The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-12
Counsel for Mrs. PEBBLES
Will Seek to Show She
Was Driven to Act.
.CIIOKED AND BEAT
BEFORE SHE HIT
Statement OF Case by the Com.
inonwealth, However, Indicates
Vicious and Most Afro
cious Murder-Jury
Gotten-Evidence
Begins To-Day.
Especial to The Times plspatch.l j

BEDFORD CITY, VA, December IL.
Tho trial of Mrs. Edmonia NJ. Pee
bles. charged with the murder OF her
husband, was begun in the Circuit
Court to-day. Eight Jurors had been
secured yesterday afternoon. and by 3
O'Clock to-day the full number had
seen selected, and the case was entered
upon In earnest.
Mrs. PEBBLES stood up and heard the
srri;gnment without tremor or any
display of emotion. Willie the jury
was being selected she held In her
hand copy of Virginia Reports, and
turned over the pages, seemingly read
ing little at intervals.
The Commorwealth's attorney, Mr..
II. o. Humphreys, brought into court
front OF the prisoner the weapons Of
the tragedy--a double barrel shotgun,
three flint rocks covered with hair and
blood. ana a bottle with some of the
shair and scalp of the murdered man.
AT the sight of these Mrs. PEBBLES
cclored. but showed little emotion
otherwise, and soon resumed her pe-
rusnl OF the law volume. Witnesses
for the prosecution We're sworn, among
them being the little daughter of the
prisoner Mary Sue, eleven years OF
age. When the mother saw her she
again col6red, but her composure re-
statement made by the Commonwealth,
with all its Gruesome details.
Statement OF the Case.
AR Humphreys said he would prove
that on August 81. 1907, there lived In
this county. nine miles from Bedford
City and one mile from Wilkes's Mil,
the PEBBLES emily, consisting of Mrs.
EdmSnia PEBBLES. Clifton. son six
tesn years of age; Mary Sue. a girl of
cltyen, and Clyde, about three or four
years old.
On the afternoon OF thar day Mr.
PEBBLES returned with Mary Sue from
a trip to Lynchburg. He brought a PAL.
OF shoes for the baby and went to the
Kitchen, some twenty-seven feet from
the house where his wife was pre-,
pairing supper; a quarrel ensued; rough
Language was used. blows passed, and
Mrs. PEBBLES struck her husband on
the head with the stove litter. He
went into the yard tol wash away tile
blood. She went to the house, pro.
cured a gun. and stood at the door.
She asked IL he was done botherin,,
her. He replied he was not afraid Of
her bluff. whereupon. without further
provocation. she fired at close range.
tearing away tho lower part of his
face. He fell In his tracks, and she
ran up with five shooter to finish
him. but the pistol failed to go off.
Unable 10 speak. waving his hands
over his head for mercy and receiving
none, he rose to his feet and beganSto
run. followed by his wife, who fired
again this time without effect. When
she overlook him he turned and wres..
ed the gun from her. Then she strucl,
him on8the back of the head with a
rock and he fell. She then beat his heat
with other rocks until life was ex-
tfnct.
End OF Long Tragedy.
Nelson Sale stated the case for the
defendant, and here. for the first time.
Mrs. PEBBLES broke down and wept.
He said he would prove this was mere
iy tho last chapter OF a long tragedy,
the entire married life Of his clienti
that PEBBLES, who was a very large
man. abused and beat his wife. espe-
cially when drunk; and that he had
attacked her at times with a razor, a
hatchet, and. when about to give birth
to q child. he had kicked her. causing
the death Of the child and almost the
deutl. ofBthe mother. Hewould prove
thut on the fatal evening PEBBLES re-
turned home drunk. and when he went
to the Kitchen he attacked his wife
and choked her because supper was
not ready. While struggling to get
away from him she had struck him
with the stove-lifter With that he
seized an ak handle and struck her
several blows until she. escaped to the
house, where she procured the gun.
He went to wash away the blood. Mrs.
PEBBLES asked IL he was done bother
ing her. FIe made no reply except to
point to his head. She asked again.
and lie advanced threateningly. Then
size fred he fell to. his hands, but re-
ran after her, when she fired
again without effect. He continued
to pursue her down tho lane, where
they struggled for the gun, and with
which lie struck her several blows.
Then sha struck him behind the head
With a rock and used other rocks until
he. died.