Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-03-22
AND AGAIN THE TOWN is QUIET

today and at O'Clock this evening
the juy rendered it's verdict
Judge Atkinson sentenced the
prisoner to be hanged on AOrll
10. The prisoner at IL O'Clock
was brought into court from the
jail under a strong guard Of mill
tary and a strict guard Wis kept
10 the court room. during the trial.
Bat few MINUTES were consumed
in imnlnellng the jury, aud when
tue prisoner was arraigned he
pleaded not guilty.
Mr.. X. + Byrd, attorney for
Commonwealth, Opsned the case
by placing Mrs. Melton on the
stand. AS soon as that lady en-
tered the courtroom the prisoner
became nervous and restless es'
peclally while Mrs. Melton gave
her evidence to the jury. Tue
details of the d ttempted assault
have been published witt the ex'
ception of the fact that the prisoner
wore a masked cap when the at
tsmpt was made, and in the
struggle Mrs. Melton succeeded in
pulling the cap from his face,
tor which he threatened to kill
her. When that lady was asked
today if she could possibly identify
the prisoner sue looked him square
Ia the face aud said; Gle Is the
right man. | cAnDOt be mistaken"
The prisoner tiinched considerably.
Captain Larrlck, OF Mlddletown,
who made q survey of the Melton
promises, mapped out to the jury
very damaging evidence against
the prisoner.
Lsmual Keller, who had known
hin for several years, met him on
day OF The attempted assault com.
lug from the direction OF Melton's
home about the same hour and
going in an opposite direction
from home wearing a brown cap
as described by Mrs. Melton.
The witnesses for the defense
were relatives of the prisoner and
gave disconnected stories as to his
whereabouts on the day of the
assault, and when the prisoner
was put on the stand he gave a
most rambling account of his
movements during the 9th, claim.
ing he was in a field near home
hunting ground hogs.
It was 23O O'Clock when Mr..
Byrd opened the argument for the
Commonwealth. He referred TO
the new law of Virginia, making
the penalty of death for an at
tempted assault. This was the
first case ever tried under the new
law IN the State. He made an
eloquent appeal to the jury for
justice and his speech was an able
egOrt aud elected applause, which
was promptly suppressed by the
court.
| Col. L. T. More, for the defense
spoke about forty minutes and
did his duty faithfully to the
prisoner.
Mr.. Byrd made closing speech
of about ten minutes when the
case was given to the jury. VIII en-
it was known that the jury were
ready an increased guard was
brought INTO the room and sur.
rounded the bar. The verdict was
received with az Outburst Of ap
plause, which was suppressed by
Sheriff p. e.. Gore. When Judge
Atkinson pronounced sentence on
Parker be anuOun ed TO him the
court had taken every precaution
to give fair and imp Irtial trial
thatthe court had taken precautions
to avoid lynch law by sending
bun out of the county ETC. He
sentenced hun to he hanged he.
tween the hours IF s A. NJ. and ;
P. n. on Friday, 18th of April.
The verdict meets with general
approval and tonight everything
Is quiet. A portion of militia left
tonight.
PARKERs CONFESSION.
Winchester, Va, March Ill
AN the right man. l made the at.
tempt and hope to be forgiven
we're the words used to JsilOr
Adam Forney by Thornton Parker
Ia his confession yesterday noon
Parker was condemned to death
on Friday tor an attempted Grim.
insl assault on Mrs. Melton, near
Middletown, on the 5th instant.
Psrker's confession is satisfaction
to colored people here, especially,
although the evidence against him
was complete. Tue prisoner
spends his time now 10 prayer, and
is being visited daily bv Rev. w.
IT. Harris, of African Methodist
| Chnrch of tina cifv Eurthar