Evening star., 1901-08-26
Willis Petty Has a Private Hearing
Before the Mayor.
CHARGED With ATTEMPTED ASSAULT
Valves Examination and is Held
for Action of Grand Jury.
SECRECY AIRY
Evening Star Bureau,
No. 701 King Street,
He'll Te}ephone No. Jog.

I
ed this morning at The Evening Star bu-
reau in this city from Fairfax Court House
stating that Willis Petty, who was arrest
ed here last Thursday night on the charge
of attempting a criminal assault on Mrs
Roberta Payne, wife of Mr.. John Payne
had been confined in the county Jail at that
| place since Friday evening. 1t was also
announced that he had been taken from his
cell early this morning and conveyed to
this city for private examination before
Mayor Simpson on the charge. The state
ment was added that Petty was later re-
turned to Fairfax and reincarcerated In
the jail.
This information, which is entirely au-
thentic, is the first that has been given to
the public concerning the prisoners where
abouts since he was removed from this
city by the officers of the law. There had
been a rumor that Fairfax Court House
was the objective point, but 1t had been
denied by officials there.
| Valves Examination.
Petty waived an examination before
Mayor Simpson this morning and his case
was referred to the grand jury. He is
now under the jurisdiction of the officers
OF the corporation court. 1t is probable
that arrangements will be made as speed
| lily as possible for an investigation of the
charge before a special grand jury, and if
an indictment is reported his trial will
doubtless follow soon after before Judge ].
Il M. Norton. The judge left Alexandria
| Saturday evening for his farm In Fairfax
county. The commonwealth attorney Mr.
| Leonard Marbury, is not in the city. and
| neither is Attorney A. w. Armstrong, who
frequently serves in that capacity. But 1t
| is assured that as soon as 1t is safe to
| place Petty on public trial in this city his
| case will be heard.
The announcement that Petty would be
| given hearing this morning at o'clock
| in the police court drew a great crowd of
| inquiring people about the station house
| long before the hour for opening court.
| Their expectations of seeing the prisoner
and the complainant and hearing the de-
tails of the alleged assault were not
] realized, as the case was not called and,
| of course, the prisoner was not produced.
| The witnesses in the case, however, were
| called and instructed to appear before the
| grand jury whenever that body shall meet.
Deepens the Mystery.
This proceeding tended to greatly deepen
| the general mystery as to the whereabouts
| of the prisoner Since he was spirited
away from his cell in the station house
| Friday afternoon the most strenuous eff
| forts have been made by the curious to To-
| cate him. Many theories were advanced
| but facts We're few. The people knew only
| that Petty was concealed. Whether it was
| somewhere in the surrounding country or
| in the city. they did not know. But when
| it became known that the case had already
| been referred to the grand jury the intelli-
| gence daWned on the crowd at the station
| house and citizens generally that another
and more surprising event had been add
| ed to the mysterious chapter 1t was evil
| dent that at some place and at some time
this morning Petty had been brought be-
| fore the mayor and had been confronted
| by his accuser. Where this interesting oc-
| currence took place no one save those In
| terested knew. AS to the details OF the
hearing the mayor maintained an unwaVer-
ing silence.
The belief became general that the pris-
oner had been brought before Mayor Smp-
son very early this morning in some Sc
cluded place, either on the outskirts of the
city nearby in Alexandra county. but
1t was stated that under the law the case
would have to be heard within the juris-
diction of the alleged crime. This seemed
to reduce the question to Alexandra CITY.
reporter for The Star saw Mayor
Simpson shortly before o'clock today on
his way down the street to the police sta
ton, and asked for information about the
case. The mayor stated that Petty had
been before him early this morning and had
waived examination, whereupon his
case was referred to the grand jury. He
added that Mrs. Payne was present, but
made statement, as the evidence was
not entered into In addition those present
were DR. A A Rittenour, who has been
attending Mrs. Payne; Mr.. Payne, the hus-
band of the complainant, and the two OFF,
GERS VINO had the prisoner IN Inc
mayor said that Petty declared his inno-
cence. He expressed a wish to have a
lawyer to defend him. AS no testimony
was taken Mrs. Payne was not called upon
to identify the prisoner, but, the mayor
said, she evidently recognized him, for as
soon as he was brought into the room she
became very excited
Again Conveyed Away.
After the case had been referred Petty
was again placed in charge of the Off
GERS and again conveyed away Mrs.
Payne was driven back to her home on
North Columbus street. With as much
secrecy as surrounded the case at It's in
ception the latest incident In it's course
was closed, and Mayor Simpson returned
to his home, the public knowing nothing
of the particulars. The mayor declined to
state where the meeting took place nor
did he mention the time of it's occurrence.
He also silent on the subject of. the
prisoners present whereabouts. except for
the statement that he had been taken back
to his former place of Imprisonment.
In explaining his reason for conducting
the affair secretly the mayor said he had
had a talk with DR.. Rittenour. from which
he believed that Mrs. Payne would prob
ably become hysterical in court Such an
occurrence, he thought, would exercise a
very exciting influence over the minds Of
the more excitable of the people and might
result in a demonstration against the pris-
oner. 1t was, therefore, in the interest of
the dignity of the law. the feelings of the
unfortunate woman and the protection of
the prisoner that the mayor decided upon
the course of action followed
The Alleged Crime.
The alleged crime over which this city
has been thrown into such excitement for
the past few days was attempted Thursday
evening last. The details of the attempted
assault were not generally known until the
following day, when their recital occasoned
widespread condemnation of the prisoner
BY Friday afternoon public resentment had
become such to justify a removal of the
prisoner from Alexandria, This was ac-
cordingly done, as told in The Star That
evening the mob spirit, which developed
fully, proved the wisdom of the action 1t
was even limited in many quarters that
hanging was insufficient to expiate the
crime, and that the stake would furnish
more fitting method of punishment
Ever since the mayor has kept silence In
regard to the place to which the prisoner
was taken. He did not even state that he
had been carried out of the city, and prob
ably no one In Alexandria, with the eXcep-
ton of him and Officers James T. Smith
and Jefferson Beach, who conveyed Petty
away. could have told where he was con-
fined.