Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-05-23
HELD FOR GRAND JURY
Colored Man win Await Action Of
Higher Court.
is IMPLICATED IN A ROBBERY
Unable to Furnish Bail and is Locked Up
On Trial for Murderous Assault
on Wife.
s IMPLICATED IN A ROBBERY

The trial of Russell Boyd. charged
with being implicated in the robbery Of
the store of Ramsburg Bros. at Van
cleyesville last December, was called
at 4 O'Clock Friday afternoon in
Justice Snyder's court. The case has
attracted considerable attention. and
the room WIS packed with an interest
ed crowd OF SPECTATORS. Prosecuting
Attorney LINDSAY appeared for the
state, while the accused was repre-
sented by Lawyer Clifford.
The first witness for the prosecution
was Charles LLOYD, colored, who is
held ON charge of being an accom-
plica. He made good witness for
the state, and incidentally helped his
own case bv his straightforward testi-
monv. He is big, muscular black.
with shiny. good-humored face, and
lots of chalk in his mouth. Ignorant
and unlettared. he yet told a straight
forward story, and all the efforts to
shake it, were of no avail. He gave
the impression of telling the truth,
and many who heard his tale believe
he was not connected with the rob-
berry in any manner. His account of
how the officers got after him and how
scared he was proved very amusing
He said that Bovd came to his house
to live. and BROUGHT. with him the
stolen property found there when the
search was made.
Boyd was placed on the stand in his
own defense, and contradicted the
story of Lloyd. He was very brief in
his testimony, and stated that he knew
nothing Of the stolen property except
that LLOYD told him that he fLlovd)
had purchased the flannel IN Martins
burg.
Justice Snyder held Bovd for the ac-
tion of the grand Jury. his bail being
placed at $500.
BOYD was unable to find bon isman
and was remanded to the custody of
the sheriff. He was locked up.
FOR ASSAULT AND BATTERY.
Burrell Brown, colored. was arraiened
before Justice Snyder Saturday on
the charge OF assault and battery on
his wife, Lizzy Brown aud for steal
ina from her three finger rings AID 80
cents. Brown has been in Jail serv-
ing sentence for threatening to shoot
her, aud the whole case is an outcome
of the shooting ARRAY at Swan Pond,
which occurred about two months ago.
The case has created great interest
in the community in which the shoot
ing took place. and it had to ba tried
in the Circuit Court house on account
of the squire's Office being too small
to accommodate tle large crowd that
was in attendance.
The wife in her testimony said that
Brown had tome to the house of Mrs.
Palmer, at which place she was that
evening, aud threatened that il she
did not 20 home with him that he
would kill her there. She said he pro-
duced a revolver and threatened 20
shoot her and later struck her with a
club that he was carrying. He then
grabbed her by the arm aud dragged
her about distance of 300 feet. Her
evidence was corroberated in part by
Mrs. Palmer, the other witness OF the
assault.
When the defendant was put on the
stand he contradicted the story told by
his wife and further said that the COM
plaint was made against him through
malice.
Attorney Fauntleroy was Tor the de.
Tense and Prosecuting Attorney w
b. Lindsay and Attorney w. @. Kill
mer for the prosecution. Numbers of
questions asked the witnesses were OBJ
jected to by the attorneys. The wife
W as very brief in her answers to the
questions asked by the attorney for the
defense.
The court adjourned for dinner and
ioouincu ~ cAoch anu oho ich"iH-
der of the evidence was heard. The
ATTORNEYS then made lengthy discus
sions OF the case. From the evidence
the justice found him guilty Of the
charge of assault and battery and inn
posed a fine OF $40 on him. in de-
fault of the payment of which he was
sentenced to 20 days in Jail.