The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-09
YOUhG HANGS FOR
FREEMAN CRIME
STRANGE CASE OF cARoLINE.CoUN
TY MAN WHO SUFFERED FOR
ANoTHERs SIN.
MAGISTRATES ACTION
DECLARE THAT NO MAN SHALL
HEREAFTER DIE ON
CIRCUMsTANTIAL
EVIDENCE.

Especial to The Richmond Virginian)
MANASSAS, VA, Oct. s.--Circum
stantial evidence hung Charles Young.
Of Caroline county, Va, and twelve
months afterwards II was discovered
that that young man was innocent of
the crime for which he suffered DEATH"
an interview with The Eirginians cor
respondent to- day
Mr.. Carter, in discussing the Beat
tie case with a customer in his store
In Grant avenue. took occasion to
place himself on record as opposed to
capital punishment, through ctrcum-
stantial evidence. and the declaration.
above quoted, led The Eirginian's rep
resentative to make request for
statement OF facts TO support the de-
claration. Following, In substance. is
MIR. Carriers statement which he AYERS
the older inha bitants OF Caroline, and
adjoining counties will confirm.
In the early forties. Griffin Thorn
ton, who was the great grandfather OF
Judge J. b. I. Thornton present judge
of the sixteenth judicial circuit OF Vir-
ginia, was high sheriff of Caroline
county.
In those days 1t was the duty OF
the sheriff to collect the taxes, and he
was custodian OF the county ana
State finances coming into his hands.
Thornton and Young had misun-
derstanding. concerning some tax bills.
which led to breach OF friendship,
and the two were not on speaking
terms although members OF Liberty
Baptist church. near Boiling Green.
Some time after the strained rela-
lions between Thornton and Young
occurred, Sheriff Thornton was taken
III and Young went to his bedside, and
in his effort to effect a reconciliation
he knelt by the sick mans bedside
and offered a prayer for Thorntons
early restoration to health. and that
all ill-feeling between them be turned
into brotheriy love.
Cut tho Counteroane.
Several days after Houng's visit
Mrs. Thornton discovered that a CIR
cuiar piece, about two inches In diam
eter. had been cut from the counrer-
pane which covered her husbands bed
at the time when Young knelt by the
bed and prayed
Sheriff Thornton and his wife sus-
pected Young OF having mutilated the
bed quilt through spite, but the sus-
picion, SO far as known, did not reach
the ears of Young.
after Sheriff Thornton recovered
his health he resumed his official du-
ties. and one evening while returning
10 his home in his buggy, he was shot
from ambush and killed.
when the circumstances attending
Thornton's death became known the
neighbors sought the scene OF the
tragedy, and there found the piece or
counterpart, with the odor OF burned
powder upon 1t.
Young was at once suspected of the
murder and was tried and hanged for
the alleged crime, although It was
proven by his family that he was not
off his premises on the day OF the
murder.
Twelve months after Youngs life
had been taken as toll for the murder
of Thornton, a man by name OF Free
man. was arrested and convicted in
Tennessee. for horse stealing, the PEN
atty for which was death On the
scaffoid Freeman confessed to the
murder of Sheriff Thornton against
whom he had a grudge growing out
OF horse or mule trade.
1T was when he was pleading with
| Thornton to make restitution OF boot
money which he thought rightfully be-
longed to him in the horse trade, and
to which Thornton demurred that he
cut from the quilt the wad with which
he loaded his rife with intention to
kill the man whom he though had
wronged him.
Freeman stated that he had rid
den from his home In King William
| county, q distance of eighteen miles,
nf
/ and after committing the crime ne
| had mounted his horse and ridden
| home without having encountered any
| one in his journey.
Confession Was Published.
| "F'reeman's confession was published
I in pamphlet form. and many copies
! found their NAY from Tenp-ssee to the
| neighborhood of the Thornton home
and into the hands OF the Caroline
| county officials
! wv w Dickinson, prominent mer-
chant. doing business at Golansville.
| Caroline county, received and distrib-
uted the pamphlets, and II was from
| one Of these pamphlets belonging to
| John Coats of Milford. Caroline coun-
| ty, and while l was a constable of that
| county, that I read the confession OF
! Freeman with regard to the Thornton
/ murder.
| When II came TO the knowledge
of the Magistrates Court and jury of
! Caroline county, that Young had been
| hanged for q crime OF which he was
| innocent. a committee was appointed
| to wait on the widow Of the victim
! with the view of making such repara-
| ton as was possible with them with
/ the result that the widow Indignantly
snurned heir sympathy and offer OF
| aid. ard charged the Commonwealth
| with the murder of her husband
! MIR. Carter says there are many old
residents in Caroline county who are
as familiar as himself with the truth
/ of this statement upon which he bases
his serious objection to putting a man
to death on circumstantial evidence.
Mr.. Garter says that after the mis-
| carriage OF JUSTICE in the case referred
! to the boa,d of magistrates Of Caro-
! line county passed a resolution that
1t would never again permit person
to be convicted of a capital offense
! solely on circumstantial testimony.