The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-03
DEATH OF SPENCE
CAUSED BY BLOWS
.Coroncr's Jury Puts Blame for
Fatal Accident on Young
Pendleton.
CONFLICT IN TESTIMONY
Aged Man Had Been Annoyed
by Boys Before Pendleton
Struck or Showed Him.

virginius 4. Pendleton. the sixteen
year-old son of Policeman Pendleto'In !
was held by the coroner's jury IN lls
inquest yesterday afternoon to pc re-
sponsible for the deathof Hugh =; spence a,,;
either struck or pushed Sponce, VINO
fell and fractured his skull,
The jury's verdict was that Hugh
Spence came to his death from l. a !, f a,
r. Pcndleton on September l."
There was much variation in tho tes-
timony. the boys, George - AVIS;
Clarence Freeman and Alvin, Rudd. and
J. A. Cunningham, a colored man, ties,
tifying that Pendleton only pushed
Spence after the latter had ATTEMPTED
to enter his store. and the men,, Robert
p Miller. Robert 3. May ,a. ana s :. X.
Spence with his fist, leaving his store
to inflict the blows.
Testimony Differs.
TIE discrepancy in the testimony
came as a surprise, it having been the
general opinion beforehand that
Spence's death was entirely acciaen1n l !.
Pendleton himself did not testify. He
was represented by l.. Q. Wendenburs.
who asked few questions. reservins
himself for the trial. which was post-
poned in Police Court to September =;
| The boy was bailed in the sum OF s2,oQo
for his appearance on that date, r. n.
Peichi giving the. necessary surety
| y.
stated that Spence gave his name as
| "Old Uncle Hugh" and that he was
very drunk He said that Spence ap,,
preached Pendletons little store. ana
1t would hurt the latter's business.
Spence, he said tried a second time
to enter and was pushed away py
Pendleton. He staggered and Iell. ms
Freeman and Alvin Rudd. who We're to
| gether at the time corroborated this
testimony. Cunningham did not see
the alleged attack He stated q
place very drunk. and later he heard
saw Pendieton hit spence.
The evidence of Robert q. Miller
recent arrival in RICHMOND from New s
cause Of death. Miller said that the
boys were teasing Spence. and that
George Avis was the leader OF the
gang. Witness told the boys TO leave
the old man alone. but they replied
that Spence was too drunk to go home.
He said that Spence did not go into
Pendleton's store: that he went In an
other direction. When Spence return
ed he did not then attempt to enter
the store. Witness swore that he saw
Pendleton hit Spence twice with his
fist, the two standing then on the
pavement, away from the store Spence
staggered back and fell. The witness.
being a stranger. did not know where
to call the ambulance. and went to the
police station.
He declared emphatically that 1t was
i his belief that If the boys had NJ
:. annoyed Spence the latter would not
have been killed He was emphatic in
his assertion that he did not believe
the boys We're telling the truth.
| Robert B. May swore that both Geo
Avis and Clarence Freeman took part
in annoying Spence. He said that they
took Spence into Cunningham's clean
| ing esta blishment. and that Pendletor
the club also, He swore that Spence
made no effort to enter Pendleton's
store and that after waving him tc
go away, Pendleton came out on the
pavement and struck Snence twice. the
blows being severe. Spence staggered
as the first blow knocked off his hat
and fell at the second blow his heat
striking in the street and not on the
curbing. as testified by the boys
Worried by Boys.
j. R. Gray said his attention to thu
man was first attracted when he saw
him leaning against pole. The boy'
came up and began teasing him. Alvi
fire plug, and then crammed 1t bacl
on Spences head He told the boy
to let the old man alone, but they an
swered that they were going to TAX
Spence out of the rain. He saw onl.
one blow administered.
!, The boys father was much agita te'
: during the hearing. In the last tw
Years he has lost his wife and tw
a children, all dying from accident. TIL
I. son In the present trouble has ha'
d spinal meningitis, and is a frail, under
d grown youth.
pgb as eess ssss sa Sc onyy n