The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-06-16
ELECTRIC CHAIR
FATE OF THREE
Writ Of Error Denied Earle A
Vandyke, White Man Charged
With Criminal Assault
on Small Negro
Girl.
RICHMOND. VA.-Snecia1-

r G II MOND. VA.-SpeciaI-
A murder case. almost as intricate
as that involving the killing OF Arts
walter Schultz in Alexandria county.
has Just been passed upon by the Vir-
ginia Court OF Appeals. which. by its
action IN refusing writ or error, de-
creeS that Thomas Bailey. John &c
Giles and James Hairston. an negroes.
shall go TO the electric chair.
Nothing now can save these men
save the action of the executive or a
successful attempt to escape
The unhappy trio are charged with
the killing Of Sidney Wood on a Nor
IoIk ana western excursion train near
Bassitt, in the county of Henry
Other negrOeS-Walter joyce. Peg
gy Penn and Will Cowan-alsO were
indicted for completely in the homi-
eide, but the two first mentioned have
! thus far kept out OF the clutches OF
the law. COwan, apparently. was ac-
/ quilted, as the record makes no refer
ence to him.
All of the condemned. as we'll as
the other accused, are Winston-SaIern
negroes, and it is evident that ther
are pretty bad lot. On the day OF
the crime huge excursion train ca me
/ INTO Virginia from North Carolina
/ and seemingly il brought the scum OF
the Iarheel State into the Oid Do
minion.
Seven coaches contained blacks ron
! resentIng the lowest stratum Of So
ciety' and they pretty soon proved
that they were ready for almost any
sort Of trouble.
North Carolina is prohibition
state. but its prohibitive laws do nor
/ check the thirst of its natives. When
the train got into Virginia nearly
| everybody proceeded to tank up. and
soon the negro coaches were the
scenes of wild orgies.
According to the record. bottles
~
/ brandished and pistols were actively
/ brought into play.
/ The blacks already mentioned bv
name were leading figures in this sa-
turnaha of intemperance. and when
/ sidney Wood undertook 10 remOu-
strate with them he quickly saw that
ne had rough customers to deal with
lie was persistent, however. and as z
reward for his efforts to maintain or
der he was knitted 10 death.
The accused negroes-or. rather
| those arrested in Henry county-had
no counsel when they went to tr.
though an attorney was assign, !
them. They entered strenuous denia.s
OF their guilt, but admitted the.r
drunken condition.
The jury decreed that three of the
men should 80 TO the chair. And now
the court, despite pleas OF mistaken
Identity and the like, says the judg-
| ment OF the lower court was plainly
] AlSAN- Anu lHdls 100, NeSplte the fact
that there is filed. as a sert of amend
ed petition. statement hat EccIes
mas made confession wherein he ex-
onerates James Hairston, Thomas
Bailey and Will Cowan.
This is not the only case In yrich
the court has shut out the hope 4
accused men. A writ of error haS
been denied Earle a. Nandyke, =
white man charged with attempted
criminal assault on Rebecca Chan
! dler, nine-year-old negro girl This
onense was committed March III
1910, and the girl subsequently, died
/ Nandyke was convicted in the Circuit
Court of Elizabeth City and was SEN
fenced TO serve eighteen years in the
penitentiary.
Writs OF error or appeals have also
been refused in the following cases:
+. J. Doherty and &. Nj. Casey
partners trading under the firm name
OF DOherty * Casey, vs.. +. j. Flaher-
| ". from the Corporation Court of
/ Lynchburg, June. 1909. term.
Viola Davis. by her next friend, vs.
southern Railway. from the MeckIen-
burg Circuit Court. This is a damage
suit The jury in the lower court gave
/ Viola verdict of $1,000. but it was
! set aside on a demurrer TO evidence
/ Lewis Nicholson and Jerry Michel
\ son NS. Charles Wankers' heirs at
| law, from the Circuit Court Of Eliza
! beth City county. This is a creditors
suit.