The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-04-03
THE GRAND JURY
MET YESTERDAY
The Investigation of the
Lynching Emporla.
WORK NOT, FINISHED.
Another Session Will be Held This
Morning.
SOLEMN CHARGE BY The JUDGE
He Told of,he Dangers of People TAX
:n- the I.nw Into Their Own Hands
and lIxccutin. Criminals With
out Due Process OF Law.
Scenes and incidents
OF the Day.
WORK NOT FINISHED.
SOLEMN CHARGE BY TIE JUDGE

EalroRIA. VA. April 2.-Srcclal-The
grand jury to-day neEam an invesosa-
ton of the lynchings Of Cotton ana
o'Grady, which occurred here on Satur-
day, March 44t.
Ii was court-day. and big crowd was
in town. There WAS little or 10 excite
rnent. II was reported early in the Gay
that the witnesses from OUTSIDE 'he
county summoned to testify might be
roughly treated. but this report proved 10
have no foundation. The people of the
Town and county showed the witnesses
every courtesy, and there was no feel
ing manifested against them
Nessrs. Clarence T. Boyk:n and p. X.
Noel. Of Richmond. were the first wit
ncsseS The proceedings in the grand
jury room were. of course. secret Scrc-
raj citizens OF Grcensville were exam
tned. and the jury was adjourned over
until 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.
No one can predict with any degree OF
certainty what the grand jury viii report.
hut i; is generally believed that true
bills will be returned against some Of
the lynchers.
1t is reported that Hon L. p. Buford.
the able Cormonwcalth's Attorney of
Brunswick county. win be asked to
prosecute the lynchcrs in the event any
OF them are indicted AIR. w NJ Powell.
the commemorative Attorney of this
county will ask Mr. Buford TO lake
charge of the prosecution. Mr.. Buford
was here to-day. but left for his home
ON an afternoon train. 1t IS not as yet
settled that he will be able to so arrange
his professional engagements as TO repre-
sent the Commonwealth in these cases.
He has an important case to come up IN
his own court next month. that of Eevr
GIr Riddick charged with the murder
of DR.. Temple.
A PUBLIC MEETING.
During q recess of the court a pubic
meeting was held in the courthouse
square In the interest of the widows and
children of ]. W. Saunders and Joe Vel
ton, who We're killed while attempting
10 arrest Cotton and O.Grady. Mr. S.
" Southa;l Jr. addressed the meeting.
and on a motion of his Mr. Peter
Weaver Was made chairman. Judge
Yarrell moved that a committee of fifty
be appointed to solicit contributions for
the unfortunate families. An amend
,nent was offered and carried to the
effect that committeeman from each
,raSisteriai district and the two news
papers at Enlporia be appointed to take
charge of the contributions.
Mr. D. Everett GOODWIN was appointed
chairman OF the Belfeld committee: A
". Ferguson. Hicksford committee, ani
Peter Weaver. chairman of the Zion
committee. These chairmen will appoint
sub-comn.ittccmcn. and the money re-
ccived by them is TO be divided equally
between the families of Saunders and
weiton. Both of these families are
without support and in great need.
Judge George p. ,Sarham called the
attention of the people to the fact that
Mrs Melton had lost her home by fire
since the murder of her husband Nearly
hundred dollars had been contributed
before the meeting was called. and the
individuals in the vast crowd seemed
glad of an opportunity to give some-
thing 10 aid the family of men who had
died in their service, while attempting
to arrest and bring to justice a des-
perado who had been committing rob-
berries and murder in the county.
JOKE ON CAPTAIN EPpS.
An amusing incident occurred during
the day The people had read that
O'Grady's father was coming from New
York Among those who came from
Richmond was Captain William James
Epps he had not been upon the cour,
green long before he was surrounded by
a crowd OF people. The Captain did not
know what to make of it at first, but
ale finally learned that he being The only
elderly stranger present. the people had
guessed that he was O'Gradys father
The Captain enjoyed the joke as much as
any one. He became acquainted with
many of the citizens, and by his genial
manners made himself very popular.
The courthouse was we'll filled. but no,
crowded. when Judge Goodwin read his
charge 10 the grand jury. The Judge
wheeled his chair around so as to face
=.
was received with the closest attention
During the pauses at the end of SEN
tences a pin could have been heard to
fail had it dropped upon the courthouse
floor.
The following gentlemen were sworn
as grand jurors: George II. Bailey. j. *
Fox. Douglas Fisher. w. L. Bailey, S. S.
Green. A. w. Ferguson. Gus. Cain. ]. A
Collier. ]. T. Bryant. G. L. Vincent G
w. Pollard. and ]. P. Jordon. Afte,
swearing the jurors the Judge read the
charge to them. and touching the recent
lynchinss at this place he said:
JUDGES CHARGE.
In his charge. referring to the lynch
ings. Judge Goodwin said:
The practice of Furnishing men by un-
authorized persons, without: due process
of law. and In violation Of the right OF
the proper legal authorities to bring
offenders to irlal, cannot De 100 strongly
condemned:
.1t Is needless for me to tell YOU of
the narrowing scenes that occurred here
on Saturday, March "a. 1900 when mob
OF lynchers organized i'll this Court
House, The Temple Of Justice and from
the very seats you now occupy, marched
in united phalanx with steady steps, to
1he jadl, fifty feet distant. and there with
cries of an Athenian rabble or a Roman
mob r,urderously and violently lynched
two human beings Under the care and
PROTECTION Of the laws Of Virginia. in the
glare of a mondays sun and in the
midst of horror-striken women and chill
d,en. You are charged TO investigate this
horrible affair under your sacred oaths
and as grand jurors AS you know. the
turs system has clustered around it the
traditions OF centuries. It's Importance as
safeguard Of civil liberty has caused Il
..,lat- saai., ,fui,a 4 To- a