Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1905-02-15
McCtie Expiates Crime of Wife
Murder at Charlottesville

| O6&4ANo h'@AsoNt @@~ON~J
prominent business man and form.
or mayor of Charlottesville, was
hanged last Friday in the jail
yard Of that city, for the murder
of his wife. The execution took
place shortly after sunrise. Nc
Cue left his cell, where he spent
sleepless night, shortly after 1870
o'clock, accompanied by his
spiritual advisers. The drop fell
vat 1896 and in nineteen minutes
he was pronounced dead.
Immediately after the execution
the three ministers of Charlottes-
Vile who had attended the con-
demned man, Rev. G. L. Petrie,
his pastor, Rev. H. B. Lee and
Rev. J. B. Turpin, made the fol-
lowing statement with reference
to McCue's confession:
"Mr. J. Samuel McCue stated
in our presence and requested US
to make public that he did not
wish to leave this world with
suspicion resting on any human
being other than himself; that he
alone is responsible for the deed,
impelled to it by an evil power be-
yond his control, and that he isc-
ognized his sentence as just.
As soon as the confession had
been written and delivered into
the hands of the gentleman of the
press, Mr.. Lee supplemented 1t
with an explanatory statement.
1t appeared to be the particular
desire of the prisoner, re said, to
have it understood that nobody
else was responsible for the crime :;
that he alone murdered his wife,
and that he recognized the SEN
tence of the court as just. The
prisoner had further desired it
made plain that, while in this way
he was responsible, in another way
he was irresponsible, when be
committed the deed. A spirit of
demoniacal rage moved him out Of
himself, and while in this frenzy,
when the devil had overpOwered
him, he struck, slew his wife. His
regret could not be measured in
words. When he arOse in the
court and made the plea of "not
guilty" he meant simply what
has been said here, that an I'M
pulse foreign to his real and better
nature, moved his hand.
The Charlottesville Progress,
CON menting on ths confession,
ssys:
Upon the best authority it is
stated today that j. Samuel Nc
Cue not only made the above con-
fessson to his ministers but that
he also confessed to them that he
shot Mrs. McCue while she was on
her knees pleading with him to
spare her life.
7"An inner guard heard the de-
tails of the confession early this
morning, it is believed, but further
than the above sentence he will
not say. He does admit, however,
that the public's idea of the crime
ia nearly correct-that McCue be-
came Infatuated at his wife for up
5raiding him for biz association
with other women, that he hated
the Continual nagging which ht
was forced to undergo dey after
day, that he struck Mrs. McCue
with his fist not with a baseball
bat), that she ran to the bath
room to escape from him and that
he followed and shot her while
she was on her knees pleading
with him. 'Oh, Sam, Sam, you are
killing me. l shall die anyway.
Don't treat me so. "
The body of McCue was taken
to "Brooksville," near Alton in
Albemarle county, and buried
Saturday beside the ashes of his
parents. The services were con-
Quoted by DR.. Petrie of the Pres
byterian church, Charlottesville,
his former pastor.
HISTORY OF THE CRIME
Mrs. Fannie NJ. McCue, wife of
j. Samuel McCue, former mayor
Of Charlottesville, was murdered
in their home in that city on Sun
day evening, September 4, 1904.
McCue claimed that an intruder
had entered their bedroom just
after their return from church.
and while they were preparing to
retire.
Later, the wife was found beaten
and shot to death in the bath tub.
McCue offered liberal reward.
A coroner's jury Immediately
began an inquisition. Before it
concluded its work McCue WAS
arrested, charged with the murder
of his wife. The accused retain
ed brilliant counsel. He was in
dicted at the September term of
court, was arraigned and pleaded
not guilty. The case was set for
trial at the October term.
Great difficulty was experienced
in getting u jury. just 1853 venire-
men were summoned before twelve
jurors were accepted. The cost
! for iurOra ard mjleape wRe 81 =