Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-07-13
TO BE TRIED TODAY
MRS. ELLIS TO DE ARRaIGNED ~
THE HusTINGs COURT.
MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE.


Mrs Lizzie Miller Ellis will be placed
on trial in the Hastings Court this morn
ing at II o'clock TO answer the charge of
numbering her infant daughter.
IT is not known as yet whether the trial
will be gone into to-day, as 1t Is more
than likely that some difficulty will be
encountered in securing jury. Two We
hires Of sixteen each have been sum
moned. but it is hardly likely that the
fun sixteen necessary TO constitute
panel will be secured from these, and the
court officers fear that they will have
to send away for jury. In that event
Il Is most likely that Alexandria will be
asked to furnish the necessary quota.
FOR THE EXTREME PENALTY.
Hon. ID. c. Richardson, Commonwealths
Attorney, will conduct the case Tor the
prosecution unaided. and TO a Dispatch
man he said yesterday that he felt conn
dent that II jury was secured verdict
would be reached in one day. He VIII
fight for a conviction and verdict OF
murder in the first degree. He could not
ask for less as under decision or the
Supreme Court Of Appeals murder by
poison is murder In the first degree, and
the only penalty therefor is hanging
Mr.. l.. .. Wendenburg senior counsel
for the defence, viii be assisted by Judge
J. NJ. Crute and Judge Asa Watkins. or
Farmville. and the defence will rely sole
~ upon the plea that the young woman
was laboring under temporary insanity at
the time she committed the act. and
therefore, was irresponsible. If this can
be proven az acquitta will follow, but
otherwise Mrs. Ellis will be given the
extreme penalty of the law. there being
no middle ground.
MUCH EVIDENCE IN HAND.
The prosecution has considerable evil
dence in it's possession, but there is some
doubt in the mind of Mr.. Richardson Of
his being able to use it all. lie would
not consent yesterday to make any state
ment concerning the nature Of this evil
dence. combining himself 10 the remark
that he was going to present the Com
monwealth's side Of the case fairly and
fully before the jury.
Mrs. Ellis is beginning 10 realize fully
her position now, and She is growing ner-
vous. She appears to have given up the
idea she formerly had Of killing herself.
and spends her time in making plans for
her future. always entertaining the hope
that she will be acquitted
THAT FARMVILLE LETTER.
There seems to be some little discrep-
ancy In the statement recently published
concerning the letter Mrs. Ellis is al
legged TO have written her mother and left
in her trunk. In this letter Mrs Allen
was Informed that her daughter cOntem-
plated suicide. Mr.. Richardson searched
the trunk ere IL was delivered to Mrs
Ellis by the railroad company and he did
not find the letter. Subsequently Mr..
Michael Marion, a Deputy Sergeant
searched the trunk at the jail and he did
not find IL. Then on the next day Mrs.
Ellis called him and, handing him the
letter. told him he had overlooked 1t in
the search of her trunk. He was conf
dent that it was not in the trunk at the
time he searched il, and Will so testify
to-day.
1t is not known fully as yet who the
witnesses will be for the Commonwealth.
and the defence will not make known its
witnesses. but Mr. Richardson said yes
terday that he expects 10 show that Mrs
Ellis did not take any of the poison.
though she claimed TO have done so at
the time she gave il 10 her baby.