The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-01

III tlAC AIloANSl VI IldSdl INOOlISOls at
the former trial he was found guilty
without recommendation, and SEN
fenced to be hanged but the Supreme
Court, discovering errors in the charge
of Judge Seabrook, directed he be
tried again.
At the trial yesterday Solicitor Cen
eral Osborne prosecuted for the state,
while Raiford Falligant and John E.
Myrick represented the defense.
The crime with which Richards was
charged was committed on the night
of Sept. II. last, in the room in which
he and his victim had been living, on
Harris street, near East Broad. Ac-
cording to the evidence adduced on be-
half of the state it was a deliberate
murder, while the defendant told a
story that could have been reconciled
with a verdict of involuntary man
slaughter in the commission of an I'M
lawful act. Indeed it was because
Judge Seabrook had failed to give in
charge the law relating to this grade
of homicide that the Supreme Court
had awarded a new trial.
witnesses for the state.
A number of witnesses appeared for
the state, chief among whom was Ida
Foster. The woman lived at the time
of the homicide in the same house with
Richards and his victim, and had
heard, though she had not seen, every
thing that Immediately preceded the
killing.
The witness testified that Hagar was
in her room, with some others, who
were talking and drinking together
when Richards came in. The man
was drunk and in nasty humor and
he ordered the woman to go upstairs
to their room. With some visible re-
luctance she obeyed this comamnd.
When the door of their room closed
behind the man and woman there came
floating down the STARS the noise of d
violent quarrel, in which the voices of
both could be distinguished. Richards
was ordering the woman to do some
thing she did not want to do and she
was protesting.
'stop, Sherman! Your Are Hurting
Me-"
Suddenly and in a higher key the
woman's voice rang out:
"Stop!" she said, stop Sherman; you
are hurting me-
There was a moments scuff1ing in
the room upstairs, followed almost in
stantly by the report of a pistol.
The women downstairs rushed to the
door of their room and saw John Tay-
lor, man who had been in the room
with Richards and the woman, tumb-
ling down the stairs. Hagar Robin
son followed, pressing her hand to her
side and screaming in the agony of
death.
Sherman has shot me-" she cried.
She ran to the corner of the street,
and then back to her doorstep, where
she fell. When her friends picked her
up she was quite dead.
Other witnesses told the same story
of the manner in which the woman
met her death. John Taylor, who was
in the room, was not placed on the
stand. He is now in Florida, and when
he testified at the last trial swore he
had his back turned to Richards and
the woman and had not seen the
shooting.
Richards Rush to Escape.
Following the homicide came Rich
ards sensational attempt to escape
He rolled down the stairs after Taylor
and the woman, still carrying THE big
revolver with which he had done the
shooting, and jumping over a fence
seemed to disappear.
He was closely followed by Patrol
man Jernigan, who chased him for a
long distance and finally lodged him
under a house. From this point of
vantage Richards faced his pursuer
and here several shots between him
and Jernigan were exchanged. The
firing from Richards revolver ceased
and Jernigan came to the conclusion
he had, killed or seriously wounded a
negro. He turned away for the pur-
pose of telephoning the police bar
racks, when Richards, who had a bro
ken arm, but no more serious injury
jumped out from the house and again
started on a run.
Jernigan saw and followed him and
other policemen joined in the chase.
Up one street and down another, with
pistol shots flying every minute they
chased the flying fugitive. and at Alb
ercorn and Hall streets nearly or quite
a mile from the scene of the crime at
last overhauled and arrested him. He
fought desperately to the last.
Abandoned Old Defense.
In his statement to the jury yester-
day Richards abandoned a position he
had taken on the first trial. Then he
claimed the woman was advancing on
MIN with knl1e, Dut yesterday he
had nothing to say of the knife, and
based his defense on the statement that
he had pointed the revolver at Hagar
only to brighten her. and in the nerv-
BUSINESS produced by excessive drink
ing. pulled the trigger.
Arguments for the defendant were
made by Mr.. Falligant and Mr.. N.Y.
rick and for the state by Mr.. Osborne
The case went to the jury before S
o'clock, and in about three-quarters
of an hour. a verdict was returned
AS stated it found the defendant guilty,
but recommended him to the mercy
of the court.
Sentence was Immediately imposed
by Judge Barrow, directing. in accord
ance with the jury's verdict. that
Richards be imprisoned at hard labor
in the penitentiary for the term of his
natural life
There was no depression visible in
the defendants countenance as he
walked from the court room and his
counsel. too. were satisfied. There
will be no motion for a new trial
Yes, sir" said Richards, II guess
Ill have to be satisfied" and the ex-
preston OF his face, his broad and
cheerful grin, showed that he was.
From he Court House yesterday