Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-07-21
TEN YEARSFOR BURdE
Convicted in the County Court
of Criminal Assault.
JURY WAS OUT ONLY AN HOUR
Verdict Reached East Night at 7:45
O'Clock. Proce edings of the Last
Day of the Case. Will Ask
Eor New Trial.

for New Trial.
I'VE. the jury, find the prisoner. Will
liam d. Burge, guilty as charged in the
indictment. ana fix his punishment at
ten years in the State penitentiary.'
This was the verdict of the jury in
the case of William u. Burge, who has
been on trial in the County Court since
Monday charged with crminally as
saulting his seventeen year old daugh-
ted, Ada Burge. The case was given
to the jury at 6:45 O'Clock yesterday
afternoon who took but one hour and
five minutes to arrive at their decision.
AS soon as the verdict was announced
MIR. Thomas L. Sclater. Of Burgess
counsel, made q motion to suspend
sentence and grant the prisoner new
trial on the ground that the verdict
was contrary to the law and evidence,
and Judge Lee announced that he
would hear argument on the motion at
the first day OF the August term Of the
court. which convenes the first Monday
in next month.
Burge showed little concern during
the reading of the verdict and seemed
to be much relieved when it was made
known. During the time the jury was
\ out the prisoner paced restlessly up and
down the floor Of the court room, and
although he endeavored to make it APP
pear that he was perfectly Indifferent
: as to what the final result would be
he had slight blanchness about the
face and was rather nervous and rest
less.
/. YESTERDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
When count opened at 10 o'clock yes
: terday morning Judge Lee announced
that he was ready to hear argument on
the instructions to be given the jury
by the defense, and which had been OBJ
jected to by the commonwealth attor-
ney the-day before. Nessrs. Jones and
Causey argued that they Were perfectly
legitimate. and that it was right and
proper that the jury should be given
the instructions as asked for. MIR.
Montague. opposed the same, and after
considerable time had been consumed
the matter was finally settled and the
work OF instructing the jury was be-
gun. There We're four instructions Civ
en- by the commonwealth and eight for
the defense.
THE ARGUMENT.
AS soon as the jury had been in
structed the argument of the case be-
fore them was opened by Common
wealths Attorney Montague. who for
one hour and ten minutes made an able
and strong presentation Of the facts in
the case from his standpoint. Taking
up the evidence the speaker went over
II carefully and laid great stress on the
testimony of the young woman who is
now ill at her sisters home in East
Hampton. He wildly pictured the
crime before the jury and closed With
an earnest, strong ana impressive APP
peal to them not to let the couuence Of
the attorneys for the defense, keep them
from doing their duty, and returning {;
verdict of guilty.
MIR. jones SPEECH.
Mr.. Marquis Jones. Who has SO we'll
assisted in the defense OF the prisoner,
followed Mr.. Montague in q speech Of
two hours which is said to have been
one of the most eloquent addresses ever
made before Il jury in this county. Mr.
Jones based his argument on the mclits
OF the case and endeavored to impress
the jury with the fac that it was al
most impossible to believe that father
could commit such Il crime as the one
charged against Burge. the prisoner at
the bar. He harshly denounced Ben
Burge. son of prisoner, for saying that
he could place the rope around his faith
ers neck II necessary, and paid his
compliments to the unfortunate young
then took up the evidence of Mr. Smith
son-in-law of the defendant, and at
some length did full justice to the gen
tleman feelingly. Closing his argument
Mr.. Jones became eloquent, saying that
no jury in the Old Mother Stat would
have it heralded throughout the coun-
try that they had been the cause of
sending an old and grey headed father
to the penitentiary upon such a charge
as had been placed against his client.
MFR. 'C.AIISEY'S TALK.
Mr.. E. f. Causey closed the argument
Tor the defense in speech of forty
minutes, fully sustaining his already
well known reputation as an orator.
Going through the evidence he tried to
make the gentlemen composing the
jury have the impression that the
charge was perfectly absurd. and that
there was no man in Virginia that
would commit such a crime. In con-
clusion the speaker made a magnificent
plea for his client.
MIR. MONTAGUE CLOSES.
Commemorative Attorney Montague
closed the speech making by consum-
ing nearly two hours in trying to plain
ly and without any desire to bias the
jury give fair and impartial review
of all the evidence. which he did He
defended Well the stand taken by young
Burge against his father, and said that
II there. was ever any excuse for a son
to hate his father this was certainly the
case. Taking the life of the girl, which
must forever be blasted, Mr.. Montague
drew on the Imagination of the jury If
they could think of anything that
would equal the crime Burge had COM