The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-24
THE DEATH WATCH ON
JOE HIGGENBO1HAM
CONTINUED From First Page)

torney, Captain Robert D. YaEcey, who
conducted the case for the prosecution,
was as follows:
MY name is Bertha May Weber. MY
home is at No. 1915 Monroe Street, ana
am twenty-three years Of age. I'VE
in the city of Lynchburg and was at home
on the 18th day of January. cannot
say that L ever saw the prisoner before
that time, but suppose had seen nm.
| did see him on the nth day Of jan
uary Mr.. Weber left home early IN
the morning before day, and some Tune
after that / thought l heard some one
walking on the trent porch. Being scared,
went to the house Of u neightor and
remained there until it was lighter, when
l returned home, going ny way OF Inc
back porch and through the Kitchen.
When ] went in my room that 1cllo"
jumped from behind the door and caught
me-.
AT this point in her testimony Mrs.
Weber paused, but in reply to the
commemorative Attorney said that at
ter She was assaulted the negro cut her
throat.
rs that the MANI asked Captain
Yancey, pointing to the prisoner.
THAT is the man. replied Mrs. Web
Der. ':As he left me" continued Mrs.
Weber, thinking. suppose. that I
was dead, ran out into the hall, and as
he disappeared l. started through the
| window. tried to reach d neighbour
/ home. and got ,to the front perch, but
d that point I fell to the ground, and
| could so no further. I could not tell
low long the negro was in the room With
me, but ! suppose it was fifteen or
twenty minutes. | am q married woman
and was married to Mr.. Weber twelve
months ago. I did all could to pro-
.:.I fi,-t fr,rS ~,
but he choked me until I could not utter
q sound. l was SO scared that I did not
know my throat was cut, and did not
know it until I saw the blood. The
negro did not give me any reasons for
cutting my throat. I certainly know
that he is the man ana 1 certainly know
that it happened in Iynchburgn
t THE .JURY'S VERDICT.
This closed Mrs. Wehber's testimony.
| no other witnesses were introduced, and
| as Mrs Weber retired from the court
I room i'll company with DR.. Lille, and
| her husband, who attended her through
| out the trying ordeal, Commemorative
| Attorney Iancey arose to address the
JUICY. He spoke for a few minutes end
! was twice Interrupted by the judge who
asked him to refrain from referring tC
! the feeling in the community and to con-
fine himself to Il discussion OF the evil
| dence Captain YanceV closed his address
| with an earnest appeal To the jury to i'm
| pose the death penalty. The jury re.
| tired at 1925 and returned their verdict
at ll:35 The reading of the verdict by
the clerk was an impressive and dra.
mats moment, 1t was as follows:
eve, the jury. find the prisoner guilty
as charged in the within Indictment and
| fix his punishment at icath''' The jury
was then discharged.
SENTENCED TO DIE.
The Proceedings were brought to close
with the pronouncing OF sentence ty
/ Judge Christian. The judge said: You
| arc q young man. You have been edu.
Gated. and you should have known bet.
ter You committed a crime that is one
| of the most heinous in the history OF
| the state, one that has required the ex.
ercise of nearly all the powers Of fns
| commonwealth to prevent violence. The
| jurors are men who have never known
f! You or seen you. The sentence of thu
| court Is that you be committed to thu
sergeant for safe keeping and conveyed
to Roanoke and there kept until the 24tl
| day OF February, and on that day be
tween the hours Of sun rise and sun Sc
that you be hanged by the neck unit
you are dead, and may God have mercy
on your SOUL
Hissinbotham will be executed in ths
/ Jail here.