Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-30
THE TRIAL OF MAYO.
EVIDENCE ALL IN AND ARGUMENT
BEGINS THIS MORNING.
She Relates the Circumstances Under
Which the Accused Approached
Her-The Prisoners Dcnial-Other
Manchester Items.

The trial or Wesley Mayo, the negro
man who is charged before the Hastings
Court OF Manchester with having at
tempted to commit criminal assault upon
Mrs. Mamie E. Lowry last Sunday morn
Ing, engaged the attention OF the court
all day yesterday, and at o'clock. with
the evidence all in. and with the In
structions Of the prosecution under con-
sideration the session was adjourned un-
I'll 10 o'clock this morning.
The absence Of such dastardly crime
as that with which this negro Is charged
from the annals OF Manchester, and the
peculiar setting of circumstances Of the
case, have conspired to make It one OF
the most interesting that the city has
experienced in years.
Long before the hour of the sessions
beginning yesterday morning crowds OF
spectators began to gather on the court
green and fill the courtroom. And
when all standing-room had been taken
the windows were a frame for scores
Of black and white faces In all degrees
OF eagerness. There was some delay
occasioned by the absence of Hon. George
ID. Wise. who was detained in Richmond
but he arrived soon after the proceedings
began.
On motion of Judge Clopton, who acted
~ Commonwealth Attorney, all witness
es were excluded from the courtroom, and
the spectators were excluded while Mrs
Lowry, who was the first witness, gave
her testimony. The jury who were sworn
in to try the case was composed as fol-
lAt lob rob T. a ~
derson, c. F. Fisher, w. C. Fowlks, W
c. Bohanan, John NJ. French, H. X. Reid
Alexander Eastwood, George w. Reams
Charles II. Thorpe, George T. Markham
NJ. a. Rightsell.
MRS. LOWRY ON THE STAND.
Mrs Lowry, who is quite a comely wo.
man, was sworn, and In firm, clear
voice gave her statement. She said
MY name is Mamie r.. Lowry, and
live at Centre-Hill farm, within a mile
OF Manchester. On Sunday morning about
o'clock | went to the barn to get some
feed for the chickens, and noticed negro
man in the road. He was still there when
/ came back to the house At that time
he was cutting a switch, and / told my
children to watch him. 1 afterwards
watched him in the window, and / went
out afterwards again. when he was hid
ing in the bushes. l then went out after
the horses, which were in the field and
he followed me. j saw Mr.. Lowry and
Mr.. Hobeck at distance, and beckoned
TO them to come to my assistance.
when I went after horses / was COM
PEELED to go towards where the prisoner
was, and he ran about forty yards after
me- When / first saw him he made a
suggestive motion. When my husband
came up the prisoner could not see him
at first, but when he did, he stopped and
ran through the bushes trying to escape.
Mr.. Hobeck ran after him at once, and
heard him shoot at the negro"
Witness was asked If the prisoner was
the man referred TO. She said he was,
but that he was differently dressed from
what he was on that day.
Mrs. Lowry being cross-examined by
Mr.. Garnett, reiterated that the actions
OF the prisoner were very suggestive. She
said that all the time she was in full
view from Mr.. Anderson's house, where
her husband and Mr.. Hobeck were, and
they could have seen the negros &C
tions had they looked. The man ran to-
wards her twice. she said. but did not
come nearer than 80 or 40 yards. She
said when she first saw him he was about
400 yards away and he came on till with
in 49,
TESTIMONY OF MR.. HOBECK.
Mr.. A. c.. Hobeck was next placed on
the stand. He said he and Mr.. Lowry
were. coming from Mr.. Andersons house,
and when near Mr. Lowry's residence he
saw Mrs. Lowry rapidly approaching
them. They had seen the man and as
soon as she came within hearing dis
lance. he heard her call to her husband
10 catch the man. Mr.. Lowry, seeing his
wife much excited. went to her, while he
started after the negro. The chase was
kept up unbroken until they reached a
point opposite Mr.. Hobeck's residence.
He stopped and secured his pistol and
then renewed the chase. AS soon as he
again sighted the prisoner he fired twice
He was now close on him, and called to
him that II he not halt he would XII
him. Then, the negro, he said, Stacked
his pace and i'm another moment he had
seized him and they were on their way
to Manchester Witness identified the
prisoner as the man he had captured
Mr.. Hobeck was rigidly cross-examined
by Captain Wise.
Captain James A. Lipscomb the City
Engineer. who was called. stated that
he had made the survey OF the locality
In question, which was within the city
limits.
Mr. William l.. Lowry, the husband
was asked concerning some locations and
distances with which he was familiar
He also made a statement about their
first seeing his wife and the negro, which
corresponded with that made by Mr.
Hobeck
THE PRISONER TESTIFIES.
The prisoner, Wesley Mayo, was put
on the stand at the afternoon session.
He was on the stand for an hour and
subjected to most rigorous cross-ex
animation by Judge Clopton.
He said he lived In Swansboro, and
on the morning of the crime which he is
alleged 10 have committed he had gone
to a swampy place beyond Mr.. Lowry's
house to get some elder pith. He ex-
planned that he was suffering from very
serious trouble. and that the only thing
which helped him was to spray with
brewing OF elder pith. He had gotten
the pith, when he saw Mr.. Hobeck. and
was on his way home. Witness said
when he reached the clump of bushes
near Mr.. Lowry's house. no thought he
would treat himself. This he did, but
did not even see the lady and did not
know who lived In the house. He also
said he didn't know what Mr.. Hobeck
wanted with him. and that he did not
run till he shot at him.
Several witnesses were adduced to show
where the prisoner lived and other points
of technique.