Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-11-11
FIVE MEN INDICTED
Grand Jury's Investigation of
the Soldiers Riot. -
SICK $ lO'ERs COMING
a Shtrlond aud IA lIospi al Tra,p Expected
Volunteers I7"me on IL Furloush. "A
Sma1i Failure. Woman Jail
.. ed for Larceny.

The special grand jury Of the Eliza
beth city County Court, which Wednes-
day began its investigation of the re-
cent riot of soldiers in Phoebus. has
made its report to the court The jury
had to inquire first into the case oc y
r. EaEan. charged With murder in hay-
ing killed John Go1h ham, a soldier who.
IN company with Others, had attempted
10 denollSh and were. at the time of
the shooting. attempting to burn E.a-
gan's place of business. Seven soldiers
charged with completely in the arson
ana with rnbbing the saloon We're held
under felony charges. and It was also
the duty of the jury to investigate these
cases ..
The jury filed in and after being poll
ed. the foreman. Major !. w. Richard
son, reported as follows:
Commonwealth VS. P r Fagan felo-
ny: not Il true bill
Commonwealth VS.. William Roberts
felony: Il true bill.
Commonwealth VS.. John kulp. felony:
a true bill. ....
Commonwealth VS.. Dennis Murphy.
felony: n true bill.
Commonwealth VS. David Williams
felony: Il true bill.
Commonwealth VS.. John Lynch, fell
ony: Il true bill.
AS to the other three men held in Jail,
the jury returned not true BILL and
they will he discharged from custody
Mr.. Easan is also discharged from
custody. The action of the grand jury
in failing to return true bill against
him was expected. the general impress
sion being that he was entirely justified
in defending his property against a mob
The four men indicted are young ar
tiIlery recruits who were charged with
being accessories to the burning OF the
isalto bar. or With robbing, in having
taken sherefrom liquors and other
goods Their indictment is not, how
lao when t Of tc32|nXct tic /. the grand
-. IA lier. who seemed to take a MOI
l13 full view of the matter, asked
,-,i,,l or not the commonwealth can
establish the guilt of any or all of them
frlNaSas Mckenna and McGordy who
We're held in Jail. and Private Taylor.
who had been released on bail, are the
three against whom the grand jury fail
ed TO report true bills.
The five men were indicted Jointly
and will therefore be tried jointly. Com
monwealth's Attorney F. S. Collier
stated to reporter that the men would
be placed on trial next Tuesday in the
County Court. but he frankly admitted
that ii would be a difficult matter to
secure conviction on the evidence
against the defendants.
The indictment charges the men With
fcloniously and riotously assembling
"i'N NN'ei uSSlioSluS property ana ter
f"rlZlnS the community. and with
breaking and entering dwelling house
in the night time. The strongest evil
.eNnce against the men is that some of
them We're found with bottles and other
articles in their hands. which articles
We're identified as having been in the
bar entered
The grand jury was adjourned until
next Monday. when it will reassemblc
to examine the books of the commits
sloner of the revenue, q merely formal
proceeding.
The case of the commonwealth VS..
Charles NJ. Gambrel a United States
regular under indictment for fe-
loniously striking woman on the head
with n cuspiuor with intent 10 main, is
a reminder of the first Phoebus riot,
prccipitated by the volunteers during
the summer