The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-15
INTERESTING STORY OF BUCK
INGHAM MURDER CASE, IN
WHICH THREE MEN FACE
DEATH PENALTY.
DEATH TRAILS WITNESSES
SEVERAL HAVE DIED AND ONE
HAS BEEN MuRDERED-ouEs
TON NOW is WHO WILL PRO-
SEcUTE CASE IN RICH
MoND coURT7

Especial to The Richmond Virginian.)
BUCKINGHAM, VA. Feb. 15.-The
order of the Supreme Court for a
change or venue in the trial of the
two negroes, Jones and Perkins, charg
ed with numbering the Stewart broth
ers. WAC no surprise here, but the fact
that the Suprsme Court in its wis
dom Cd should have designated the
Hastings Court of the city OF Rich
mond did cause much comment. 1t
was expected that these cases would
have been tried within this judicial
district, and that the judge OF the Cir
cult Court in which the crime was
committed would preside.
Messrs. John l.. Lee, A. f.. Strobe
and A. S. Hall defended w. Dallas
Wright, when he was tried for COM
plicity in this crime. and Judge Hall
was also counsel for the negroes. A
special term of the Circuit Court Is
to be held here On the Esd of Febru-
AIRY. Judge Witt, of Richmond. Will
preside. Wright'is expected to be
brought here and time get for his
execution. This, however at this time
Is only a matter of form. for the Gov
ernor will be almost sure to grant a
stay of execution to await the result
of the trial of Jones and Perkins for
all three men having been convicted
on the same evidence. ii Is not likely
that Wright would be made to suf-
fer the death penalty IL these negroes
should be acquitted.
1t would seem that under the cir
cumstances counsel for Wright could
in no way SO effectually serve their
clients interests at this stage of his
case as to appear in the Hastings
of fFh
two negroes. Hon. E. ". HUBBARD.
who has so ably conducted the prose-
cution in all three of these cases,
Will not appear in the trial in Rich
mond unless he is specially sent there
TO do so. The firm of Flood. Moss.
Moon and Boatwright were engaged
by the State Bureau OF Insurance to
assist in the prosecution of these
cases when they were tried before the
circuit Court of this county but it is
safe to predict that they will not again
appear unless they are again retained
by the State.
On the 17th day of April next. two
years will have elapsed since William
ana Thomas Stuart were robbed, kill
ed and .cremated in their log cabin
home near Spears Mountain, in q wild
and sparsely settled part of this coun-
", ana many strange happenings have
taken place In that time. Edward
Carter. who did more to work up these
cases than any other man. died in a
mysterious way during the progress
of one OF the trials. Mrs. Wright, the
mother Of w. Dallas Wright, and
who would have been witness, died
before the cases were tried. Frank
Howl, OF Nelson, who was summoned
as a witness, has been himself muir
dered. Aylstt Johnson and Willie Jack
son. the principal witnesses for the
prosecution, are still confined in Jail
here, whore they have been incar-
cerated for nearly two years. Cullis
Perkins. brother OF Richard Per-
kins. one Of the convicted men. IL still
In Jail. here where he was placed, ser
one year in default Of security for
his good behavior for one year. he
having been tried for threatening Of
ficers and on the charge Of melting a