The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-08
EMMETT POARCA
GETS MANY YEARS !
Petersburg Man, Who Killed
His Wife, Sentenced 70 lsiga-
teen Years iii Prison.
WILL NOT TAKE APPEAL
Judge Tells Young Man That
He Ought to ThaniS Jury M
for Mercy.
WILL NOT TAKE APPEAL

tJia s. SnccInl TO IhcsIlmGs- DlRphtCn
PETERSBURG, VA, February MUIR
der in tho second degree, with n punish
mont OF eighteen years in the penltcn-
tiary, was the jury's verdict IN the Hus-
tings Court this afternoon in the case OF
Emmett Ponrch. II well-known young
white mechanic of this city, who shot
his wife to death at the residence of 4
Mrs. Agnes Walden, on Lombard Street,
about half-pnst.b o'clock on the after
noon of December 3lst. The defense was
that Poarch fired the shots while III an
Irrational condition, produced BY drink
ing laudanum shortly before he went to
see his wife. The prisoner himself was
the only witness who testified to the
drinking OF any landanum before the
crime. He told the story of the misery
and distress or his married life, and his
consequent determination to Kill himself.
for which purpose he bought ten cents
worth OF laudnnum on the afternoon OF
the killing, and drank it while on his
way to the Walden house, after which
he remembered nothing that occurred
until after DR.. w. p. Hoy had worked
on him ut the police station to save him
from the effects Of the second dose Of
laudanun, which he was seen to pur-
chase in q drug store on Bolllngbrook
Street Immediately after the murder.
Saw Him Drink It.
Police Officer Dyson testified to seeing
Poarch drink the laudanum on Boiling
brook street but there was no corrobo-
ration of the prisoners statement that
he drank any before the shooting. Mrs.
Agnes Walden. her son James Walden,
and Dottic Judkins. who were in the
room where the killing occurred, told
practically the same story stating that
Poarch walked In and asked his wife TO
talk to him privately, which she refused
to do, whereupon he fired four or nVe
shots G. b. Carter, a gunsmith, testi-
fled that Poarch secured pistol and
cartridges from him on the day OF the
crime, and Bill Carney, a saloon pro-
prietor, told the story Of writing will
for Poarch on the same day, both OF
which facts were strongly emphasized
by the prosecuting attorney in his argu-
rncnt to establish premeditation. Police
man Brister also stated that Poarch
handed him will when he was brought
TO the police station The prisoner was
ably defended by D. Hamilton Wilcox,
OF the law firm OF Wilcox q wilcox,
who made an eloquent plea for mercy
at the conclusion OF his argument, that
tho man was Irrational when he shot his
!; wife Comm onwcaltt' r. Attorney r. il.
Mann conducted the prosecution, and
K made q most succinct and forcible sum
ming up OF the case against the prisoner
in which he told the jury that he asked
4 for no mans life, but in this Instance
was unable to see how they could avoid
the painful duty Of finding the prisoner
guilty OF murder In the first degree. 'che
Jury were out about an hour. After the
reading OF the verdict, Mr.. Wilcox an.
nounced that he would not ask for q
new trial. Judge Mullen told the pris,
pner that he should ibncyery grateful fol
the mercy shown By the jury.
Will Act Promptly.
Officials and engineers OF the Atlantic
Coast Line and Norfolk & Western
railroads have made an examination
the Union Depot in this city preparation,
10 making such changes in the buldins
as Will comply with the law requiring
separate waiting rooms for white an,
colored people. The City Council. at it
meeting last Tuesday evening. was mott
fed by the grand jury that separate
rooms were not provided at that station
and Instructed It's clerk to inform tn
State Corporation Commission OF tn
situation.
In the Mayors Court this morning tn
cases OF d. p Pitt and l.. F. Rivenbach
the young men under arrest on charg
OF swindling people by falsely represent
Ing themselves as agents for Phila
delphia magazine. were continued unit
tomorrow. G, T. Lassiter has been re
tanned to defend them.