The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-27
WOULD HAVE
RAZOR ANYHOW
IA Henrico Negro Makes Orc
From Shoe
Spring.
ARGUED FOR A NEW TRIAL.
Attorney English Seeks Another
Chance for Austin
Johnson.
ARGUED FOR A NEW TRIAL.

When prisoners left the Hcnrico jail
Ast week and the week before IT was
aoticcd that they were clean shaven and
that their heads were, with few cxcep-
lions, shaved. 1t was Il source Of surprise
to the officers for a time. but none began
MI inqulsitoral investigation for the rea-
son that II was surmiscd that one Of the
other keepers had allowed barber to
enter the jail and prepare the prisoners
for their departure out into tho wide,
wide world.
But two or three days ago an officer
chnnced to walk through the corridor
OF the jail ana found a negro propped
against the iron bars with his head white
with tar soap. Another negro. Dan Rey-
iioids, was doing tho barber act, and was
making Il good Job of 1t.
No knives or razors are allowed In tho
Jail and tho officers asked for the weapon.
1t was given him after he had permitted
the shaving OF the scalp to progress to
q finish.
The razor captured is an example OF
the old adage that necessity Is the
mother Of invention. The blade was
made from the spring In shoe. This
blade is encased In n tin Shield made
from the rim OF n bucket. The handle
is rudely cut, but answers every pur-.
pose las5, 535s
the weapon, but that 1t was given 10
him BY a prisoner who was turned out
about two weeks ago. Tho spring OF the
shoe was pure steel and when ground on
II the rocks In the cell II made an excellent
4 razor, az shown by tho artistic work that
was being done with It.
1t is now In the possession of the jail
authorities. u
Another Wire Gutter.
a William Yancey. a negro. was arrested
Sunday by Special Officer Overton OF the
VirgnIa Passenger and Power Company
upon n charge of being an accompllcee Of
James Lewis alias James Dagger and
James Hitter. the two men who are charged
With cutting the feed wire OF the street
railway company on the Seven Pines line.
Yancey was seem to get off the car with
Lewis, and Hitter on the night that the
i wire WAS cut and he Is held as an accom-
plIce.
All three OF the men will be tried next
Saturday before Squire Lewis In the
county. 81. q
Motion for New Trial.
= In the Circuit Court room in Richmond
yesterday, Judge Scott. OF Hcnrico coun-
ty,rhenrd the motion OF Attorney Edgar
n B. English for n new trial for his client,
@Anstin Johnson. the negro who has been
convicted OF criminal assault upon
little Ruth Pinchbeck, and who is to hang
on July 10th. Judge Scott took the matter
under consideration and will render q
decision tomorrow morning. 3
VI In his argument to the court, Mr.. Eng
fish brought out the fact that there was
evidence discovered after the trial. He
presented afiidavts to disprove state
mcnts OF the prosecuting witnesses and
laid stress upon the alibiBpresented by the
condemned negro, which he claimed had
not been refuted by the witnesses for the
\ other sidc ief q 58 ~ 4
Johnson in the meantime Is keeping
silence In the jail. He talks q very little 4
Z to the prisoners who congregate in the
corridors at times and even when his
relatives have visited him he has re-
Trained from discussing the case In any
way. III sG,4 y ~ b
Wanted Examination.
Samuel King. "a negro OF about thirty
five years OF age was held for the grand
jury yesterday by. Squire Thomas, OF
FIenrco county. on.a charge OF attempt
ed criminal assaultsupo his 8sixteen-year-
old stepdaughter. King. through his at
storney, Mr.. Moncure. OF the firm OF Smith,
Monciire and Gordon, waived preliminary
examination. IS
Constable, Burch arrested the negro near
Glen Allen last week.
Wouldn't Take Him Back.
Howard McElroy, young white man.
now serving a sixty days. sentence I'M
the Henrico jail upon a charge Of tres
passing upon the property OF the railroad,
is a confessed deserter from the United
States navy, yet It seems that the au-