The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-24
|SAY SENTIMENT IS
| WITH MURDERER
Pittsylvania People Reported to
Sympathize With Man Who
Killed Guard.
REMOVE CASE TO RICHMOND
Aided by Negro, Felon Stole Up
to Guard and Fatally
Shot Him.

Public sentiment in Pittsylvania is
said to be so largely with Royal Sui
nvan. the convict who killed Guard
John c. Howard. at bodybuilding
camp near Chatham in July, that II Is
feared the slayer will not get justice
there II is stated tina; many of the
people OF the county think the convicts
are badly treated, and some OF them
do not hesitate to say that sullivan
was justified in killing Howard.
This state OF affairs is likely to cause
q removal OF the trial of Sullivan 20
the Circuit Court o: the city OF Rich
mond The matter is now up 10 the
Governor. the presumption beins that
he has referred the legal points 10 the
Attorney-GeneraL
May BE Tried Here.
IL seems the law is clear. The sta
tute explicitly says that offenses COM
mitted IN the penitentiary shall Dc
tried In the Circuit Court OF the city
of Richmond. and that when prisoners
are engaged in works of public or pri-
vate nature in other places. the case
NAV 60 either TO the local courts or to
the Richmond court which is the
recognized tribunal for State matters.
matter would rest with the Governor.
who is required by the Constitution to
see that the laws are obeyed and that
Justice Is done If he sees the matter
i'm the same light as those who have
told him OF conditions in PittsylVanla,
he may direct that the case be removed
here The law being explicit, IL be-
came a matter OF Judgment and OF
public policy.
In the event of removal, it will be
the duty of the Attorney-General to
prosecute Sullivan.
Sentiment Is Mystery.
Just why a good many of the peo-
pie of Pittsylvnia should think the
convict was justified in killing the
guard is not definitely explained Ihe
crime was evidently done in order that
Sullivan might escape from the I'M
prisonment to which the courts hao
sentenced him 1t was certainly de-
liberate. Ill treatment on Towards
part has not heretofore been alleged,
nor might it be considered 1us'inca-
ton in any event.
A band Of fifty prisoners. some con-
victs from the penitentiary and some
jailbirds. was engaged in building
road at North Chatham. In the morn
ing of July %, the force was put 70
work as usual. some in rock quarry
and others on the roadbed
Among those IN the rock quarry
was Roy sullivan. whose real name is
said TO be Maxwell Sullivan. He was
sentenced to four years Imprisonment
for forgery. committed in Nor1olk'
Lying partly concealed behind some
loose stones was a single aarreleo
shotgun, evidently placed there 1oE
.,S
use Sullivan got hold OF this ABOUT :
o'clock and waited his chance. he
picked a moment when Guard no
wards back was turned and advanced
toward him. When about ten PAGES
distant. Howard turned. and Sullivan
told him TO hold up his hands. Instead.
the guard. taking the situation, reach
ed for his pistol. when Sullivan fired
load Of buckshot into his side. The
guard lived about four hours without
regaining consciousness.
Made Temporary Escape.
Sullivan took the dying mans pistol
and the rifle. and made his way on
through the underbrush. Ali was done
so quickly that other prisoners did
not realize what had happened until
he had gone. Later in the day Suili-
can went to the home of a negro wo-
man. from whom, at the point OF
weapon, he demanded an axe. win
which he cut of his shackles. He toid
her ne had nothing against Howard
but determined TO escape
Later he was captured and was piac-
, ed in Jail at Danville- 1t was found
that a negro named Robert Womack
! had placed the gun at the point where
Sullivan secured IT
/ Such were the details as told nom
| the scene at the time. What additional
i, evidence has been forthcoming which
makes PittsyIvania people think sui
! Ivan committed iust!acabie homicice