Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-14
HAMPTON.
The Story of the Murder Of Ar
tilleryman New Rehearsed.
Grant Waits, on Trial on tho Charge of
Completely in Nrurdor-A Boston Man
Locked Up-win Build Road-oat in
the Oven.
Especial to virginian-PIlot.,

ton In Judge Lees court to-day was
the trial Of Grant Watts, the negro
charged with having assisted Dick
Phillips, who is in jail here awaiting
sentence of death, in the murder Of
Joseph New, batteryman from the
garrison at Fort Monroe. New was
killed at Phoebus early on the morn
Ing Of January 16, 1899. Watts plead
ed not guilty. He Is represented by
George w. Fields, the colored attorney.
The story of the Ihurder was to-day
rehearsed for the second time on the
witness stand. The soldier it Is said.
visited Phoebus on the evening of the
10Th with the evowed intention of even
ing up with a colored woman whom he
charged with having wronged him. It
is alleged, however. that in attempting
10 carry out his purpose he was inter-
fered with by Phillips and Watts, who
TOOK the girls part. Some time after
midnight the two colored men went to
the indiana House, a saloon ut Mallory
street There they found New and sew
eraI or his comrades, and, 1t Is said, a
quarrel ensued, the negroes telling the
proprietor that he should compel the
batteryman to leave the place. After
some words had passed between the
parties, all of whom had been drinking.
New and his friends lert. A few mo-
ments later the 6aloon-keeper heard
the report of a rifle near the house. fol-
lowed almost Immediately by the re-
turn of the soldiers carrying the BODY
OF New. The mans right side had been
penetrated by a bullet fired from a
Winchester rifle.
Watts says that, while he was with
Phillips, he had nothing to do with the
murder Of the soldier and did not want
Phillips to shoot. He claims that he is
the victim Of series of unfortunate
circumstances, and his friends go so
Tar as to say that a scheme has been
devised to fasten on him the RESPONSE
bility for a crime which Phillips COM
mitted.
STANTON LOCKED UP.
Alexander Stanton. the Boston man
who ran away few days ago leaving
an unpaid board bill. and who succeed
ed In obtaining small sums from sew
eral real estate men, to whom he re-
lated gauzy story about the building
OF city on Mill Creek, was to-day
confronted by his accusers before a JUS
tice of the peace, who had not render
ed his decision when this report was
written. AS several Newport News
gentlemen are interested in the pro-
posed city-building scheme, having, it
it alleged, placed confidence in Alex
anderS statements to the extent of two
or three hundred dollars It is believed
that he will be held to answer an in
dictment
years old. He dresses well, and Is just
the kind OF man to win favor among
business people. He spent a month at
Newport News before coming here.
but, strange to relate, the fact that he
Is fraud was not discovered until ht
ran away without paying his hotel bill.
j. 10. E. Stuart SS CO., of Newport News.
yesterday secured judgment In the Cor
poration Court of that city against the
Globe City Land and Improvement
Company. incorporated under the laws
of Maine, for s1.S5S This Is the COM
pany which Stanton claimed TO repre-
sent.
WILL BUILD TIE ROAD.
A representative of the company
chartered by the Legislature at its ses-
sion two years ago to build an electric
railway from Phoebus to Fox Hill in
form the Virginlan-Pilot correspondent
that, Notwithstanding rumors to tn con-
trary.the road will be built. The route
Will be through one of the richest por-
tons OF Elizabeth City county. The
road will be OF inestimable value to the
people OF Fox Hill and the country be-
You'd, which Will be reached by a ferry
Mt the mouth of Harris Creek, near
Rip-Raps postofIice. This will afford
the people OF Poquosin, n prosperous
for opportunity to cheaply and quickly
reach the city markets with their pro-
ducts. The road will be about five miles
long.
a CAT IN THE OVEN.
A lady of this city has-or, rather,
had until recently-a very fine cat. 1t
isn't at all good looking now The rea-
son is that it crawled into the oven OF
the cooking-stove to keep warm. The
fro Il n in1
cat went in. Without knowing that her
favorite was inside the lady closed the
door. Shortly before noon the servant
rekindled the fire. and fifteen minutes
later the attention of the mistress Of
the house was attracted by an animal
ed feline performance in the oven. The
door was quickly opened and Sir Tho
mas. badly signed and somewhat stiff
in Joints. sprang out and made for the
open air. 1t is TO be regretted that the
reflections of the cat during the warm
ing up process are not n matter or re-
cord.
BRIEFS.
The Confederate veterans did not
meet last night on account of the bad
weather. a meeting will be held next
Thursday night. at which time the pen
sion question will be considered
Acknowledgement 10 Lane Stern to-
night mustered into the service of the
State two new military organizations
the Peninsula Guards and the Naval
Reserves The principal officers OF the
Guards are Frank Couch, captain, ii.
Fl. Holt. first lieutenant. and Thornton
Jones, second lieutenant
The Reserves have az officers Mr.. J.
V. Bickford, commander and l. II.
Jones and j. Barron Hope, ensigns.
Speeches were made and a pleasant
evening spent.
The concert given by the Johns Hop
LII .dcli