and seveTe examinations II has ever
ieen the lot OF the juror 20 hear" bat
nat the jury was stil unable 10 convis:
and that therefore the Commonwealth
VAS permitted 70 mend ne hold ard send
10, new witnesses 10 prove entirely new
facts and circumstances. We think We
run no risk In saying that such thing