The Washington herald., 1908-08-16

I the teeth of the storm. and was out some
I time before he returned 20 shore. Whe-
I he did so. he went 90 the telegraph ofhc.
{ and sent a message % his mother. Mrs
Peter C. Haius. III Washington. in which
/ he said.
Il have shot Ned Hanaega-- He threat.
[ e1ed o strike me-
/ This was the first that was actually
known of the affair. Hams gave hiussI.
I up 20 the military authorities a. the posi-
/ and was taken 10 the county Jail OF EIiz.
abeth City County az Hampton.
When The grand jury Indicted Esi1s
t1e affair aroused the greatest inrares,
here. but the happenings that came later
when the trial was called caused a sen
saton.
The defense attempted 90 have the case
postponed on account of the u1ysicaI
condition OF Hai-s, huc i1 this they
failed Accordlu- 10 the laws Of Vir-
gina the defeu- NJ was auov-ed the
choice % being L. sf--e n. ~-i7ls-a. s
court OF lr the -irc--- court as rs fan
term His attorneys chose ria Aa-fe~.
ana the case was called on September s.
1871.
The social staudi-e Of the principals O
.
tle families most interested -er- added
interest 90 the case. that made 10 famous
l1 the legal annals Of the old Dominion.
Gathered iu the little courtroom az
Hampton. when the trial was called
were Gen ftEen COLI Hams father Of the
defendant. Lieut. John Ha.rs his brother.
who was at that time stationed with his
command az Fort Monroe SeUuau X
taEnesau. father rf the dead young man
Senator Voorhees,. whose proteEa Ned
HanEeEan had been and other perzorz
prominently Identified with the social life
oi washington and Fort Monroe
The selection 0t jury was speedily
accomplished and consisted OF 2 Z
Seeley. G. W Topping. D. H Landrum.
W W Chs,Es. P p. Davis. John Thomas.
l. r Armo-y. D W NerrIes. G. 3
Jones. A = Gilbert. John Williams. and
6. W Watts.
When summoned 20 the stand and ask
ed IL be was guilty OF not guilty. young
Thornton B Hams arose. and. clasping
the hand Of his mother. who was seated
near him answered. Not guilty" and
sat down.
The trial which lasted until September
Is. when the jury returned verdict or
not guilty, abounded n sensational fea-
lures and was talked Of for months.
Indignant at AcqufttaI.
Immediately following the acqui-tal Of
the prisoner, a number Of largely at
tended indignation meetings were held By
prominent citizens, and strong disap-
provaI OF the verdict was voiced by al
the speakers F-larinE handbUIs. inviting
all citizens % Elizabeth City County 10
attend the meetings and give their views
on the verdict. were scattered by the
thousa Ids.
At meeting in Hampton several nights
subsequent 20 the acquittal. Andrew A
LipsCOmb. prominent Washington attor-
ney, who led n the prosecution and who
was on his honeymoon. made an address
denouncfng the Hams Jury He was
followed 10 Old Point Comfort by Booker
Jones' one Of the jurors. as well as two
brothers and a friend. As 2Ir. Lipscomb
and his bride entered the lobby Of the
Hygeia Hotel Jones advanced toward
him in a menacing manner and drew q
revolver. Mr.. Lipsconb. who had armed
himself. also drew his revolver
Mrs LipscOmb had in the meantime
however, procured q revolver, and her
action was applaUded when she forced
the members Of the jury 70 fee to the
street. Mr. LipscOmb and his bride de-
parted the following night for New York.