Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-06
KING GEORGE LETTER
INTERESTING NEWS FROM THE
NORTHERN NECK AND VICINITY.
STRANGE CASE OF MURDER.
The Attorneys Who Figured Therein
Have Nearly All Been DisquaIi-
fed by Unforeseen Circumstances-
Agricultural and Personal Notes.
Correspondence Of the Disnatchl


CONFORM, KING GEORGE COUNTY.
VA. March 5.-Stafford, the county ad-
Joining this on the west, has long been
proverbial for producing extraordinary
things. Not satisfied with bringing into
evidence 6OO-pound hogs, the most mon
strous melons and potatoes, 4OO-pound
men, a pair of sisters weighing 500
pounds, and curiosities too numerous to
mention besides some of the best Ieo-
pie in the world Except King Georgians),
she now comes 10 the front with a case
which. by turns of circumstances, is,
perhaps, without a parallel. In the Jail
OF that county is a man charged with
murder. He has been tried twice, and is
now awaiting a third trial. When first
arraigned he was prosecuted by Hon.
w. S. White, Commemorative At
torney for Stafford, who has since died.
His new trial, soon to take place, was
granted by Judge w. S. Barton, who has
since died. Judge C. II. Ashton, who
presided over the County Court which
twice tried the man, has since been de-
feated for the judgeship, and is no longer
Judge Hon. r. II. Ia Chichester, who
prosecuted the prisoner at his second
trial, is now Judge of the trial court.
Hon. John Il. Mason, who assisted Com
monwealth s-Attorney Chichester IN the
prosecution, has since been made Judge
Of the Circuit Court, and now occupies
the late Judge Barton's place. Hon. T.
Weldon Berrey. who was counsel for and
defended the prisoner at the former
oil
wealth's Attorney prosecutor) for that
county. Seven lawyers, including Judges
Barton and Ashton, have figured In the
trials of this prisoner, two of whom have
died, and OF those living, Hon. w. A. Lit
tie, Jr., of counsel for defence, is the
only one who has not been disqualified by
peculiar circumstances, and the changes
which they have wrought, for all services
connected with the case. News comes
from Stafford unofiicially that the case
Will have TO be removed for trial 10
some other county, or else judge from
another county will have to preside over
the Stafford Court when the matter
comes up, and a prosecuting attorney
will have TO be imported" too If the |
case Is not removed. There is such i'm !
plict confidence in Judge Chichist9r's !
sense OF justice and in his integrity and |
impartiality that il is conceded that he |
could and would do the prisoner full JUS |
tice, notwithstanding his connection with |
the case as prosecuting attorney up to |
the time OF his promotion to the judge |
ship. but his modesty and conscientious
ness would debar him, even IL he IS
eligible under the circumstances.
A CRAZE ABOUT RAILROAD TIES.
The demand. here for railroad ties. ana
the craze among many of our people to
derive something from the business, did
not cease when the suitable timber for
making them became exhausted. Almost
every tree out or which tie could be
hewn with a broad-axe having been nit
MED, several steam saw-mills have been
placed In the woods here for saving IN
the huge old forest white-oaks into cross
ues. Trees of such enormous diameters
that have 70 be split with powder or
dynamite before they can be sawed will
nov ION be converted into railroad ties.
The work Of sowing grass-seed has he
gun, and number OF the farmers i'm this
ana adjoining counties sowed their clover