Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1904-02-18
A Negro Fiend Captured.

The negro villain who half killed
Mrs. Alice Shields and her little
daughter in Roanoke, Va, has been
captured, His name is Henry Williams
he was arrested onsuspicior at North
Fork, small mining town in the
Pocahontas coal region, where he was
working in hotel. A detective took
him to Jail at Blue6eld, where he was
photographed. The picture was sent
to Mrs. Shields, who identified him as
her assailant, The knife with which
he cut her throat was found in his
pocket, one of the blades being still
bloody. Detective W. G. Baldwin
managed to secure partial confession
from the negro, which was as follows:
About IL o'clock Friday morning.
January 20, l went to the home of Mr..
Shields and knocked at the door three
tim,s. No one answered. l then
walked in and went to the Kitchen,
where l was eating when Mrs Shields
came in. This so frightened me that
turned and struck her with Ratchet.
| then began to search the house for
valuables, and as | was starting up
stairs her little child began crying,
and l struck it to keep it from making
a noise. After had ransacked the
house and sup osed had everything
of any value | started down stairs to
leave the house, when | met Mrs.
Shields, who had razor and was ap-
preaching me with 1t jerked the
razor from her and slashed her across
the throat
He then added that he carried her
to closet, closed the door aud left
the house, going to a restaurant, where
he bought something to eat with mon
ey he found IN the purse stolen IN the
Shields home. Alter this lie became
aware of the excitement and states
that he Joined the crowd and remained
with them around the Shields home
for several hours. Leaving the crowd
he remained around Roanoke until
Sunday morning, when he took the
train for North Fork, arriving there
last night. He denies that he raw
ished his victim.
Williams was carried to North Fork
Friday morning, the home of his moth
er, where he confessed to having the
watches and purse stolen from the
Shields home. On arrival at North
Fork the detectives found the watches
and purse, and returned through
Bluefeld with their prisoner. A
special train was made up, and the
negro with heavy guard was placed
upon it. The train ran through
Roanoke at full speed, as it was be-
lieved to be certain death to the pris-
oner to stop the train there. 1t was
intended to put the negro in Jail at
Lynchburg, but big mob had gath
eIed there so the tram was hurried on
to Richmond, where the negro was
placed In Jail to await trial.
On Tuesday Williams was taken to
Roanoke for trial. Nearly all of the
State militia was called out to protect
him from lynchers On the special
train that carried him to Roanoke
were 500 Richmond soldiers, and 800
other soldiers preceded this train and
cleared the approaches to the station
Williams had been indicted on Mon
day by special grand jury for felon-
ious assault and robbery. AS soon
as the train arrived be was hurried to
the courthouse under the protection
of Is companies of State militia and
was tried on the charge of felonious
assault, which is capital crime In
Virginia. Besides military guard,
the court officers, the witnesses, the
jury and representatives of the press.
no one was admitted to the court
house.
The streets for several blocks around
the Jail were filled with soldiers, who
prevented any approach to the court
buildings. The prisoner, who already
had made several confessions, plead
ed mot guilty" but made no defense
The bloody Ratchet, filled with hair
from the heads of Williams victims.
and the bloody razor were introduced
in evidence by the Commonwealth.
To save Mrs Shields humiliation she
was not brought into court and the
details of he crime were not rehearsed
The jury was out FIVE minutes, and
within another five minutes Judge
Woods bad passed the death sentence
on the negro and ordered that he be
removed at once to Lynchburg for
saiekeeping until the day set for
hanging, when he will be brought
back to Roanoke and hanged.
Williams, when asked what he ha
to say, told the court that he was not
satisfied with the sentence and begged
to be sent farther away than Lynch
burg. During the trial Williams ap-
peared totally Indifferent, and after
being sentenced asked for his dinner.
There is more Catarrh in this section