The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-23
TRAMP OF SOLDIERS
HEARD IN HILL CITY
Seven Companies of Militia to Protect Joe
Higginbotlanl.
Higginbotllanl.

Will LOOK after him while he, rests in his
cell. Soldiers have been placed all about
the Jail and courthouse, and to-morroW
no one will be allowed within q block OF
either building.
OF course. those who wish to so 10
their homes on guarded squares, or VINO
wish to go TO work, will be alowcd 10
pass tho lines, Tut they will be accom-
panied by the corporal of the guard, VINO
will see to it that every one IS kept Oh
the outside Of the prescribed space.
THAI THIS MORNING.
Higginbotham's trial wul begin at ~
o'clock. Judge Christian still has under
consideration the matter of supptsliiS
counsel for HigginbothaIn. but to-ihsht
it is stated that no conclusion mas beeh
reached.
Every effort will be made 10 siYe His
ginbotham q fair and impartial triai. anu W
to this end a special venire OF twenty
men has been summoned from DanNiiie,
and some OF them arrived IN tHe clts
this .fternoon The rest are expected 10
reach here tomorrow morning. IL 1t
should turn out that jury cannot De
secured from this special Venlre, thcTe
NAV be some delay in the pfoceeulHSs'
as the court may decide to seno out u
the city for every one of the Jurors. '-l Oll
the other hand, the court may deleIllillie
10 fill up the vacancies Win LSlleli-
burgers. ,,,s,+e
II the venire furnishes the requlsite ,,I
number the trial viii begin prolnptlS'
,,,I II nav Ire expected to reach a. con-
clusion within a very short tlhie, ii's
o;nl.otl,ann's confession rendering 1t uil-
,3ecaeear,, 10 go claborately into the leS-
timony.
INDICTMENT FOUND.
-,and i,,,-y was impanellcd here this
,,3orniner with Il. c. Hammer foreman,
for the purpose of considering the HIS
cilbotham case. Officers We're eAaliiineu
as to the finding of bloody clothes; br.
Samuel Lille and Sergeant John M SeaS
as to the confession of Ehgglnhothaiil III
Roanoke, and Miss Mildred Cahell as 70
the escape of the negro from the Neb-
ho,, home ON the morning of the crime.
After a brief consideration a tue pill
was presented. There was one coiored
man on the grand jury, and tDe Verdict
was unanimous.
Mrs. Weber, accompanied by her nus
hand. Sergeant Seay, and DE- Llic, ie'
turned TO Lynchburg early this morn
ing In his confession TO Dr. Lie ana
Sergeant Seay, ldigGinbotham admitted
that he was Mrs. Weber aSsalial'e
and in response to a question stated thal
he did not know what made him COM
tiye. the chase of Branch's bloodhounds
was a perfect farce. The nesro says
that on leaving the Webber home he
went down Seventeenth Street TO Tay-
lor. down TAYLOR TO Fishing Creek, thence
to his right to tho cotton mill, and from
the latter point he went to Floyd school
house.
DOGS CONFUSED.
On the morning of the chase of the
liloodhounds. the dogs took a. course di-
rectly opposite 10 that which Higsin-
bCthan declares he followed, for they
did not go to Fishing Creek, but turned
TO the left soon after leaving the Web
her homo and struck across the fields
to the Presbyterian Cemetery, where
they apparently became horelessly con-
fused. AS Higginbotham knows prac-
tically nothing of the hounds and has
l,o reason for. making a. false statement
in this respect, it is believed that his
statement as to the direction i'll which
he went is true.
THE MANS NERVE.
IIigginbotham said further that after
arriving at the Floyd sclrool-housc he
changed his Clothes and then went to
the Webbcr home. where he saw DR..
Lille sew up the wounds in Mrs. Web
ber's throat. 1t is known that while
mixing with The crowd at the Nepber
home Higginbotham remarked that the
man who had committed such crime
ought to be burned and have hot iron
run through him.
IIigginbotham also confessed That he
was the negro who Went into the Home
and Retreat on Christmas. night. lie
said. however, that he did not steal Mrs.
Continued on Third Page.)