Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-06
ON THE APRON ATT0X.
A SURPRISE SPRUNG IN THE
MORTON CASE.
CHARGES AS TO A JUROR
WINS He I'm the Mobf-Found Dead in
the WOods-The Richmond, refers
burg and Carolina RaiIrOad-Per-
sOnaI Notes.
sOnaI Notes.

PETERSBURG, VA. August 5.-(Spe-
cial)-When the Hastings Court met this
morning to hear argument on the motion
for a new trial in the case Of Robert
Morton (colored) convicted yesterday OF
murder in the first degree in the killing
Of George H. Westmoreland on the 18th
June. quite a surprise was caused by the
request of Mr.. Rahily, the counsel for
the prisoner, that the motion for new
trial should lie over until Monday The
reason for this, as given by Mr.. Rahily'
was that information had come to him
that one of the jurors who tried the pri-
soner was I'm the alleged mob which as
sembled for the supposed purpose and in
tentlon Of lynching the prisoner, and, fur
thermore. that he had attempted to pro-
cure juror. Mr.. Rahily stated that per-
sonally he knew nothing as to the truth
of these reports, and he desired time to
investigate them and establish their truth
or falsity.
The Court promptly granted the con-
tinuance asked for, severely condemning
such alleged conduct on the part of any
juror as subversive of the ends of JUS
tice, intimating that II proved it would
deserve severe punishment, and might
necesstate a new trial.
The jury was regarded as an unusually
good one. composed as it was of men of
intelligence and standing in the commu-
nifty. Some OF them may have formed
and expressed an opinion" as to the
merits OF the case. but each and all Of
them declared they could give the prisoner
a fair and impartial trial. During the
excitement that followed the murder
many people gathered on the streets in
the vicinity Of the jail through curiosity
10 see the outcome of the reported orga-
nization for lynching. and IL Is probably
due TO the presence Of these people. as
much as anything else, that no trouble
occurred. At any rate, II is believed that
the information given TO the prisoners
counsel will be proved 10 be without foun-
dalton.
FOUND DEAD IN THE BUSHES.
Richard Tucker. an aged colored man
OF this city. was found dead this morning
near Wilcox branch, just outside Of the
city. He went out with his bag yester-
day 10 gather sumac leaves. and not re-
turning home last night, his daughter
went TO look for him. She found his
dead body in some bushes. his bag half
Hlled with sumac. and some leaves grasp
ed in his hand. He had evidently been
overcome by heat and died where he fell.
No inquest was deemed necessary.
GENERAL NEWS.
A meeting of the president and Board
Of Directors of the Richmond. Petersburg.
and Carolina railroad was held in this
FIFTY to-day. and some business OF interest
10 the company and the prosecution of
the work Of building the road were trans
acted.
The exact location OF the body OF the
late Bishop Wingfeld, of California. which
has been in transit 10 this city for some
days. is not known. II is, however. eX-
pected 10 reach here tonight or to-mor-
row morning. The funeral. should the
body arrive. has been arranged to take
place from ST. Paufs church at II o'clock
tomorrow.
Rev. Giles y. Cooke. OF Baltimore. has
arrived here TO attend the Bishops fune-
raj. and other Episcopal clergy are ex-
Dected
While Clark. who was released from
The pententlary two or three days ago.
was arrested here to-day on the charge
" larceny.