The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-14
WILT AXE, /:
HIM UNDER.
.H.EAVY'C GUARD \ D
Negro Will Probably Go
to Roanoke.
NEW LAW. HOWEVER.
HAS IS. BEEN B q: I OFFERED q Fl
And III IS Possible That tho
Tc1on May be- ~ Tried led il .iIrl.. 1.S
This City.
WILL LIKELY MAKE. n N
PLEA 7 oFS j & INSANITY. N !. |! / / \ !
What the Negro Looks Like In
His Cell at the Jail-Says He
Wants to be Forgiven and
That He Was N in His 3sEs
Right Mind Denies MN
Criminal Assault. tS#
And III Is Possible That la,t. I'|a1''i the
Tc1on May be Tried il al
This City.
WILL LIKELY MAKE V. \ N
PLEA OF B INSANITY
I359 GfI5

4
B Unless a. bill now pending in the Cans
eral Assembly Is hurried through in Tins I
to meet tho issues in the case Henry
Williams. the negro assailant Of Mrs.s
Shields will early In this week be ken
under, heavy military guard to. Roanoke 4
and there, near the sceno OF his recent 4
crime, tried for his life. I, u u 58S;
Among the people OF the section VI hers /
sWilliams's dastardly hand a wrought n itsS
task Of villainy. the very sight Of the
negroes black face is likely to cause ses an
uproar, and a wild movement for SUM sum Y,
mary lnfllctlon Of punishment. Hearts;
already nflamed with wrath 81 will bsy ~
strained to the bursting point II the
negro is taken back to Roanoke. ii83
But the contingency It seems. is 8im-3s
pera tive. and While no directions hay0 l
been given, the Jail authorities here q ans NJ
ticipate Al remova 5 Of sat he II prisoner on 1
Tuesday or W ednesda ay. y a special grandgss
Jury meets tomorrow and Will indiqt at
once. and probe bly, fig the trial for the es
lWIlliams will S have to appear In the ;Elslg
court of Roanoke and b cad for hisf lffe.s
Trial Very Expensive.
IL IN view OF the fact that the military
guard to preserve the f laH' and prevent
mob violence Will be befbnecessarily large,
and expensive the bill 8in the Ilegls slatures
providing for change OF venue 4 4 llsHil
been offered. The patrongof this measure;
is Mr.. Royal, Of Tia Jewell, q and he s d. u
informed from official sources thai the
cost Of sending nE guard to Roan noke and
protecting Williams during the trial VIII
approximate $4,000 or $50, COO hesea
figures are astounding, but are declare0s
to be correct. In order to save the State
this great expense. Mr.. Royal oHered ms ms
bill. 1t provides that person charged
with criminal assault or attempted crimt-sa
nal assault may. with the consent OF the.
prisoner and In the discretionto Of the s1udg9
Of the Circuit Court Y Of the county Or
Corpora tion Court OF tho city In " hicfs4
the crime Is committed. be tried IN any
court OF the Commonwealth having turis-S
diction. and be punished riding to Ia IVY.
II the grand jury sets the trial at Q % %date
late enough to allow time for the passa Sc
OF this measure, which will be rushed7
through, a change OF venue can be ge-g
cured and Williams can be- tried here - lll
Richmond. 5s Ks y vi ysSI g3a iiG,
In the Jail.
u AT the jail OF Richmond, Williams, = ~ I.
self-confessed, is a stunned and despise'd
object. Hundreds OF citizens visited the
prison yesterday anxious to see thiD
strange creature who smiles as he tella$ H.
his blood-curddling tale. but all were
turned away disappointed. The ii Gov GonIXI-si
crnor has given strict orders that nos
body be permitted near his cell. This kia
n precautionary measure necessary uil-tss
der the circumstances. ss 8 iS3s
When4i is said that the negro is shun-8
ned and desplsed reference s not had
to these curiosity-seekers, anxious .l y
feed upon morbid sights. but to the very
iail population ltnelf. Bad rs IT is, this
scurry element has nothing In i 80 vile +
as tho now prisoner, and they have fbu 2
slight intercourse with him. Througl y 4
the winding and intricate maze OF doors;
ana bolts that leads to the impregnable \
cell OF the negro the writer was led yes n
terday by n jail official. The other prls-
oners were In the wakway amusing
themselves with the loud ana coarse 90
n,cnstrations that usually enliven the
interior of jail. Williams was alone
and unnotlced Every prisoner knew
where he was and pointed out the way.
but not word was spoken to him. ana
the little ragged, dirty crowd kept TO I
the other end OF the place.
Stretched full upon his back with his \
face turned up and his arms unoer MS 9
head. lay the prisoner when tho re-
porter reached him, He was apparently
asleep and was nwaked with ~ punch 4
from a newspaper, Without moving me
negro lay there. and. looking back over
hl: head, began to talk IN answer 70
questions. AT first he was slow ~ MS IS
recital. declaring that the newspapefs
always convicted man In advance q sssg
the trial, but after while he grew am,
mated, and Interested and, though SUI
wing on his back, he told his tale N lhi
AS negroes go, Williams Is not notice,
ably. certainly not remarkably. epll h
Inoking. He Is nearly SIX feet tall bnt
dcas not strike one as being a Particular
" powerful man, His hair IS short ana Y
tI;.re Is little Of it his eyes are large
snd protruding. His forehead Is ordl-g n
nary; his nose flat. ard MS ears aie
small, His teeth are almost conslanuy &
yisibe, which gives him the appearances 81
of being almost continuously smlllnB En3 II
rhe whole, he Is not negro VINO ~ou.h y
ba singled out of a crowd as one Capable q
of the very ACME of vliliany. HIS dls
pcsition shrinking and shifty, He " ~ si
a coward and he admits " ncnchanliy Il Il
as IL ii were something 70 his 8cred's,
Denies Strenuously, ~ I
Williams Is a strange enigma, mis-
5tnra of lnsensibillty and feeling, ie "
may. ba practiclng for the insanity pisa q
that he Will doubtless make, sla