The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-08-07
THE wESTMORELAND TRIAL.
LomaS. Protected BY the Washington Guards.
Taken to MOntrOss is Promptly Con
Meted aud Sentenced to Nc Hanged
September 9th-Ineidents OF
the Trsg Etc.

'N'So d"o oentehSeo 10 nc Hanged
September 9th-lneidents Of
the Tr.e. Etc.
On the arrival of the Washington
Euardr IN Alexandria Monday they went
60 the city Jail where John LomaN. the
I negro who assaulted Miss Susie Costen.
bader near Potomac Mills in Westmore-
land in June. has been confined since a
lew days after the assault. The prisoner.
"A negro not live ieet high. about i ) years
odd. seemingly uncOncerned az 10 his fate
aud not realizing the cnOrnitv of the
crime committed, il "A brute of the lowest
/ type. Handcufled 10 Sheriff Sandy. of
estmoreland, who was very loath to be
connected with iron bracelets To the ne
gro. LOmaN was taken from the Jail. and
IN the center Of the company marched
through the streets. followed by a mass
OF people and put on board the steamer
randall which left her wharf at d o clock.
The trip To Montross was marked with
Incidents none of which We're sensation
al, but all showed the interest manifest
ed i'm the coming trial
At Colonial Beach over 900 people
were gathered on the wharf. although II
was near one o'clock Tuesday mornino,
before the steamer arrived. The wharf
was crowded with people all anxious TO
get a view of the prisoner The crowd
pushed one man overheard and he was
iished out 10y the crew. Nomini. where
the troops disembarkei. was reached at
q a m. Tuesday. They were quickly
loaded in six wagons the first wagon
| containing 10 men in command of lieut..
/ Revere. The second wagon carried the
/ prisoner, Sheriff. Capt. VI Il. Rowe aud
eight men Lieut. iarkin followed in the
I a ffa 1ar ,.Ff q
company.
! 1t WAS a novel sight for the country
people. who were on the road gazing in
silence at the soldiers with fixed bayo-
nets TO their guns as they were driven
along Before reaching Montross the
company left the wagons, and surround
ing the prisoner and Sheriff marched to
the jail. where the prisoner was placed
and the Jail surrounded with a guard of
eight men.
There was not a demonstration of any
kind made. and the people seemed Ger
tain that justice would be meted out TO
LOmaN and he would be convicted. 4
strong sentiment prevailed among the
conservative people that I.omax would
not have been lynched. even If he had
been allowed To remain in the county
owing TO the Tact that IL was felt that
he " ould be convicted and hanged. Judge
K II. Beale acted promptly A grand
jury had been empanelled. Witnesses ex
anincd aud in special session early in the
day, returned IA bill Of two counts. one
charging LomaX with criminal assault
the other attempt TO commit an assault
either ofiense being punishable with
death under the Virginia laws
IL was not fifteen minutes after the in
dictment was made before n iury was
arr oil t.l l,.ar al
The Commonwealth Attorney X. J
Washington. was assisted by Hon. {. C.. Ba-
ker. and the Court appointed the promis-
| ing young attorney, Mr.. W. I. Mayo. TO
defend the prisoner.
LomaN was brought into Court by n
detachment Of eight soldiers and ser
geant with Capt. NJ. Il Rowe i'm charge
The guard was relieved by other detach.
ments at periods in the trial. under Lieuts
Revere and Larkin Surgeon j. y. Bar
ney was present in the court room
during the whole trial.
There were not more than 100 of the
county people present but they nearly
filed the Court House. and the heat IN
the building was intense
Ii was pathetic TO witness the strain
under which the father OF the dead girl
Mr.. Costenbader. was suffering during
the trial and especially when his wife. the
step-mother, was giving her evidence
There We're but few witnesses examined
and alter talk with the prisoner by hit
counsel. MIR. Mayo, he did not think thai
the evidence he would give ia his defenc,
was sufficient 10 even put him on tn,
} stand. The ease was then given to tn,
jury without argument. Then came tn
only time in the ease when there was an,
, excitement. After the jury had been on
ten minutes. and the suspence was tellin:
on the crowd, the jury came into tn
I court room and asked for information n
TO the testimony of witness
When that was given they filed bacl
into the room and it was whispered il
the room that the jury could not agree
lt looked as If n storm was on and in tw,
minutes Capt. Rowe ordered ten NOR,
men with fixed bayOnets in the room
under Sergeant &. orc Goodrich, anC
= behind the bar of the Court between tn,
prisoner aud the crowd they stood facing
il like statues.
I This strain was Immediately re-
lieved by the iury-room door opening
: aud the jury filing in, They had n yer
dict OF guilty in the hand OF the foreman
: which was read. \ feeling of relief fol
lowed and Judge Beale, Commando,
c l.omax to stand up, sentenced him t,
bc uuhE On AucSudN. sept. Jtil, III iron
Of the Jail at Montross
The evidence was OF such n characte
as showed that Lomax accomplished hi
de igns.
The prisoner was then ordered to b
, returned to Alexandria jail. more becaus
the jail at Montross is not secur
than from fear that he would be take
j out and lynched. While the inner doc
OF the jail is strong, the outer door
propped UP with stick OF wood and
sadly in need of repairs. Lomax was a
once taken back to the steamer by III
Sheriff and troops, and yesterday morr
= ing lodged in jail at Alexandria. Tn
Washington Guards returned here We,
terday morning on the 9:46 train.