Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-02
Prompt Trial, Conviction and Sen
tenoe Of james Eskins.
LAY IS FIXED as DAqEoF EXECUTION
Loss Of Money Reported by Of
ficers Of a Tugboat.
GENERAL AND PERSONAL
Evening Star Bureau,
$50 King Street,
(ReII Telephone 1Ofo-

ALbAAND1lA, va, April z, 1oVo
James Eskins, the negro who made an
attempt to criminally assault little Bar
bara s. Wagler, who resides near Bealton,
| Fauquier county, was convicted yesterday
afternoon in the county court of Fauquier,
Judge White presiding. The jury rendered
a verdict of guilty, and Judge White SEN
fenced him to be hanged May 10.
Eskins was taken to Warrenton from this
city yesterday morning, he having been
brought here and lodged in Jail Wednesday
| night to prevent his being lynched. On the
arrival of Deputy Sheriff Shirley VII. the
prisoner at Warrenton yesterday there was
| large crowd of people at the station I'D
| frequent threats of lynching were heard.
| Cooler heads controlled the situation. and
| on the promise of a speedy trial the man
was lodged in the Warrenton Jail.
| Shortly after IL o'clock the case was call
ed before jury composed of prominent
| farmers and business men. The first wit
| ness for the prosecution was Mr.. Wagler,
| the father of the child. He stated that the
| little one was not yet ten years old. He
| told of the circumstances surrounding the
attempted assault told him by his little
| daughter. Little Barbara was placed on
the stand. and, in her innocent, childish
| way, told the particulars Of the
story. She recognized Eskins by his
| face and by his voice, and pointed
| him out when called upon to do So mas
| much as she could not converse in English,
| 1t was necessary for Justice Teates to in
! terpret what she said. The justice. who
| made the preliminary examination, testi-
| fed to the fact that Eskins had made
voluntary, statement to him in which he
| admitted having attempted the crime. A
] number of other witnesses were examined.
The prisoner put on the stand in his
| own defense, and made miserable failure
| in his attempt to disprove the damaging
| evidence that had been placed against him.
| He denied everything that implicated him,
but his testimony was torn to pieces by
Commonwealth Attorney Jenr1es 1t took
the jury fifty minutes to reach a conclu-
| sion, and. from the demonstration on re-
ceipt of the verdict, it was most satisfac-
| tory one to the public.
Judge White after passing sentence, said
| he felt sure the verdict met with the APP
prevail of every honest citizen, white and
| black. in Fauquier county. He thanked the
| jury for their patience. Eskins at a late
| hour yesterday was still in the Warrenton
| Jail.
The fact that this negro was arrested, in
dicted by the grand jury and tried to a
| conclusion before a court Of justice in three
| days shows that by prompt action lynching
| can be averted. 1t is said that had this
| trial been long drawn out, or had an at
| tempt been made to that end, 1t is more
| than probable that the citizens of Fauquier
county would have taken the matter in
/ their own hands. and the prisoner would
| have been summarily dealt with. In otner
| nearest telegraph pole without going
through the form of a trial, except before
Judge Lynch.
| Robbery Reported.
Shortly afterV7 o'clock this morning a
| telephone message was received at police
headquarters, from the clerk on tugboat
| Templar asking that an officer be sent
down to the wharf Immediately. A rob-
| berry had been committed on board and the
| sum of $50 was missing. Officer Ferguson
| responded. On his arrival at the wharf he
was told the circumstances in the case
| and asked to search the crew. This he de-
! clined to do. 1t was learned that the tug
| boat was lying in Washington early in the
| morning and all hands went ashore ex-
cept Captain Forrest. The clerk, it is SAID
| came back in a few minutes and said he
| had left his watch. He went ashore again
| The money was not missed until after the
| tugboat left Washington.
| This money, it is said, was intended to
| pay off hands at one of the lower river
| fishing shores.
| To BE Buried Tomorrow.
The remains of the late Peter j. Kaufman,
| who committed suicide in this city last
Monday, will be laid to rest tomorrow
| morning at IL o'clock in Bethel cemetery
this city. Through the efforts of Colonel
| William Youngblood of Alabama, auditor
! for the United States Interior Department,
| purse was raised among the friends and
| acquaintance of the deceased to defray
| the expenses
The Spring Election.
At a meeting of the city democratic COM
mittee last night five candidates for the
| spring election were present. 1t was de-
cided to hold the primary Tuesday, the 18th
| instant The offices to be voted for are
commonwealth attorney, commissioner of
| revenue and cftv
| Attorney Marbury will have no opposition
| The other two offices will be holly contest
| ed. MeSsrs. Theo. Balinger, Edgar Thomp-
| son and Charles Callahan will compete for
the nomination for commissioner of reve-
| nue.. Mr. William B. Dobie at present a
member of the board of aldermen from the
first ward, will oppose City Sergeant WI
| liam H. Smith. the incumbent
All known democrats and all white vot-
| ers who will pledge themselves to support
the nominees will be allowed to vote. The
general election will be held May rs.
Funeral of H. e. Holt.
The funeral of Mr.. H. E. Holt, who died
| at the Alexandria Infrmary Wednesday
| night. will take place this afternoon from
the residence of his son-in-law Mr.. William
Martin, on Columbia street. The interment
| Will be in the Methodist Protestant ceme-
| terry.
! Indictments Returned.
The grand jury for Alexandria county re-
turned indictments against John Clark for
permitting gambling on his premises:
Charles Heath, for assault with intent to
kill: James Simmons, for promoting policy:
James Davis. for running game of hazard :
Edward Heath. for running a ga,nblinr
| table; John Heath, jr., for selling LIQUOR
| without license; George Heath, for run
| ming keno table; Willard Birch for nro-
| noting policy; Henry Reilly, for keeping a
keno table; Henry Reynolds. for promoting
policy; Daniel Benton. for running a keno
| table; Charles Heath, for running a keno
| table; Joseph Heath and John Heath for
| selling liquor without license
Langston Memorial Association.
The Langston Memorial and Historical
Emancipation Association Of Virginia h,ld
a meeting in this city last night. Represen-
tatives were present from different parts
of the state. Arrangements were made for
the emancipation celebration at Culpeper.
Va, September a. Considerable routtne
business was transacted The next meetino
of the association will be held at Cuipeper
Court House In May.
Il Briefs.
Judge Edmund Waddiil, thu newly an
pointed judge Of the United States court