The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-10-05
HBBARD'S PLEA
TO Be INSANITY

MYNDUS, VA Special Recov
ering gradually from the violent shock
incident to the brutal Staying of DR..
James A. Petit on the streets Of Low
ingston last Monday. the people of
Nelson county are calmly awaiting the
trial OF Benjamin Hubbard, who fired
the fatal shots, and who will be ar
raigned before Judge Bennett T. Cor
don, Of the Circuit Court, Friday at
10 o'clock.
The prisoner. now in jail in Lynch
burg, where he was taken for safe
keeping, will be brought back to Low
ingston early Friday morning, and
the trial Is expected to proceed with
out any unnecessary delay.
That the plea or insanity will be
invoked in his behalf. there seems
hardly reasonable doubt, in view
of the f1imsy pretext given for the hor-
rible deed, and the fact he has now
a brother in an insane asylum.
The crime was so utterly revolving
in its awful details that one must have
actually witnessed it in order to fully
comprehend its horrors. 1t was. bru-|
tai to the last degree. and. although it
transpired in the presence of a num-
ber of citizens who would have glad
ly interfered, it was SO momentaryl
in its nature that bystanderS were
powerless to stay the hand, which
was remarking with human blood al
most the very spot where in other
days no less than three men had
fallen dead in their tracks as the re-
suit of street duels.
But this was not a duel Far from
II. DR.. Petit was seated on the steps
leading to the portico of the Virginia
Hotel, transacting some business with
"a cOlOred man, when mis- assailant
ar, l, fr,er 1,.V,s
word of warning, fired the first and
fatal shot into the back Of his neck.
The physician fell forward to the
ground, and, though he was evidently
dead, Hubbard sprang at him like an
enraged lion, and, turning the lifeless
form over. fired five more shots into
the head and breast. 1t was a grew
some spectacle to behold a man stand
ing over the PROSTATE form of his life
less victim firing into him shot after
shot, while the blood he was draw
ing fairly despatched his face and
linen.
Hubbard has engaged the law firm
of Brown & Brown to defend him, and
ii is evident that he intends to put
up the strongest fight il is possible for
him to make. 1t is not anticipated
that there will be any considerable
trouble in getting a jury in Nelson,
as in the more remote sections of the
]
papers are not widely read
The trial is going to excite a great
deal OF interest, however, and great
crowds are likely to attend each days
proceedings.
The killing of DIR. Petit By Ben
Hubbard on Monday was the first hom-
icide that has taken place in the town
or LoVingston in many years, though
the place has quite n history in this
regard. The last serious shooting af-
fray witnessed there was about twen-
ty-five years ago, when a negro named
Edmonds was killed in a street duel
by the late stephen Dillard, a prom
inent citizen, who was finally acquit-
ted.
Prior to that time there had been
two spectacular duels in the village.
each of which resulted in the instant
death of one of the participants. AL
three of these old-time battles took
place within short distance from
where DR.. Petit poured out his life
blood on Monday. and they are we'll
remembered by many of the older
citizens of the county.