Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-06
White xsnsh Testify Against 10.
torious Martha fobbson.
B)uenr ORUG II ACCUsee's HOUSE
Attorney Makes
Out Strong Case Against the We.
nan-Case Will Go to the Jury
Today.

The trial OF Martha Robinson.
negrcss who Is charged with selling
cocaine without r license. began be-
fore Judge Barham in the Corpora.
lion Court yesterday morning, and
when court adjourned for the lunch
hour all Of the evidence was conclud-
cd. The entire afternoon session was
consumed in the argument on the
instructions to the jury. When
court adjourned for the day Judge
Barham took the Instructions unler
consideration and will announce his
decision on them this morning. The
argume mt In the case will begin after
the instructions are read TO the jury,
and 1t Is expected that the case will
90 to the jury early this afternoon.
Commonwealth Attorney Berkeley
submitted. Ten instructions for
jury. Some of these covered the law
concerning the cases In which a party
conducts sales OF cocaine through
agents and others the law where q
person has cocaine on his premises
and allows 1t to be sold. Attorney
c Aylett Ashby and +. S. Robinson,
counsel for the accused, submitted
five instructions asking tor acquittal
on the grounds that the ac1sesed did
not make the sales shown by the
common wealth in the case. Captain
Berkeley objected to three of the
instructions OF the defense on the
grounds hat they were contrary to
law.
White Women Witnesses.
Lillian Young and Lula Marshall.
white women who were sent by the
police to Martha Robinson's house
TO purchase cocaine. were the first
witnesses called in the case by the
commonwealth. Both Of the women
testified that they went to the Rob-
inson wonan's house and asked for
two boxes OF cocaine. The woman
said she did not sell it, but hat she
would send out and get the cocaine
for them. She then called Rosa Lee,
q little negro girl, and told her to
90 to Jew Annie" and get two boxes
of cocaine The girl was out some
time and while awaiting her return
Martha treated to drinks, sending
Wilson Jackson. . negro who L.
at the house, out to get the drinks.
Later Martha called the Lee Girl and
soon she and Jew Annie came into
the house. The latter asked Mar
tina II it was ALI right" and the re-
ply was yes" Jew Annie then
went down stairs and brought up two
boxes Of cocaine, but Martha would
no, let her give the women the drug
in the house. The trio then went
a Chinese laundry nearby where tn
transfer of the dope" WAS made.
Jew Annie" kept the cocaine boxes,
pouring the cocaine into paper and
giving 1t to the women.
Annie Smith, alias Jew Annie.
was the next witness. She said that
when she went to Martha's an.
found Lula Marshall and Lillian Young
there that she went down into NAL
,ha's kitchen and got two boxes
cocaine from Wilson Jackson. She
said the negro broke the boxes OH
a long roll of boxes wrapped In
newspaper. She also said That on
the night before she bought some CO.
came from Martha for two soldiers
Martha Robinson took the stand III
her own behalf and admitted the
truth Of all Of the testimony OF the
witnesses for the commonwealth ex-
cent the statement that the CO.
caine was taken from her kitchen.
Wilson Jackson also took the
stand and admitted the truth OF ala
the commuwealths evidence eAcep.
that part in which no was credi'ed
with selling cocaine TO Jew Annie.
Jackson was the last witness call
cd.
The maximum punishment Tor the
oifcnse with which Martina Roo'hsoh
is charged. 10 Eve years tn the pen