The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-11-11
WILLIS Is
FOUND GUILTY
So Found the Oyer and Termi.
ner Court Jury.
They REQUESTED l!ENENtY;
Willis Affected by the Verdict
Testimony in the Henry MUIR
der Case.

| testimony IN the iieH'y MIL
der Case.
! Thomas Willis tho convicted murderer
| of his onc.ycar and .a-half-old daughter
| Callie, will pay the penalty with MS iite,
| unless executive clemency is exercised III
| his behalf. In Oyer and Ter;liner Court
! Yesterday afternoon the Jury when hau
| been listening TO the conclusive testimohy
| against Willis for ten and nail nours'
returned a verdict as he stoou lli9lo1eu' ~;
Before doing SO, however, the Dody IN
| ouircd of the court if they could recon-
mend the prisoner to tho mercy OF the
| court, and, upon being informed that they
| could found the prisoner guilty Us before
| stated .,,,z
Willis is perhaps the first man In TINS
state convicted of first degree inuraer III
whose behalf similar plea has Deeh iiia9c
But there can be no clemchcy ~ Wy lanu7
of the court. Death is the pehnts anu
should Willis escape it can only po uppn
tho recommendation Of the court TO the
governor for IL Communication OF tho SCH
tence to one of life impriSonment. .,
Willis was affected for the nrst tlhlo
since the trial began, AS the Veralco "as
announced he dropped his head anu US he
passed out Of the court room tears appGn9ti,
ed in his cyos. A motion fora ho" "'"'
will be made in his behalf.
HENRY MURDER CASE,
Then a Jury was drawn to try the case
of the state against William Torbete
Henry, colorcd, for the first degree murder
of William Virgins in AppoQulnlmlnk
Hundred, on August % of the present
wear. Josiah Marvil and Frank Brockson
conducted the defense. This IS the Jury
Iah,
George h. Powell, Elias h. Davis, John y.
Armstrong, Frank Mclaughlin, John
Davis, Frank w. Morrison, Isaac D.
Finn Caleb n Price, Ambrose McNey
and John j. Wilkinson,
The state challenged Moses Lowther
w. II. Voshel George NJ. Wilson Dan
NJ. Cochran, John J. McsSimer and Vim
cent Moore.
The defense challenged Nathan Best
James A. Wilson, Candy c. Hopkins,
Charles Miller, George w Daniels George
Woolson, Thomas H. Townsend, William
Nuvlor, w. X. L. Tatnan, John L. Col
lins, B. II. Davis and Henry Leach. Iheh
according to law Henry Was arralgned
third time .--.-,
Deputy Attorney General Cooper opened
the case for the State by defining before
the jury murder in the first ana secohu
said he would prove that the prisoner nau
declared his intention of killing Virgins
because he had shot his (lGnry's) brother.
Annie M. Brincklcy was the llrst VIII
ness called to assist the state IN proving
its case. Annie Is young colorca woman
who attended the meeting at EDehe2er
camp ground, which is about three miles
from townsend, on tho day the murder
was committed. She saw both men only
g hn
neither, She saw Henry grasp Virgins
by the left hand and shoot him In the
stomach. Mr.. Cooper had Annie leave
the S and and demonstrate how IL was
done. Upon returning to the stand the
witness said she was about 90 teet from
the men and heard no words between
them The only revolver she saw was the
one Henry used.
examining her closer along tho line OF the
testimony regarding the selling of Wig
gins by Henry. Annie said there were
trees and several people between her and
the men, but they did not break the view
She was not speaking very loud, whlGh
fact caused the court to remark that sho
would speak louder If sho was at camp
meeting, The remark had its effect
Mary Brown was another witness who
saw Henry have hold of Virgins. Henry
u
possession of Virgins. While under cross
examination Mary said she did not know
| how many men and trees were between
her and the fighting mon, because she
did not count thcm." Mary got tangled
when she tried to tell how Henry grasped
Virgins but she Corroberated the previous
witness testimony when sho lclt the
stand and demonstrated by means Of Mr.
Mnrvl and Mr.. Cooper just how the prison.
or had hold of the dead man.
George Arlnstoad saw the prisoner at
the Ebehezcr camp grounds on tho day Of
the murder ard was another eye witness
to it. He unlike the previous witnesses,
saw pistol in the possession of Wlyglns.
Both men were brandishing their weapons
near ono auothers stomach. Then Henry
grasped Wiggns' left hand and shot
Virgins weapon fell from his hand and
as he ran he cried: Il dm dealt ilonry
fired again, but the ball did not take CT
fcct. Wigglns ran away and tho witness
has not seen him since. The testimony
was favorable to the dcfcnse's plea OF sclI
defense murder, therefore Mr.. Marvil had
tho witness repeat his testimony and
then allowed him to leave the stand.
Lewis Hail. saw the mon together on
August 23 he saw Henry had II revolver,
heard u report but ,4l4 pot Know fhay
Wiggns wis shot. This testimony took
tno deputy attorney BcllcIai ~ au' =, t7G,
Mr.. Cooper asked the witness If he had
not told him, Mr.. Cooper that Henry shot
directly at Wigg!ns, but tho witness
denied ever having said so, Mr.. Cooper
handed Hall over for cross examination
during which he said that Virgins body
was very fearful when 1t was found eleven
days after the shooting. Then the deputy
statos attorney announced to the court
that he would lay grounds for contradict.
ing the witness. Mr., MarvIl thought the
state could not treat its own witness so
and left the question to the courb Which
agreed with the state. /
Mr. Cooper then asked Hall II ho had
not told him that he (the witncss) saw
Henry shoot Wiggins IN tue stomach
Again Hall denied tho statement then
lett the stand.
Alfred Caulk pointed out on the ledge
OF the witness stand whore "uur church /
and our camp ground were located lie
saw the fighting mon and was about to
demand peace when his wife warned
him not to in fear Of his owl life. Alfred
took her advice. He saw Henry fire and |
Virgins run. Deputy Coroner Chandler,
Howard Buchcr, William IL LockermNn, ,
Charles L Chase and Detective WitsiI |
gave testimony, after which the state |
rested.
NOT GUILTY
Last evening the judges assembled, aud |