Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-24
WANTED IN VIRGINIA
REQUISITION FOR ALLEGED AS
SAILANT OF MISS RISLEY.
Warrant to Be Sent to Richmond
Officials Obtain Statement From
the Prisoner.
Courtesy of the Southern Railway }

John Wright, alas Joseph Thomas color
ed, who was identified at the District jail
saturday night as the asSailant of Miss Ma
bel Rlsley and Forrest Goodng while near
four-M1le Kun. Va, the evening of the 9th
instant. is to be taken to Virginia for trial
II the local courts will surrender him Com
monwealths Attorney Crandal Mackey is
preparing a warrant and he will swear to
the writ upon Information he received from
Miss Risley and the prisoner. The warrant
tomorrow morning will be taken to Rich
mond by Deputy Sheriff Fields of Alexan-
dria county for the purpose of having the
governor issue an application for the pris-
oner. The requisiton will name Sheriff w
ii. Palmer as the agent of the state. 1t is
thought that the papers will reach here
Wednesday morning. There will be no de-
lay in presenting the application to the
chief justice of the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia. Should the applica-
ton be granted the prisoner will be taken
to the Jail at Fort Myer Heights and there
held until court convenes the 18th of next
month
Sheriff Palmer assures me that he will
be able to take care of the prisoner and
have him in court said the commonwealth
attorney to Star reporter today.
No Mob Violence.
There will be absolutely no excuse for
mob violence in this case" he added. 'Mobs
frequency act because they wan, to avoid
the necessity of having the women con-
cerned appear in court and tell their stories
Under the laws of Virginia a woman wit
ness in rape case is not reqI . ID to go
upon the witness stand and -. her story
in public. She makes <~.,osition in pri-
vate, counsel on botn IS being present
and her deposition is read to the jury. This
condition of affairs, together with speedy
trial, should certainly satisfy the people of
Virginia
Sheriff Palmer proceeded to Alexandria
this morning to learn what he could about
the movements of Wright the day that Miss
Risley and Mr.. GOOding We're assaulted.
While Commonwealth Attorney Mackey and
Sheriff Palmer were at the Jail yesterday
they had lengthy conversation with the
prisoner. They reduced his statement to
writing and wanted Wright to sign it, but
Warden Harris appeared at the Jail about
that time and objected to such a proceed
ing, saying he thought the prisoner should
be allowed to consult counsel before sign
ing any statement. The latter was not a
confession. really embracing a denial of the
charge. 1t also contained explanations re-
latfng to the whereabouts of the prisoner
the day the assaults were committed
The Virginia officials withdrew from the
prison after they had conversed with the
warden Mr.. Mackey said he was well sat
isfied with the Identification of the prison.
er. Capt. Mathews and Policeman Wood
who were responsible for the first visit to
the Jail by Miss Risley visited the institu-
lOn yeSleTuiy IuOTnlIS Win the young WO-
man. They were both congratulated by Mr.
Mackey for what they had done in the
Warden Harris Explains
Warden Harris told Star reporter today
that the reason he did not permit Wright
to sign the statement was because Miss
Risley had first identified another man, and
he thought the case was Of such a serious
nature that the prisoner should have the
right to see counsel. The warden said he
was not present Saturday night when Miss
Risley called at the Jail and saw Wright.
but he had been assured by five guards
that she first picked out man named
Henry Johnson as her assailant Johnson
he said, had been in Jail for about nine
months and she was told that he could not
possibly have been in Virginia on the day
charged. His guards. he added, say that
Wright was called back after the several
prisoners had started toward their cells
and that Miss Risley then declared that he
was her aSsailant
Policeman Wood was seen by a Star re-
porter today and he denied that Miss Ris-
ley had identified any prisoner in the Jail
other than Wright. Miss Risley was not at !
her home when Star reporter called there