The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-24
THE DEATH WATCH ON
JOE HICGIHB|0THAn
Speedily Tried and Sen
tenced in Lynchburg.
NO LAWYER WOULD ACT
As Counsel to Defend the Pris.
oner in Court.
THE C0URT-H HOUSE CROWDED
Dr.. Samuel Lille Tells of the Negro's Confess
sion, aud Mrs. Bertha May Webber Tells
the Awful Facts In the Csse-Joe
liggiubuI1am Plead Guilty, ard
the Jury Of Danv,Ic Clt;-
zens Returned Verdict.
Especial Dispatch to lnc -,ime..)

Especial Dispatch TO Inc -ime.)
LYNCHBURG, VA. Jan. 23.--Ouly one
more act is needed to close the dark
drama in Lynohburg in which Joe Higgn-
botham, the trusted negro janitor, was
the vile actor and Mrs. Bertha May Web
Der the terrible victim.
That he will be hanged as the law has
now decreed, no one doubts, and the city
Of Lynchburg. which has been torn for
days with the passion of revenge, is as
quiet at midnight tonight as a. country
village.
by nalf-past three o'clock this evening
the trial was over, and all the techniCai-
ties of the sentence complied with and
the prisoner on his way to Roanoke.
ON a SPECIAL TRAIN.
Iigginbotham was driven to the Union
Station and from there WAS taken to
Roanoke on a special train. He was ac-
companied by the Roanoke and Pulaski
military companies.
The Stanton, Charlottesville and Dan
vile companies left a little later over the
Southern Railroad for their respective
! homes.
When the trial of Joe Higginbotnan1
took place at 10 O'Clock this morn,
ing it was the intention of the
except officers of the court. the
jury, witnesses, members OF the ba,
and newspaper representatives, KIT
despite this fact the courtroom was
well filled. On the outside of the build,
ing there was the marching of soldiers
and the commands Of officers, but under
the plan of allowing no one within a
block of the place, there was no evidence
OF a crowd and not the slightest sign OF
any disorder. On the stroke OF ten tbs
court was called to order, and the recorc
OF yesterdays proceedings, including the
Indictment against Higginbotham. was
read by the clerk.
THE INDICTMENT.
Higginbotham was brought into the
courtroom under heavy guard. He was
seated next to Commonwealth-Att ttorney
Robert n. Iancy, directly opposite the
judge and jury. During the reading OF
the indictment Higginbotham was direct.
| ed to stand, and at the close of the read
ing was asked if he was guilty or not
guilty. He replied in a voice that was
very low. but distinctly audible:
Guilty
When Judge Christian asked the pris-
oner if he intended tc plead guilty, know
ing that the penalty was death. he said
why, certainly and the tone OF his
voice seemed to imply that he was ready
to meet whatever destiny fate might
have before him.
The impaneling of jury from the spe-
cial venire summoned from Danville was
| taken up and was successfully accom-
| plished. OF the entire twenty only two
We're found who had any doubt as to theil
| eligibility, and these We're certain tha1
| they could give the accused a fair anc
| impartial trial. The jury finally select
ed were as follows: L. 4. Francisco. w
| w. Waddell. ]. l. Cruise L. W. Perkln
son, a Weldnan II. O. Eanes, w. G
| Swanson. L. G. Martin, w. E. Cook, L
| r. Young, j. B. Powell and r. E. Tobin
| THE PENALTY.
! Higginbotham was then directed K
| stand up and listen to the second reading
| of tie indictment. The clerk stated tha
| the penalty was death or Imprisonment
| for not less than five years and not NOR
+, than twenty.
| The Judge had been unable to secure
| counsel for Higginbothanl. every lawye
/ approached on the subject by the cour
| declining to serve. The negro was con
| sequentIy without an attorney. but III
| interests We're carefully guarded ly the
/ judge. who asked witnesses questions
/ and otherwise epdeavored to sec that i'm
| partial justice was applied.
| Officer Vaughan, OF the Lynchburg po
| lice force, was the first witness. fle tott
| of his investigation oS the case and hoy
he was led to place Higginbotham under
! arrest
Miss Mildred Caball stated that she wa
| absolutely certain that TIE prisoner a
the bar was the man she saw Jump owe
1 the back fence OF the Wehber home or
the morning of the crime. She describes
his appearance minutely. and said tha
/ the fact that Higginbotham kept LOOKING
back at her aroused her suspicious ane
| she continued to watch him.
DIR. LILIES TESTIMONY.
Dr. Lille, Mrs. Webber's physician, wa
! the next witness. He said:
ION arriving al the home of Mrs. Web
! her on the morning in question the tirs
| thing that I noticed was tig pool OF
/! blood on the floor at least an inch II
| thickness next saw Mrs. Webber ~
| ing on The bed with her head TUCKED
| down. Her hair was a perfect mat o.
| blood. When washed away the surfac
/ a stream of blood as big as a goose qull
! poured out. The cut was wide ant
! deep. extending from the muscles on on
/ side of the throat TO the muscles on TIT
/ other side.
| THE external lugular vein was cur
/ but fortunately the internal jugular wa
/ only nicked The position in which Mrs
| NTebber had been placed undoubteois
| controlled the blood for the time. =
| first caught up the severed VEINS w. -
| artery forceps and then tied them. Hlls ,l.s
/ Webber was absolutely pulseless. ana nei
extremities were cold. and thousht 81
was dying, particularly as she kept sas
/ ing: i am going to faint. l am going
to faint . o,,,
COlTNSELED HIM TO CONFESS.
/ In response To questions. Or. Lie tolo
/ of Higginfctham's confession made tc
him at Roanoke. BIC sslu that ne qua no
/ ti,rss+en Hi,rsinboihanl. but that he die
.sl, him that his guilt had been ciearl!
| es,,i,iished; that his neck would certaini.
/ he broken and that he might as we'll tel