Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-10-30
SENTENCED TO BE HANGED.

/ The negro, Albert Hawkins, who a
tempted to assault Sadie Snerier in til,
Z unity on Monday was put on Trial ii
me County Court before Judge Chi
Gu ster this morning. The court me
~ 10 o'clock and fifteen minutes ate
+ the Indictment was presented to ths
grand jury they returned true bill
against Hawkins of an attempt to com
mt rape. The prisoner was at once
sent for and ten minutes after his pres
euce in court the trial commenced.
rhe prosecution was represented by
Commonwealth Attorneys Johnston
aud Marbury, and the prisoner havins
employed no counsel the court assigned
Mr.. Murray Davis to defend him. The
following jury was then empanelled
II. Bailey, w. n. Febrey, J. L. Birch
Thos. Peverill, E. B. Van Every, Frank
Hoenstine, John Duncan, G. n. Pettitt
w. L. Tucker, A. d. Torreyson, w. a
Scolevogt aud w. S. Hall.
Several witnesses were examined.
George Connolly testified that from
the girls description of her assailant he
arrested Hawkins.
w. 81. Sherier, father of Sadie, test
fed to Hawkins having been brought
t. N and to his having prevented Inc
;cu ed from being rescued.
The two Russell girls opposed ths t
they heard Sadie scream and ran to the
spot. They saw some one run away.
Witnesses screamed before the man fed
The victim of the attempted assault,
who is but twelve years of age, upon
being put upon the stand said that
while on her way from school she was
accosted by the prisoner, whom she
fully identified, who propounded to her
an insolent question. She became
frightened aud ran, but fell, when the
prisoner seized her and dragged her III
to the bushes. She again screamed,
when the other children came to her
assistance and Hawkins ran off. She
exhibited bruises on her arm, but other
wise she was uuiDjured.
Hawkins was not put on the
stand, but his uncle and wife,
Daniel Masterson and his wife I.
testified that the accused was at
home about the time the offense was
committed. Their testimony was mere.
ly an attempt to prove an abb for the
prisoner They also said he was at a
neighbours house "a man named Rus
selD saving wood during the evening
Russ II also ned that the boy had
been at his house but at an earlier hour
in the evening than when the otfense
was committed
Other witnesses were examined, but
their testim my Was in substance as
published yesterday.
The case was given to the jury at
1890 o'clock. AT 2:l5 they returned
with verdict finding the prisonc r
guilty of an attempt at rape, as indict-
ed, and fixing the penalty at death.
There being some iniormality in the
wording of the verdict, Common
wealth's Attorney Marbury made the
necessary corrections. The verdict vas
received in the court room with sur.
prise, as it was only during the session
of the last Legislature that the penalty
for attempted rape was fixed at death
Mr.. Davis moved for new trial aud
al arrest of judgment, which motion
the court overruled.
To the usual question, if the prisoner
had anything to say, the latter replied
mo-
The Judge then said Hawkins had
had fair trial and that the jury hav-
ing fixed the penalty OF his crime 1t
death, he sentenced MIN to be hanged
in the Jail yard in Alexandria on FIJI
day, December 6, 1895.
The mother of the prisoner. who was
present, prayed the court for new
trial, but the Judge quietly informed
her that he had overruled similar
motion made By the counsel for the de-
tense. The prisoner was then hand
cuffed and taken back to Jail. No mo-
ton for suspension of judgment was
made in order that the case may be
taken to the Court of Appeals, but it is
believed it will be made later.
Hawkins, as has been stated, is but
l6 years old, and did not seem to real
ize bis predicament or the euormity of
the o6ense of which he is charged.