Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-03-02

Il
| timed In conclusion the judge said
he would put every man who created
disorder in Jail.
Then the jury was brought in and
| the foreman handed the verdict to
Clerk Smith. A pin could have been
| heard 10 drop as the clerk Gale /
, The names of the jurors and the
. sergeant counted as they answered
Clerk Read Verdict.
Davenport stood mp and The clerk
read the verdict as follows
We the jury find The prisoner
gnilty of murder as charged in the
Indictment
"T NJ. BIGGER. Foreman"
Because the verdict did not say
first or second degree, the jury was
obliged 10 retire again. In Il few
minutes the jurors were back in their
seats and The clerk read the verdict
Murder in First Degree.
we the jury find the prisoner
guilty Of murder in the first degree
as charged in the Indictment.
"T. NJ. BIGGER. Foreman"
Daring all of this time there had
heen quiet. even the prisoner not
making a sound. Al first The express
sion of Davcnport's face did NOT seem
10 change.
Prisoner Breaks Down.
When the motion for a new trial
had been made. the crowd was dis.
missed and Deputy Sergeant Curtis.
Jailor Brown and Detective Sergeant
O1lara started 10 remove The prison
er. Davenport could hardly rise from
his chair ana began To sob like a
child. Al the steps he broke down
completely sal on the steps AMI
sobbed violently. He was almost ear
ricd to the Jail and when placed in
his cell, fell upon the cot like a dead
man.
The jurors and the officers of the
court had been under a severe ncr-
vOus strain since the trial began
last Friday and all were more or less
| affected by the closing scene.
Foreman of Jury Weeps.
The foreman Ct the jury wcpt and
the eyes Of most Of his fellows were
wet. One of The jurors was over.
heard 10 say that it was no, sym
PATTY for the prisoner that caused
| the emotion. but that it was just III.
result Of relaxation from nervous ten
sion and the thought of the awful
duty which they had been calle'!
upon to perform.
The jury was discharged until fur
iher notice. Judge Barham said that
he would not state positively that The
members would not be called upon TO
sit in some of the other eases on the
decker for this term of the court
Jurors Compimented.
Judge Barham stated after court
adjourned that this was one of The
finest jurics he had ever seen. Ser
geanl Mlstead who had the jurors
in custody from Saturday until yes.
terday afternoon. sleeping and ea.-
ing with them, declared that he hal
never had better lot of men to
deal with. Similar statements were
made bv other court officers and
| even among The spectators only ia
| vorablc comments were 10 be heard.
Considered Case Carefully.
1t is understood that most of the
| jurors had practically made up their
minds before they retired 10 consider
the case. Nevertheless. they went
over the evidence and instructions
carefully and took no poll until every
| Thing in connection with The case had
been carefully weighed Then. ii is
| said twelve ballots were dropped in
To II hat and every one of them was
for conviction.
New Evidence Plea.
II is said that Attorneys Collie.
and Robinson will ask for another
trial on the ground that new evidence
has been discovered They claim
that the gun taken from Davenport :
house by The officers was not used
H The date for hearing the motion TO-
new trial has not been SET. Com
monwealth's Attorney Robinson ant
j. j. NewSome will argue against tho
motion.
Story of the Crime.
The murder which the jury place
at the door of a. l.. Davenport wa:
committed about 9:05 O'Clock on Tho
night Of January 20 Willie Thorn
as. a negro about 90 years old. who
was employed in the blacksmith shol
at The shipyard. was shot ana killed