Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-02
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Joseph Thomas, Alias Wright,
Sentenced to Be Hanged.
GRANTS STAY OF EXECUTION
Convicted of Criminal Assault Upon
Miss Mabel Risley.
MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL DENIED
Fall Term Of Alexandria Court to Con-
vene Monday - General
News Items.
MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL DENIED
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

! Special Correspondence of The Star.
| ALEXANDRIA, Va, November g. 1905.
AT midnight last night the jury in the
case of Joseph Thomas, alias Wright. col
ored. indicted for a criminal assault on
Miss Mabel Risley, now Mrs. Forrest Good
ing. after celebrating forty-ave minutes,
returned verdict of guilty as indicted,
! and fixed the punishment at death. John
B Henderson, jr., foreman of the jury, in
| reply to the usual question of the court,
| replied that verdict had been reached.
! and after it was read Judge Nicol directed
! the jury to return to their box and fix the
| penalty, as provided by law. which they
| did in about ten minutes.
| Wright was then ordered to stand UP for
| sentence, and in reply to question as to
| whether or not he had anything to say, he
replied that he had not, and Judge Nicol
| thereupon sentenced the prisoner to be
hanged December H. 1905. between the
| hours of 6 am. and II noon. Wright was
| visbly affected when sentence was pro-
nounced, although during the entire even
| ing he appeared more in the character of
| an interested spectator, and did not appar-
| emily realize the gravity of the penalty i'm
| posed.
When Judge Nicol. in a clear distinct
| manner, pronounced the sentence. there
| was neath-like silence in the courtroom,
| which remained unbroken until a few min
! utes afterward, when the handouts were
| placed upon the hands of the prisoner.
| A motion of Attorney James E. Glenn {.
| ents, who represented the prisoner, to set
| aside the verdict and grant a new trial
| was overruled by Judge Nicol. rha Judge
said he was going to dispose of the case
| at once, whereupon Mr.. Clements noted
an exception. stay Of execution for
| forty days in order to allow counsel for
the defense to prepare bill of cXcep-
| lions for an appeal to the supreme LouIi
| of the state was granted.
Judge Nicol stated that Wright had re-
ceived a fair and impartial trial before
| as intelligent jury as could be found in
| the state of Virginia. He stated that the
| case had received careful, thorough and
| conscientious consideration.
Instructions to Jury.
Among the courts instructions to the
| jury were the following: The court in
structs the jury that the very essence Of
this case is the identification Of the pris
oner, and If after full, careful and ma
ture consideration of all the evidence in
this case they are not satisfied hey ond
reasonable doubt that the prisoner at the
bar is the Identical person and none
other than the man who committed the
crime alleged in the Indictment they must
acqutt; but If they believe beyond :, rea-
sonable doubt that the crime alleged in
the Indictment was committed and that
the prisoner at the bar committed said
crime 1t is then their duty to convict
him"
completed last night about $50 o'clock, fol-
lowing which Commonwealth Attorney
Crandall Mackey took the floor for the
prosecution. Mr. Mackey made long and
vigorous plea for conviction, declaring that
in the event they failed to convict right
| after hearing all the evidence against him.
they could never agree upon any case. Mr..
Mackey reviewed all the evidence submitted
| and stated that the prisoner hao absolutely
no evidence in his favor.
For the Defense
Attorney Boteler, for the defense, stated
| that the first thing to be considered was
| whether or not a crime had been commit
| ted and then to decide whether not the
| man was the prisoner. Upon reviewing the
| testimony he declared that there had not
| been any positive identification.
Attorney Clements, for the defense, then
| took the floor and made an argument last
ing two hours for the prisoner. He declared
| that rape had been committed and ar
| raigned Commonwealth Attorney Mackey
| for not trying Wright for the murder of
| Jackson Boney.
Arguments were concluded by Mr.
| Mackey, who in a brief address stated to
| the jury that attempted rape punish
able by DEATH and he asked that Wright be
sent to the ScanolQ.
Denied by Wright.
| AS stated in yesterdays Star Wright was
put on the stand at late hour yes erday
| afternoon, and made an absolute denial Of
| the charge. He stated that his name was
Joseph Thomas, although he was better
| known by the name of John Wright. as his
mother upon the death of her husband,
| married a man named Lewis Wright. The
yartc a yITnC tI, naC 1llrrGp
Va, and had reside, in Washington for the
| past sixteen years. After last Christmas,
| he stated, he came to Alexandria and sub
| sequently he had been employed by Mr.
| Thomas NuEent for about two and one
| half months Wright stated that Mr.. Nu-
| gent got mad with him and had him az
| rested and this arrest occurred in Wash
| ington September 16 last. He stated that
Washington. and that the officer said: II
| have got 800 on you" He had been kept
in the station house, he said. by Capt.
Mathews for three days. and was after
ward conveyed to the District jail
The prisoner denied having ever carried a
pistol in his life. Witness also recalled the
visit of Policeman Wood, Miss Risley and
Forest Gooding to the District jail. Wright
| said that he was the second man In the line
from the end and that Miss Risley. pointing
her finger to Alabama Joe." said: THAT
that Alabama joe was darker than the
was. The witness then told of a converse
ton between Policeman Wood and Miss
Risley, whereupon he was called back and
Policeman Wood said: "Js this the man."
and Miss Risley upon hearing him talk
stated that his voice sounded familiar.
Never at Luna Park.
Wright denied ever having been near
Luna Park in his life. Witness stated that
on Saturday night, the night previous to
| the alleged assault, he and Mr.. Nugent
drove over the road from Washington to
Alexandria in Stat wagon. Concerning
his movements on the night in question
Wright declared that he secured a horse
and buggy He drove with two colored
women as far Foxhall road and after
about an hour or an hour and a half he
returned to Alexandria and turned the
horse into the livery stable, which was
about o'clock at night.
Wright was positive that he had never
seen Miss Risley until he saw her at the
District JAIL He claimed he was raised
among white people around Leesburg and