The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-05-07
.FlREBUGS INDICTED
True Bills Found BY The Grand jury
Against Four Of Them.
LINN, DoLNAn, CRISM0ND AND JOBSon
Tho Grand Jury Of the HuatIngs
Court, After Listening TO "a Strong
Charge from Judge Watts, 1nvesta.
~snte tho Charges and Return Ius
dictments AEninss Four Prisoners

Judge watts opened the May term OF
the musings court this morning. and the
G. W. Walker, foreman; James
O'Rourke. S. P. CAST, G. c. Virnelson.
William Fl. Elliott, j. Herbert Williams,
H. L. Watts, S. T. Barclay, A. ]. Phil
lips
Judge Watts read long charge to the
jury, In which he laid stress on the cases
Of those charged with burglary and in
cend!arism in the following language:
For the last two or three years there
nave been great many fires In our COM
munity and burglary or HOUSEKEEPING
occurring in all parts Of the city-many
OF the fires In the very heart Of the city
and very ny in the suburbs and Just
outside the city limits-so much that the
people in the suburbs and just outside
nave been terrorized: that the people are
justified In believing that the fires did
not occurr from the usual, ordinary ac-
cldents, and recently there is but one un-
lversal opinlon--;hat the fires are the
work OF incendla".es. And only a month
or 80 ago, in the stormy month Of March
the torch was applied to the large frame
building known as Whitehursts Hall
and started a conf1agration that, in spi te
OF almost superhuman efforts Of our gal
liant and heroic fircmen, from our own
city, the navy yard and our sister city
Norfo!k. came near destroying the town,
burning our churches, destroying proper
~ OF both white and black, and mostly
among the poor and those who could Ill
afford to lose-crcating a suffering re-
gard!ess of age, sex or other condi-
lions Of l!fe--a wanton, reckless diaboli-
cal act of incendiarism by men appar-
emily a! war with all mankind, recl less
regardless OF everything due to huma nj
ty and their God
There have been some arrests by the
officers Of the city, and those arrested
are now In custody Of the authorities,
ana their cases VIII come before you for
examination and investIga ton, and
upon your inquiries much will depend.
You will readily observe gentlemen
the great and important power neceEsar-
ily entrusted to your hands, and that
upon your prompt and prudent investi-
cation and determination In the grand
jury room OF the matters confided to
you. and your fair, impartial and just
conclusion thereon depends to 4 very
great extent The preservation and good
order or society and the prosecution and
prevention of crime In our community"
Judge watts reminded the jury that
caution and moderation, with a desire
to obtain the ends OF justice, should be
observed. and continued as follows:
And II after careful eXaminatio OF
me charges preferred against the accus-
ed ana careful investigation Of oil the
circumstances, YOU shall believe there
Is such probable cause of guilt as to
ihahe II TlSht ana proper IN your Opn-
lon, that they shall answer the accusa-
ton before q jury Of their countrymen
then 1t Is your solemn duty TO indlct
them, whether they move In the highest
or lowest circles Of society. ! Is your
duty 10 shield and protect the innocent
as Well as to indict and subject to pros
ecut!on those you believe, are guilty. Of
crime.
Men are sometimes victims of cir
cnmstances; sometime to the hatred and
III VIII or evil disposed and designing
persons, ana thereby subjected to prose-
cu.ion and unjust punishment: some
times ny witnesses actuatcd by evil and
malicious motives, indicted and held to
answer the accusations, which at the
trial prove entirely groundless. Yet
however false and unfounded the charge,
however innocent the victim, though
tried and acquitted, great and some
times irreparable mischief Is done to
their home and reputation. And for