Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-11-26
STATE MAKING STRONG
CASE AGAINST ACCUSED
Witness Identifies Lantern Which
Prisoner Brought Home After Night
Of Crime as Property OF One OF
Victims. Recognizing Wick Made
From Felt Hat-Wife sent For.
tBy Associated Press
(By Associated Press

(By Associated Press.J
RICHMOND. VA, Nov. 25.--A Taze-
well, Va. special to the Times Dis
patch. says the Little case opened
this morning and within thirty min
utes after court convened the jury was
impaneled
When night arrived and the court
adj ,urned for the day the State had
built up an exceedingly strong case
against the man accused OF the sex
tuple murder and arson.
The strongest witness against the
accused man was Mary Lee. who
swcre on the stand that the lantern
which Little brought with him after
spending the night of the murder
away from home was the enc which
was used in the Justis hcme and
which was the property OF George
Meadows
identified by Wick.
She identified it by the wick which
was made from felt hat Counsel
for defense fought hard against the
admission of this testimony, but after
argument on beth sides, the judge de-
cided to admit it.
This evidence showed beyond a
doubt that Little visited the Meadows
home on the night of the murder, as
il is known that the lantern was there
before the murder was committed.
Other witnesses admitted that the
lantern was the property of the late
George Meadows.
Mary Stacy, the woman with whom
Little was to have left the town of
Hurley for a western trip, admitted on
the stand that Little had told her that
he had money in the bank at Blue
field and that as soon as he could get
il out. that is, in about thirty days,
it being in the savings department,
he intended taking her away from
this section
Victims Had Large Sum of Money.
Evidence was admitted. showing
that George Meadows and Bette JUS
time Of the murder, but none OF the
money had been found on Little
Several times the lawyers got into
some pretty warm wrangles over the
admission of evidence. but while the
Judge ruled first one way and then
the other. in his gruff way. he gave
entire satisfaction to both sides.
Guard Around Jail.
The state claimed tonight that halt
its evidence was in and that it ex-
pected to finish tomorrow. The court
rccm was crowded all day and spe-
cial guard was thrown around the
jail tonight to prevent any trouble.
IL is rumored that Little will ask
his wife to take the stand tomorrow
She has been sent fer.
Aunt Betty" Justis, her nephew,
George meadows, and four members
Of the Iatter's family were murdered
at their h-me in Buchanan county
about a month ago. The mouse was
fred in an effort to conceal the muir
der and robbery. but the flames at
tracted neighbors to the scene and
Meadows body. with the head almost
severed. was discovered before the
fire reached it, The charred remains
f the other victims were taken out
later.
Several suspects were arrested and
released, aid various false clues were
ran down before Litties wife made a
confession that resulted in the ar
rest of the man now on :riaf
Mrs. Little told how her husband
came hcme with his shirt bloody af-
ter the murder. and Of a plot be
tween Little and an-;neT woman to
run away. Following Titles arrest
various bits OF evidence were picked
up by the authorities TO connect a
strong circumstant.a. caain.