The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-06
nna this prisoner guilty of murder in tho
hfbt degree.
Given to the Jury.

~
II A I,,,sh fell over the courthouse. Sew.
erai OF the relatives of the accused be
ran 10 weep. 4 iuryman twlrled his
rnoustache abstrac,edy. Two others sal
with hands over their eyes, while an
other fingered the Indictment, and one
or Two OF his fellows sought solace IN
the water cup. The Judge, leaning across
the bench ordered that the left gallery
be cleared at once. at his word men
a,,d women scrambled through the small
3 doorway. It took a moment or TWO lor
them all to leave. Wien tile last had
disappeared the jury arose 70 retire 20
the room above. 1t was thel eleNei'
minutes after II o'clock. The twelve filed
slowly out of the room. At ll:1a the door
closed upon them. The deliberation over
Il tho5vcrdiet had begun.
For twenty minutes TINT to many
seemed longer than twenty years the
crowd sat still and. waited. Giliner
4 crossed his hands and was silent. Lee
( cat Ii, his faroritc attitude shaking his
fee, Int presently sprang up and joined
his associates, who convcrsed first ear
ncstiy among themselves and then Win
tiie Judge who left the bench. McCue, Ill
HIS chair leaned his head upon his risnt
hand He was the caimest OF All, the
one apparently the most uncohcerneu.
wealtls Attorney he had moved about
uncasily. In hts hand he Carried q
Bible. once he Jeaned back and with
tile book open before him read to Cor
stable Iefferies these words from. the
gospel of John:
IF We shalt ask anything in my name
will do it
For the most part during the absence
Of the Jury, however, the prisoner chatted
vigorously with an aged lady. Mrs. Loufe,
vim sat on his left Now and then he
would shake the Bible nervously at her. as
il to Impress a point In conversation.
The granite hardness OF #McCnc touru no
counterpart among those gathered near
HIM The very lawyers and court spec
tators were more shaken than he. Little
RUBY, who has throughout the trial fallea
to understand what it all meant, lausheo
a while and then suddenly burst mo
tears. The other children were also n, ,.,ha
agitated. Mrs Dinwiddie and several OF
the ladies present sat with handkerchiets
to&the;r ewes. The brothers OF the pris-
oner leaned their heads upon folded arms
and waited anxiously for the. issue.
The Verdict.
Tho larrard moments were slow TO
move along The suspense was growing.
rnbnarable. when Il sudden thrill shot
oypr Tho entire roonl.l y door creakcd
above. Tho Judge stepped quickly to, MS
desk and brought the gavcl dow, with 2
sharp rap. a Juror apearer III the lower owe.
doorway. and then, one by one. I'M en-
tire twelve came in. Twelve loces were
& never more carefully scanned tWelNe
faces were never more utterly barring.
II was 1854 when the men came back.
,rhey had been away twenty-one minutes
T1yeryhody knew some decision had been
reached but none could tell what II was.
The velve names were called aloud. and
then: Are YOU ready with your verdict
/. gentlemen Of the jury?' asked me ,unse.
eve are" promptly Responded oi'tpl ltoi'
Chieves. the foreman
"Centlemen Of the jury, what IS your
verdict
THROUGH, the awful stiffness camo
voice. and these were the words:
eve, the jury, and the defendant guilty
as charged in the Indictment OF rnutoe'
in the first degree.
Words fail me when try to describe
The scene The silencc was frightful'
lThc terrified face of little. Ruby McCue
blotted out half the remainder OF the
audience Nearly one thousand people,
tense strained. eager, sat without a
sound scarcely ia breath. Willie McCue,
whose desperate effort to save his fatner
from the gallows had failed shook like
nrsaspen and then broke utterly down.
The boy sobbed nlori in his agony. The
ns!Ien faces Of his little brothers and the
Others of his family showed all around
him. AT the command of the clerk of the
court, McCue stood up. and the Vefolct
was read to him. Like an arrow he stood
there. with the sunlight streaming across
HIM Not Il muscle In his face twitchcd
when the solemn words were pronounced.
The venerable clerk faltered and almost !
fell; the murderer was absolutely I'M
moved
In a moment McCue was back In his
seat Again that silence more awful than
death itself. Then from his scat arose
the stunned counsel for the defense ana |
asked for u half hours conference. The |
court granted tho request, and the gen
temen including y. .. McCue. brother
OF the convicted man, left. The jury'nen
were thanked by the Judge and permitted
to go outside. For precautionary ren-
sons, which proved to be not unfoundsd,
they wore held together for an hour
longer. y -
Heart ending Scene.
,.,f l,,,fI,.