Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1897-07-24
PRISONER CLAIMS HE Is INNOCENT

PRISONER CLAIMS HE Is INNOCENT
Disgrsoeful Scenes at the City Hall Up
on the Announcement of the Verdict.
Joseph Fife, a colored youth, about
1e years of age has been charged with
attempted criminal assault, arrested
convicted and sentenced to die on the 4
gallows, August 26th, 1897.
The crime is alleged to have been
committed Wednesday, July IA, 1897,
AT 5O7 E. Franklin street, upon the
person of Mrs. Mary q Marks, a white i
lady who is a widow.
TWO CRIMES ALLEGED.
Fife was also charged with having |
within five hours afterwards assaulted |
= white girl from Norfolk, whose name |
10 Miss Nina o. Russell
Mrs. Marks is very attractive lady
of 81 years OF age. She made the fol- !
lowing statement:
MRS. MARKS rEsTIFIEs.
Between o and 10 O'CLOCK on Wednes-
day. the 18th of July, was in the
kitchen OF my fathers residence on
Franklin street. That man over there
committed the assault ! had seen
him before. He has brought meals to
the house from the restaurant my
father engaged
/ heard knocking and unbolted
the door and went through expecting
some fruit. When opened the kitch-
en- and starte to open the door
HAD GOTTEN OVER THE WALL.
7 oar- tha& sh;s ,,,.1 baI cr~>&&au oxvo-
the wall. / said what do you want
and how did you get through? With
that he made q lunge and caught me
by the throat and threw me down.
thought at first his purpose was
robbery. He did not indecently ex-
pose my person. There was an at
tempt on his part TO do so.
MADE REMARK.
He made a remark which led me to
believe that it was not an attempt at
robbery. Before the jury she said
that he planted his knees on her body,
and placed his hand under her cloth
ing
She explained that she presumed
that her condition at that time OF the
month alone prevented him from ac-
compllshinR his purpose. She said
further that when he was scared of.
he kick ed her viciously four or five
times before leaving.
HAVE NO COOK.
She said:
At tpresent, we have no cook. Pve
had my meals sent. The cook has
been away four weeks. I've had some
one TO come and clean up. She comes
about 8 or 10 or 1890. She does not
come every day.
/ had seen this man before. He was
not the one that came every day. They
would come in at the side-gate.
NOTHING TO COME AFTER
There was nothing for him to come
after i went across the street imme-
diately and got some one to phone fol
my father
I saw him in the yard and / ther
bolted myself in the other room
/ didn't know at that time who i
was / didn't know his name.
AGE GIVEN.
air % years OF age. He neve
made any Sign toward nae further.
DIR. Trevillians testified as to tn
condition he found Mrs. Marks. Sh
was suffering from an attack Of hyste
ria. Her throat was bruised as If b.
finger nails. There were imprints O
black fingers on her collar. Her wris
ant arms wer> swollen. De di0 not i
anime the other portions of her per
son, for prudential reasons.
OFFICERS MAKE sTArEMKEss.
Officers G A. Gibson, T. J. Wrer
and Sergeant Hall told Of the arrest
They said that in reply to aquePtio
Joe Fife admitted getting over tn
wall Captain Angle was called bu
knew nothing personally of the crime
MISS RUSSELL L SPEAKS PLAINLY.
Mics Nina o. Russell said:
I came up on an excursion. ! wa
assaulted lO7 feet from the steal
laundry on the q. and D. Railroad.
was on the railroad, being with m
aunt, Mrs. Sanderlin, who owns tn
laundry, and my sister, years {
age.
DECLARED THAT HE WAS GUILTY.
He (Fife) is the man that made IL
assault on me. / saw this boy sittir
down on the railroad. No one else Wi
with him. passed by him a fe
steps. l was walking with Mrs. Sal
derlin and my sister was ahead of mir
He came up behind me and threw n
across the track. He grabbed me in
very improper way. l think 1 to
you, addressing Mr. RichardsOnl I
Mrs. Sanderlin was By my side. T
then rolled down the embankment
was on the embankment and he rs
down the track.
DELICATE QUESTION.
Commemorative Attorney RichaR
son: Estate whether he grabbed "
between the legs?"
Eyes, he did ;" was the reply. Not
ing was said and / said nothing
him. He ran towards the city. 1t "
. few minutes before the afternOC
train came in.
There was q man in the Held. i
engineer was at the Laundry, but d
not come until / screamed.
SWEET SIXTEEN.
lam 10 years old next Saturday, {
morrow.
Mrs Sanderlin corroborated e.
statement made, but said she did n
recognize the boy.
The witnesses for the defense we
called.
Mrs. Bette Fife, the prisoner . mot
er was called. She simply testified tn
her son was at home when she Ia
there, about ten minutes past 3 o'clOt
on the morning Of the l4th.
Kitty Haakina aaid abe SAW JO0 Fi