The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-13
Mary Sue PEBBLES Recites
Horrible Detailsof Kill
ing Of Her Father.
SHOT, HIM DOWN.;
THEN USED ROCKS
Would Not Let Her Go for a
Neighbor, but Made Her Cover
Up Blood Spots Coroner
Tells About Wounds
and What He
Saw.

Saw.
Especial to The Times Dispatci.l
| BEDFORD CITY. VA. December IL.
-The remarkable spectacle of young
girl being used as the chief witness to
convict her mother OF the murder of
her father. vas witnessed here to-day,
when Mary Sue PEBBLES, eleven years
old. pretty, intelligent and well poised.
was called to the stand In the trial OF
| Mrs. Edmoria 81. PEBBLES, charged with
/ killing her husband.
The girl not only gave recital of
tho horrifying details of the Staying
OF her father by. her angry mother,
libut had to draw a diagram on a black
board in court. showing the location
/ OF the house and Kitchen and where
she was herself during the tragedy.
And the child stood the trying or
deal we'll. Her answers were clear and
direct. Indicating unusual intelligence.
Her testimony constituted the sensa-
sion. during which number OF other
witnesses were also examined
i The face OF Mrs. PEBBLES was very
serious when she was brought into
court early this morning. and her eyes
showed signs of weeping. She had
with her small phial OF campI,or.
which she used from time to time.
4 What the Coroner Found.
i DR.. T. p. West. of this place, was
\ the first witness called He was Cor
oner at the inquest over the body of
ID. c. PEBBLES. He testified that he
was called to act September I'd at 1
o'clock In the yard of Mr.. PEBBLES.
The dead mans lower jaw was shat
tered, part of his tongue was gone.
and ordinary articulate speech was i'm
possible. This wound alone could have
caused death. The shot came ohiiauely
across the face. slightly from behind.
4 q There are several other wounds On
the head. one OF which would have
caused certain death. The skull was
8 fractured and a portion driven into the
brain. The wound was about an Inch
wide and tlsree Inches long. 1t went
into the brain about two Inches. and
! was made by some Blunt instrument.
presumably asheaYy rock. There were.
other wounds all over his head. and
his face was crushed. his nose being
mashed in. In hissoptnion. PEBBLES diad
from a combination OF these wounds.
but either was sufficient to have caused
Edeath.
Hood ON Gate Posts.
4 DR.. West described the public road
\ near the house, and the PeebIess prl-
tion We're twa gate-posts, and blood
was spattered on the base of each OF
4 them. There We're stains along the wlv
4 leading to the house, and an effort had
been made to cover UP these. Tho
J, bloody stones had been thrown aside.
but when recovered We're covered
q with blood and bloody hair The
Peebles's gates were visible to ono
I passing the public road. There was
:. evidence OF something being dragged
ito8the house.
On cross-eSamination by Afr. Sale,
. DR.. West stated that the private road
q entered the public road obltquely.
y leaving a small triangle OF land be-
lyond the gate-posts highly elevated
between the two roads, both Of which
: were depressed a few feet. FIe said
: como OF the blood stains we're ap-
proXimately as large as ones hand.
! and some may. have been covered by
dragging something. hut some We're
. covered as by putting fresh dirt over
them; some were unmolested. &c
:; stated that the first gunshot wounl
could have been received by party
: approaching the gun II he turned his
: head to one side as 1t was being tired.
: and that It might have been possible
for PEBBLES to live after this wound
!. lif lie had been treated promptly. De-
scribing the body at the house, he said
lit was wrapped partly with baggtns
!. and a wire was passed around the BODY
! under the arm. It was covered with an
!, old wagon cover. and this had oyer<
E rocks, sticks ard dirt He said Teebles
8 was a little over medium size and
Il weighed possibly 175'pounds.
Girl Put On Stand.
q Mary Sue PEBBLES, the eleYen-year
!, daughter, was called. Her qualitica-
ton as a witness was carefully gone
Into. She testified that the family
& had moved from Amherst county three
tIyears ago. She and her father re-
: turned from. Lynchburg on august
4 -lIrying and Mrs. Fleet They came In
!. la two-horse wagon and reached home
! lFlate In the evening, and she and her
= father unhitched and fed the horses.
! When sre went to tho Kitchen she
, found her father trying shoes on the
!, baby. Her father was In good humor.
!. She cut off some bacon to cook. and
she went after the cows, Returning,
she heard her father and mother "hol-
.Llering and fussing. Putting up the
! cows she went to the house and saw
e her father at the kitchen porch wash
h ling blood Oft his head. Tier mother
!, came out OF the Kitchen and went into
! the house and returned with o gun,
which WAS kept at the head8of her hed
LIN a rack. TIER 4IilIpcVH SlaFleu tO tIlS
house, aud her mother kept asking,
Are you going to let me g lone?' He
said. 10 away from here and let n1e
E alone She saw nothing In her
a #Ifather's hand, Her father started Oft
Q Ito the house, and her mother kept on
9 ask Ing, n. Then are you going to let
7 mo alone2" He said. II anlsnot afraid
4 or any at your bluff, Isl AT that she
:. shot hinlsiin the face as he was going
yEtp the house. He fell. and she went
|, up and tried to shoot hin wlthfa pis.
8tol she had IN her pocket. This
!, weapon was brought into court aud
n identitled, She snslpped N IN his face,
\ but; IL did not so off. L Her father ran,
: -5the mother aftey him, gun in hand,
4 land shot MT him again, He kept rslns
= ming. She " piplsetl up a roc X and threw
4 II Tit him. linton, her brother, was
i at home s Roth asked 81 heir mother to
iilets thelr " father q lone, Vitness vas
ss Continued on Third Pa gG)