The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-05

luy and also under tho tuition of his
older brother ~ ST.. Joseph. Mo. just
before Tho var vouug NcelN was appoint-
eI 90 a. naval cadetshlp at Annapolis. but
fai!u- ou account ot defective cyesight
% pass the physical examination. he de-
termiuod to study law. AS nia means were
limited Doc began to teach "a private school
iu the family Of the late William Samuel
Cuet.- then high sheriff of Accomac'
reading law iu the meantime.
soon after coming 90 the bar he dis
plav,d unusual talent as "a pleader. and
his arguments before Oh" courts n ms
speeches ou public occasions caused the
p.11i. of Areumlc 90 elect him 90 the
House. of I'D lcgatrs. boo which he served
for TWO terms. fits remarkable legal aDl-
SIS and hl- fluent. graceful ~eloquence
mad. hIn 60 conspicuous figure in that
able body of men among whom were
Stu.ID of Augusta, Coehill. OF Amherst
General Joseph r. Anderson ID Judge
william Ould. of Richmond. John Letch-
o.. of Rockbrldge. william Smith, OF
Fau4uier. Harry Riddleherser. of Shen-
andoah. General Taliaferro, OF Glouces-
Ter. John II. Massey. of Albermarle. ana
MANY other able men. whose names are
linked with the history of the Common
wealth.
Al the close OF his second term in the
V.u-o he retired from active politics and
devoted himself to the practice OF ms
chosen profession. He was elected COM
~monwcaIth's Attorney of Accomac anu
held this office ain 1883. when he declined
q reelection. From his admission 10 the
lar up 90 1850. when DE moved 10 Nor
folk. Dee was engaged in almost 'NtI|
porf.rt case .ult was tried in the co'rts
. Ef..f.HH. ENIHI ono OF fUf most
celebrated cases 300 which hc appeared
Cor t1e defence was that of the Common-
wealth AGAINST Mrs. Virginia Taylor Tor
the murder of her husband. William Iay-
lor. hy poison. Tho evidence was over
wbelming against the woman, but 50 pow
.~fll and effective WAS Mr.. Neely's clo-
ouence that the jury found the accused
Guilty Of murder in the second degree
and on an appeal 10 the Circuit court
the verdict was set aside. and under d
provision Of tho newly adopted CODE Of
i1- the womb could not again be tried
f,r murder 81 the FIRST degree. and She
accordingly went free.
Another case OF equal interest ana I'M
rortance was that OF the Commonwealth
spstnst John Revell Sturgis, charged with
Killing smith Mears. "a farmer Of Aceo-
mac In 1856. The defence was conducted
box Nfr. Nicely. Blackstone Gunter, or Ac-
cc-ac and Hon. George ID. Wise, or
Richmond. sturgis, who Kept a store ~
me southern part of Accomac, guar
Yelled with Mears in his store and shot
"a, him. Aiears went TO his home about
oue-half mile away. got his pistol ana
started back 10 shoot Sturgis. On leaving
bls house he fired his pistol OF ana went
about half the distance 20 SturEis store
and feil under a trec'' "heIe Ny W
su-bsa1uent-v found in q dying condition
n, 49,. tri,i inc counsel for the defence
contended that Mears had shot himself
bus owing 90 the almost uhlNe'e@l ple-
fidice prevailing against the DEFENDANT
he was found guilty OF m1ruer m 'uc
second degree and sentenced 10 a long
term iu thc penitentiary. Mr. 10y 'VoN
the case before Governor fllzIush Lcc
on an application for pardon ana present
81 such strong proof Of the innocence OF
his client that the Governor granite"
saurris a pardon.
Mr. Nicely was the leading counsel TOT
the Hon. John T.. Massey Ia his lpet SUIT
against the Norfolk Pilot, IN whlch Vem-
ages were recovered against the oeten-
d4nis. He was also engaged IN the Cah-
nou-IIal abduction trial that TOOK place
iaet year in Norfolk. In all these cases
no displayed great legal ability ana Won
derful forensic power.
while MI. Necly's life has been spent
almost entirely in the practice OF his
profession. IN which he made a iephta-
zion. hardly second 20 that Of any man In
Virginia during this generation. he had
q genius for public affairs n which he
vsEe ave achieved high success ana