The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-07-16
DAVIS GIVEN nine YEARS.
The Hsurico Jury Finds The Essrs
Guilty Of assault.
some WERE FOR EIGHTEEN YEARS.
But an Average Of the Standing Gave Nine
Years as the Percsntage-No Motion
Made for "A New Trisi-The
Argument.

Nine years in the penitcntiary was the
punishment mcted out 10 Paul Davis By
a jury In the Henrico County Court yes
tcrday afternoon after dcliberatlon OF
fifty minutes. For two days the accused
had been on trial on the charge OF com
mitting criminal assault on Miss Cora
Twitcheli, who. with her parents. lives
near Seven Pines. in Henrico county. lie
was ably represented by Squire G.. w.
Thomas and Mr. William NJ Justis. and
they failed to convince the jury Of the in
nocence of their client.
When the court convened yesterday
morning at 10 o'clock Judge Wickham and
counsel for both sides at once retired to
the formers private room TO argue the
instructions submitted to the Court.
Ii was at n:l5 o'clock when the Court
reconvcned and Mr.. T. r. Taylor, deputy
clerk OF the County Court, was nrst
called 10 the stand by counsel for the
defense. lie declared that he was 4
good judge OF handwriting ana when the
various letters were shown him. some OF
which Miss Cora Twitchell had said on
the previous day were not written by
her TO Davis. he pronounced them dlr
to have been written By the same person,
County Clerk Waddil. who WAS then
called. made a similar statement and salp
he felt convinced that all the letters
were written by the same person.
Dr. CrOXtOn, the jail physician. then
gave testimony In regard To the examina-
ton OF Miss Cora Twitcheil. which he
thought at the time was about lourteth
or fifteen years old. but he was not Will
ing TO swear that she was fourteen years
OTHER TESTIMONY.
Squire q. G. Vincent. who lives near
Seven Pines said he knew Mr. carlos
.t..aF nDn
was arrested. He had a conversation "
Mr.. Ullmans store two days before ma
case came up before the magistrate WIN
Mr.. Twitchell, who told him that his
daughter was little over fourteen years
old.
Il asked Mr. Twitchell," he said. about
his daughters age. because | knew now
much depended on the age OF the girl
Deputy Sheriff FuSsell was called. but
when Mr. Thomas asked about the con-
duet OF the prisoner in Jail and IL he hau
suffered much. counsel tor the prosecution
objected 10 that line OF questioning ana
the objection was sustained by the Court,
and Mr.. Fusseil left the stand without
testifying.
Then followed another private consult
tatiOn between the court and counsel
with reference To the admission OF thS
letters The court finally decided 10 adj
nit the letters in evidence. They were
read BY Mr.. Justis To the jury as soon as
the court reconvencd. There were slS
letters In all.
THE ARGUMENT
Commonwealth Attorney sands next
stated that on the previous evening sly
witnesses Of the prosecution had been
allowed to 20 home on account or IN,
lateness OF the hour. IL was agreed au
the time between counsel that IN ihe
place OF their sworn testimony the ptoS
ecution would state I'm the morning thao
al these witnesses would nave testlheV
that the truth and veracity OF the COM
plalnant had never been questioned.
The court then read To the Jury the
instructions. which expounded me la"
affecting this ease. Captain 6eolse ~
Wise next opened the argument Tor tna
prosecution and i'm an eloquent ana aolr
manner discussed the details OF me c's"
rs they had been brought our curing III.
trial Captain Wise spoke Tor aoou, az
hour, and when he had ended tee'S'
was taken until 3 O'Clock. -.
AT the appointed time the court re.
convened and Mr.. g. w. Ihomas ~
once ,ommerced MS arsuneht on ',r o.n ,r
of the defence. Ee spoke for an hour ~
an earnest manner and DfchBit oue
Clearly his side IT the case
Mr.. Justis followed Mr.. Thomas IN tne
same line and consumed twenty minutes
in his explanlti)n OF the case ,..,
Commonwe llth s-Attorney sands ciostu
the argument for the prosecution anu
his eicquent address ana sound r'us'iihs
deeply Impressed the jury.
At $40 p. NJ. the ease was given 70 ine s
iurv. who retired TO their consultation
room. Al o'clock there was knock ~
the courtroom door and the jury lnul-
Gated that they had come To an asite-
mont. The court Immediately recon
vened and Foreman T.. W. scot, an
nounced that the jury had founn tne
prisoner guilty and assessed ms pnhlsn-
nent Al nine years imprisonment IN 'he
penitentiary. .,- .,,.,,oD
II was afterwards sscertained thar attet
some discussion over the case only one
ballot was taken. The Jurors were o.
vided I'm their opinions. some peihs w.
favor of five years IMPRISONMENT. sun
others wanted to go as high as eishteen
vears. II was then decided 20 add up the
terms as suggested by tne lnniVidua'
members OF the jury and divide tns az
preeate number by twelve. the r.su't
~ This procedure was a term or nlhe
wears and seven months ana II was tnen
agreed 10 fix the punishment AZ MN"
years. .....l ,ha
When the verdict was announced ihs
utmost silence prevailed and no moi.on
for a new trial was made by couhsei io'
the defence. .s ,.o
Mr. Carlos Twitchell. the father OF me
compIa,nart afterwards eknress. "a ms
surprise over the result and intmaien
that he had at least expected a term OK
tr,prlsonmQnt ~ twenty years,