Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-11-16
Harry Sitlington Sentenced to Be
Electrocuted Dec. 10th

hlchm0nd.
The trial OF young Sitlington last
Thursday for tue murder of Miss
Fannie Brown at her home on Walk
er's Greek. October 22nd, was a
short one. This case was called at
ten O'Clock in the morning, and
shortly before four o'clock in the
afternoon the jury brought in a ver-
dict of murder in the first degree,
after being out only five minutes.
the negro received the verdict with
unchanged countenance.
A number of witnesses testified
at the trial, but the most damaging
evidence was by the prisoner him
self, whose testimony was at times
sensational and brutal. He admitted
participation in the murder of Miss
Brown, declaring that two white
boys had instigated the crime and
that his reward was to be a small
pistol, which was in court and
which seemed to be worthless.
The prisoner gave his age as 16
years and said that he had been liv-
ing at the Browns, for five or six
years and got along tolerably well
with the family. He sale that Stuart
and Clarence Jarvis inStigated the
killing; that they came to the
Browns, that day where he was at
work digging near the barn, and that
together the three boys did the kill
ing. He declared, rather indiffer-
emily, L took club and helped do
that crime" In reciting the steps
leading up to the murder, when
questioned by his counsel, Mr.. Glas-
gov, the boy made substantially the
following statement:
The two Jarvis boys came to the
Browns about noon, add shortly
thereafter they went TO the barn and
concealed themselves. After dinner
Sitlington saw Miss Brown leave
the garden and go towards the
barn. He followed her and entered
through the rear door. she entering
the front door. One of the Jarvis
boys mad concealed himself behind
box in the cutting room, while the
other boy was in the hay loft above.
Sitlington notified them of Miss
Browns approach, and the boy in
the loft came down. AS Miss Brown
entered the cutting room she saw
Sitlington and one of the Jarvis boys
and asked them what they were do
ing there. Just then the boy who
had been concealed behind the box
slipped up behind the unsuspecting
woman and dealt her a blow from
the rear with a club. She fell to the
floor. Sitlington then struck the
second blow while she was down.
and the other Jarvis boy struck a
third blow. Sitlington confessed
that they had liquor and were part
ly drunk. Continuing the story he
said the three boys left the barn
and went where he had been at
work. He returned to the house
and got some coal oil and tried to
burn the blood from his club, and
then concealed it under some dirt he
had thrown from the ditch.
When the alarm was given after
his mother had found the body Of
Miss Brown, the Jarvis boys told
him to go the house and he would
not be suspected. He went, and
was sent out to notify the neigh bors
that Miss Brown was dead. His
final statement was; The Jarvis
boys were in it, and was in it. &"
The first witness called was Amy
Sithngton. mother of the prisoner,
who testified that she first discover
ed the body of Miss Brown in the
barn between l and 2 o'clock, and
at first thought she had fallen from
: the hay NOW and hurt herself Elk
D animation revealed that she was
dead, and the thought passed
through her mind that Clarence
I Jarvis and Harry Sitliugton had
!. done the deed. She had heard
r threats by the boys made against
Z the Browns. She rubbed her mis-
tress and tried to lift her up, think.
ing she could resuscitate hel. She