Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1903-10-03
SIayers of Russell Sheriff. Give
SIS 600 Bonds.
EVIDENCE GIVEN on BOTH SIDES.
Il Was Proven That Sheriff. Wss Not
Armed-The White Brothers Prove
Good haEscters.


Mt. Uua. on September nth. were al
lowed bail in the sum Of $4,000 each
and released from custody.
At the hearing in the case the court
house was jammed and crowded as II
has seldom been before. This strong
public Interest was induced by the /
peculiarly tragic circumstances OF the |
Killing. Two men OF high character /
and we'll connected admit the killing |
OF the young man. also OF prominent
family. in an alteration caused by the
ruin OF ticir niece. the child OF their
dead brother. They allege circum-
stances OF selfdcfence. On the Other
/ hand the prosecution contends that
/ they offered young Sheriff. the simple
alternative Of death or marriage and
that upon his declaring his choice OF
the former when be found that they
would accept no eQuivocation or de
lay they shot him down. unarmed as
he was. and before his mothers eyes
I.arge numbers Of people were pres
ent both from Concord and the MI.
TIA section OF Rowan county. The
Sheriff. family was represented by
Mrs Josephine Sheriff.. mother OF
the deceased and the principal VII
ness for the prosecution; her daugh'
ter. Miss Lucy Sheriff.. her little son,
Price Sheriff. and her son-in-law, MT.
W A. Barber. OF Cleveland. The re-
latives OF the defendants present
were. Nessrs. Tinslow and Thorn
we'll White. OF Concord. and Sergeant
Tense was represented by Senator Lee
: Murphy. 81 Salisbury. and Mcnt-
gomery & Crowcl. OF Concord. Solici-
TOR Hummer. l. II. Clement. t. c
Linn and b. b. Miller appeared Tor
the State Representative Theo. r.
Kluttz. who has been retained for the
defense wss not present. being away
from town. All the points arising dur
ing the hearing were hard fought ana
once or twice warm reJoinaels were
nasscd between counsel When the
evidence had been concluded at $3.50
O'Clock in the afternoon both sides
7. I agreed 10 leave tho matter OF bail 10
! the court without argument. Judge
Brown announced that he would take
, tho matter under consideration and
" fie his decision in writing with the
l. clerk OF tne court In the meantime
= the prisoners were remanded TO The
a custody OF the SheTlu
Mrs Josephine Sheriff.. mother oi
y the deceased. was the first witness foi
i tho state. She testified that OF si'
- children other than the deceased there
= were i'm the residence on the day an'
hour OF the killing. Price. a tenyear
old bov. and Lena. a hfteen-yeaI- ol'
girl There were also IN the hous'
- ] II. Thayer and son. Charles Thayer
D. OF ut. Pleasant. who had come 90 III
OF Uua 10 sharpen gin saws. and Prol
n ". r. CleCg. school teacher. uo@Tu
c. ing at the place. she continued
%. heard a knock al the door about
r. o'clock in the morning and upon ar
e. swcring il saw two strangers. The
Ss said they wanted &c see Mr.. Russo
ed Sheriff. / said that he was not vi
n but that I would cali him. and
on placed chairs for them on the porcl
in then went and told my son. He aske
on who the men were. but / couldn't te
SIS him. He rose from bed and cam
Sc down In his shirt and trousers an
OF with his shoes united The genti
ns men told him they wanted 70 see m
a | privately. | was In the hall p'
re- hearing this. came out. They told n
ess To 20 back. but I refused. Russo
ng- had sat down on the bench near 4
ns door and as he did so the Whites j.
nediatclv covered Nm with their J
volvers. rising from their chairs
they did so. They told him he nj
ma. ruined their niece. Annie White. a.
~ had 60 die today IL he didn't mar
her. Chal was the spokesman OF 1
geo TWO. Russell said he didn't ruin I
ent girl / stepped between the two m
and Russell and pleaded with CT
White not 20 kill my boy IN
'uA' turned 10 the other man. ThoH
Of White. and began 20 plead with hi
set. begging him for the boys p'
..;s- mothers sake 20 spare his life. II
said he was deaf and told me to q
TO his brother. Chal repeated Il
Russell would have 10 marry the {
today or die He told me TO s
nate back and I did 80. Russell said.
.hit- 20 with YOU, and got up and 3tepl
a.. towards the door. whereupon I
White. the big one. showed him Da
pun Russell then said ne didn't love
der girl and couldn't marry her, a.
by which they both fred. almost
gether. SO close. Ia fact that coul'
tell which fired first. In showing !
sell. Tom White had pushed him
wards Chal and away from the o.
awe After the shots Russell fell and l
sol almost on him, Rising. ran out
NOE the yard. screaming and crying
e IA Tor the neighbors to catsh the
'ious who had killed Russell. They left
% OF mediately.
Ahca Further testimony was given by
preseution- Il was developed the
rill was not armed. The defense
gave evidence
wing For the defense Col. Paul b. Me
~ Messrs. w. r. Odell. J. p. All
Charles Richie. Frank Smith. r
L Ttr 2