Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-27
W. I. GAUL PARDONED
ExEcUrrvE CLExEsCy FOR Access
soRY IN THE ArwELL MURDER.
IHE CELEBRATED CASE REVIEWED.
Public Sentiment Always Greatly
Divided a. to Gaurs GuiIt--Had
Only Nine Months More Of His
Term to Serve.

Governor Tyler yesterday granted con
ditional garden to w. T. Gaul. serving
five years term In the penitentiary fol
| completely in the murder OF Robert Lee
Atwell.
The application for pardon was en-
dorsed by the Pardoning Board and by
the jury which convicted Gaul. and by a
large number Of citizens. Judge Witt,
who sat in the case, did not sign the pc
tition. The prayer for pardon was pre-
pared by Hon. E. C. Folkes. Gaurs at
torney.
GAULs CRIME.
Gaul was convicted Of completely in the
murder Of Robert Lee Atwell. yard con-
ductor on the York-River division of the
Richmond and Danville railroad. in this
city. by Thomas H. McNamee. December
rs. 1882 McNamee received a sentence or
five years, the same given Gaul. and
though repeated efforts have been made
to have the men pardoned they have not
been successful until yesterday, and Mo-
Nance is still in prison, with little pros
term.
The killing of Atwell excited great in
terest at the time, as the circumstances
were Of a highly tragic and sensational
character. All three men. with their
families, resided in Manchester, and were
near neighbors, though the evidence at
the trial showed that the feeling between
them was not of the best On the alter
noon Of December 26 1893, Mrs. McNamee
went into Atwelps yard to get her sons
velocipede. which 1t was charged Atweil
had kept after driving the child home.
Atwell. according TO McNamee, made
some insulting remarks to Mrs. McNa-
NEE, and when these were communicated
TO her husband he determined to have the |
Insults retracted or to resent them. The |
insults were alleged TO have been uttered |
on Tuesday. and on the following Friday !
night. about 10 o'clock, McNamee, accom-
panied by Gaul, went to the yards Of the |
YorkRiver railroad in search of Atwell |
The latter was called out OF the over
hauler's house, in which he was sitting.
and scuffie, witnessed by one or two
persons from distance. ensued, in which
l pistol was fired by McNamee and At
well fell corpse. His slayer was at once
arrested, but Gaul was not taken into
custody for several days.
EACH RECEIVED THE SAME.
McNamee was tried and sentenced to
I've years Imprisonment. The case at
racted a great deal OF interest, and the
question as to the guilt of Gaul was so
widely discussed, and the public was so
'reatly wrought up, that Danville jury
lad to be secured to try his case. The
ublic was surprised when verdict giving
lin term Of five years, the same as in
he case Of the principal, was imposed,
hough 1t was never charged that he had
in the crime further than to
company McNamee in his search for
Atwell. There still exists great diversity
Z opinion as to Gaups guilt, though few,
any, think he should have received the
anne punishment as McNamee.
Gaul had but nine months of his five
ear term to serve. His pardon is condi-
Toned upon his not violating any of the
Iws of the Commonwealth. otherwise he
an be sent back to prison to serve out
is term.