Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-05-05
'R0UBtE IN p )KHATAN
MAY be rRECiPiTHTfD
Bodies Of Electrccuted Negro Murder
ere to be Accorded honors
by Friends.

RICHMOND. VA. May 4.-From
statements gathered in this city Pow
hatan county Is in a state Of more
intense excitement now than 1t has
been since the murder of Mrs. Skip
with and Mr. Johnson. The effect Of
these reports is that some negroes
of the county have united TO give
the bodies Of lsham and Joe Taylor.
WAC will be electrccuted tomorrow
morning a spectacular reception when
they arrive at Powhatan. making the
murderers appear martyrs.
: Whether this excitment is justified
by the fact cannot. OF course. be told.
Communication with the county is
very difficult whet Time is limited.
But IL is known thai precautions have
been taken to prevent any spectacular
display. even going so far as requests
being made TO the Governor TO refuse
to give the bodies of the men TO those
who ask for them. 1t is doubtful.
however. IL the Governor can accede
TO this request as the law specifically
states that bodies Of the executed
must be given to relatives upon de-
mand.
MajCr Morgan. head of the peDiten-
tiary. said this morning that he had
no choice in the matter. that he ha1
TO surrender the remains.
Band to Met Bodies.
The plan is. as heard here and at
Pow hafon Courtbo1,ea for a hrac
band to meet the tram carrying the
bodies at Clayville. the nearest stop
to the Skipwith home. Headed by
the band parade is 10 escort the
bodies 10 the farm owned by Isham
Taylor and t.ere bury them with
much ceremony. The distance 10 this
farm is about five miles. When the
burial is completed there is to be
a dinner.
IF whiskey should get into that
dinner" said a man familiar with
and connected with the case. today.
there will be some trouble"
Sheriff Baugh will be at Clayville
when the train bearing the bodies
reaches there. with number of depu-
ties. ready TO suppress any disorder.
1t is said that the playing of the band
will be regarded as disorder and stop
ped.
The place selected for the inter
ment of the bodies is exactly S45
feet from the scene of the murder for
which the men will die. To reach
the place the procession must cross
the Skipwith farm and the roadway
has been barricaded with barbed wire
Must Not Sever Wire.
They will not be allowed to cut
that wire" said Captain George Skip
with, one of the owners of the farm,
today. There is no objection to them
crossing the farm in an orderly, de-
cent manner, to bury the men, but
there shall be no celebration upon
the scene of the crime. | am not try
ing TO be bitter. and | will not be.
but if such a celebration as | hear OF
is held | would consider it worse than
the crime itself-it would seem 10
glorify the crime"
Inc DOuleS VIII De accompanied
from Richmond. 1t is said. by men,
bers OF the fraternities the men be-
longing to, and Joined by more in Pow
hatan county.
Commemorative Attorney Bonifant
is in Powhatan investigating the mat
ter today. 1t has been brought before
the Governor. who says that he can
do nothing to keep the bodies away
from relatives.
The law making him helpless will
probably be changed at the next ses-
sion of the Legislature.
II the parade is held it may incIte
the people CT both races-that isn't
doubted-and if an attempt TO hold il
is made there will probably be some
thing doing.
The men will be executed early to-
morning.
The train carrying their bodies will
leave here at IL O'clock