Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-02-10
JURORS FAR APART
Could Not Agree in the Si|as
Case.
AT THE FAIR LAST NIGHT.
a New Grand Army Post at the Soldiers
Home. Judge Blackstone and the
Circuit Judgeship. Other
Ma rs.

Ii was nearly O'Clock y sterday Of
ternoon before j jury could be secured
to try the case of the commonwealth
against Charles Silas, alias Charles ST.
Yer. lE..cteG upon the charge of at
tempting TO XIII Edward Wallace. fore
man OF Darirg's oyster house, on the
9TH of January. Silas. it will be remem-
bereGI is the negro who. after shooting
at Wallace, went to his home on North
King street and threatened to shoot any
officer t.at entered the house for the
purpose OF arresting HIM
The story of the assault was repeated
yesterday lny Mr. Wallace and Junius
Walker, trustworthy negro who was
witnessed it. Silas had been discharg ed
for failure to perform his work in ac-
cordance With Mr.. Waiiace's nssrIr-
lions. He had been previously warned
by the foreman that the manner in
which he separated the large oysters
from the small ones was not sat:sfac-
tory. and was told, that If he did not do
better he would have to quit. 1t ap-
pears. however, from the sworn state
ment of Mr. Wallace that the negro ig-
nored the warning and on the day cf the
shooting his attention was again CALI j
to tbs matter.
He replied that ii his work was rot
:
charge him, and Mr.. Wallace lost no
time in demonstrating the correctny IS
of the negroes position. But when he
found himself without employment Silas
became angry, and, appearing in that
Part of the oyster house in which the
foreman was at work, demanded rein
statement. adding that it was matter
of bread and tutter with him and, that
unless he was put to work again he
'would kill Wallace. The latter was
standing on a platform two feet above
the floor When hs turned toward Silas
his eyes fell upon the cleaning barrel
OF pistol. The negro was but yard
or two away. In an instant Wallace
mads, up his mind what to do, and.
gathering all his strength, .eaped from
the platform and caught the hand that
held the weapon. AS he did SO the pis-
tor was discharged, the eoa,l intiicting a
slight wound on the lett hand and lodg-
ing in the wall opposite. At this junct-
urz Wal.9.r sprang forward and assist
ed the foreman in reaching the paint
room For doing this Silas drew an
other revolver and, holding one in each
hand. threatened to kill him ii he took
further part in the affair.
Messrs. Causey and Scatter and George
W. Fieli apps AIRED for the prison, T..
They placed several witnesses on the
stand. among them being thu mother of
Silas and sanity negro with a y@.low
face who was employed in the house on
the day CT the shooting. but not in the
room in which 1t occurrt d. This fell
low swore that Wallace and Silas en-
gagged in tussle among some barrels,
statement which both Wallace and
Walker denied ana in all probability
which Silas himself would have been
Honest enough to deny had he been
ptne- on the stand and asked the ques-
ton. h was also of the opinion that
the prisoner is a man of-unsound mind.
and he ought to know. because he had
been acquainted with him for fiftet n or
seventeen years. Silas' mother said that
he hai b=an PCT a. q boy and that ne
was always good except when he want
ei something which it was not proper
CRY One or two other witnesses vers
called to prove Silas non compos mentis
and the defence rested.
Mr.. Collier proposed to submit the case
without argument, but attorneys for
Si.as preferrsd to speak. Attorney Fields
den OF their argslmer, WIS the irr -sran-
siblity OF the prisoner. Mr.. Collier
spoke thirty ninu-:s Midway his ai-
dress he picked ~ the self-.a citing 1ev5i-
Yer taken from Slias and was exp ain
ing to the jurors why the shot could
rot have b-en accidental as claimed by
the defence. when r. D. Wood, a mem
Der of the panel. broke out with
But you didn't prove that he had a
revclver!"
MIR. Collier. thinking it improper for
HIM, to argue the case with a juror. Of
fersd to call Mr.. Wallace to ths. sta nd
again and have him repeat his testi-
mony on that POINT This was objected
to, however. and he proceeded to close
his speech.
Shortly after the jurors retired the
opinion was freely expressed that they
would fail to agree. while others held
that in cas- OF an agreement Si.as would
get off t six months in the county Jail.
1'he first guess was correct. At late
hour the jurors We're cal1ed in and Mr.
Wood announced that there was no
possibility OF an agreement. Judge Lee
r.Eused however. to discharge than and
they viii he required to report this
morning.