The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-06-02
VERDICT WAS MOT GUILTY"
Small Negro Boy Who Killed Son of
Mr. I. H. Thompson Released.
Case Consumed Entire Day Yester-
Gay-Verdict Returned at $3.50 Last
Nicht-EOy Was Only 10 Years of
ASc-Three Other Murder Cases On
the Docket.

The criminal aspect in the Superior
court was bad yesterday, the day be-
case and during the day the grand re-
turned true bills for murder against
Frank Bell, John Reid and John
Bishop.
The case of Zepheniah White, the
small negro boy who killed the son of
Mr.. L. II. Thompson, was taken up
yesterday morning and went to the
jury about Z p. m. A verdict Of mot
guilty" was returned at $50.
Z~ephaniah White is a little black
negro ten years of g and as he
sat III the bar and heard the evidence
no trace Of uneasiness came to his
face. He wore a look of calm indif-
ference, showing that he did not real
iZe in the least the seriousness of the
charge for which he was being tried.
Are you scared much," asked a re-
porter, and Zephaniah's reply was,
NO sir, / amt scared much He
was also asked why he threw the rock
at the boy and according to his state
ment he and the boy were both throw
ing rocks or pieces of brick at each
other.
The following were the jurors in the
case of Zepheniah White: D. T. Pet
ersOn, ]. II. Hardee. b. L. Grant, j.
W. Williams, C. z. Bolles, Jr., II. w.
Penny, H. NJ. Ford, J. 3. Hewlett, T.
X. Curtis, Henry A. Field, James
SwinsOn and j. II. Pickett.
y number of witnesses were intro
duced by the state, the princi-
pal ones being the physician who at
tended the child, DR.. T. S. Burbank,
the coroner, DR.. G.. d. Bell and DR..
William ID. Mcmillan, who held an
autopsy over the remains. The evil
dence showed that the child died from
lcckjaw as Il result of a wound in
HIcted over the left eye by Il piece of
brick. Other witnesses examined were
the small boys who We're with the
Thompson child when the brick was
thrown.
The readers Of The Messenger are
familiar with the circumstances I'M
der which little David Thompson was
killed, but as it has been two months
since the boy was hurt, he having
been hit by the brick on April LIST, 50
the public may have forgot some of
the circumstances.
David White and several playmates
were playing at Eighth and Walnut
streets and became engaged in a quar-
rel with Zephaniah White. A small
negro boy who was lei stated that
he saw the white boys and the negro
quarreling, but before he could reach
them he saw Zepheniah pick up a
piece of brick and throw it at David
Thompson. The brick struck him just
a little to the left of the nose and just
over his eye. The child was carried
so his home at Seventh and Walnut
streets, DR.. T. s. Burbank summoned,
and after the wound was dressed it
,fdid not appear to be at all dangerous
land would not have been if lockjaw
had not set in. The child was able to
, be out on the following day and ap-
. peared to be bright and we'll, and
there was no indication of lockjaw I'M
til the following Wednesday night
when the child complained of having
Il pain in his throat. The mex MORN
ing a physician was summoned who
diagnosed the case as lockjaw. The
echild died Friday afternoon.
In the meantime, on the Monday
morning after David Thompson was
hurt, Iepheniah White was tried be-
fore the mayor II on account of his
age he was not punished otherwise
than a severe whipping, which was
administered by his mother.
After the child's death, a corOner's
inquest was held and Il verdict rem
dered that David Thompson met his
death as a result of a wound inflicted
by Zepehniah White.
The case went to the jury late yes
terday afternoon. Mr.. George l.. Pes
<chau defended the boy.
1t is understood that the solicitor
will not ask for a verdict of murder in
lthe case against John Reid and John
Bishop, the two negroes charged with
killing Willy Kelly on the night of
March Goth at Sixth and Campbell
streets.
The ease of Frank Bell, according to
one of his attorneys, will not be tried
at this term of court.