The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-06-18
MISS CHENAUl.T IS
CALLED To STAND
AGAINST CLEMENTS
Despite Protest Of Attorneys
Tells Story of Assault 1.-THE
Courtroom Packed Through
out Day

After consuming the entire day in
| hearing the testimony of nine wit
nesses for the Commonwealth, the
charged with making a criminal as
SAINT op Miss Fannie Chenault, was
adjourned over until IL . clock Friday
morning. Che case opened yesterday
morning. and it was not until Miss
Chenault had completed her testimony
trates H. \, smith .skfd II. S. sunday,
I wf1t, are fesatlfng the preAHsi-
nary hearing in Henrico court, ap
nouneed adjournment.
Following the examination of eight
witnesses for the Commonwealth, Mis-
Chenault herself was placed on the
witness stand shortly after S o'clock.
After few preliminary questions by
Attorney Isaac Diggs, who was OBJ
tanned by w. w. Chenault. father of
the young woman, to assist the prose-
cution she was asked to tell just how
she had been accosted by the negro.
Miss Chenauit, who lives near High
land Springs, then recited to Jhs court
how she. while on her way hume from
Richmond. had been assailed by a
negro in the road, a few rods from
her home. forced to accompany him
through a barb wire fence into 4
thicket, R short distance from the
highway. and there held captive for
almost four shoQrs, She testified that
her residencWfs located a short dis
lance over two city blocks from the
Seven Pines car line, and that she had
gone about half this distance when
she was suddenly grabbed by the arm,
by negro. According to her test1-
mony he told her that If she made any
cutlery 70, help he would kill her, and
then he forced her to accompany hint
into the bushes.
She was subjected to a gruelling
cross exa mination at the hands of At
torney Gilbert Pollock. The questions
put to her by Mr.. Pollock caused him,
and Mr. Digs to frequently lock
nanlt telling just how the attack had
been made UPON her. to which both
Mr.. Diggs and Attorney Haskins Hob
son objected. The ,ntter stated thai
he saw no reason why the young
woman should he Subjected to THE
emharr ssment and, in his opinion, II
would not alleviate the case at all.
Mr.. Pollock asserted that he under
! stood that a statement had been ade
and signed by Miss Chenault and that
it would probably differ from tho evi
dence introduced, and that he would
insist upon going further into the de-
tails Mr.. Pollock was sustained by
the court and the young lady then
recited how the attack had been made
upon her.
Mr.. Pollock asked her II she had
made any effort to free herself from
the negroes clutches during the four
| hours in which she was held captive.
/ She replied that she frequently begged
/ him TO allow her to go home, but
/ every time he would say:
! Wait until the next car comesl"
| She testified that he finally left her
| and said that he was going to see If
/ the car was coming. He had been
! gone but a few seconds. she declared,
before she heard rapid footstel,, II.
the road, sounding as If he was beat
ing "a hasty retreat She said 1t was
then that she got up and made off
across the field TO her home.
4 Before Adjournment Mr. Pollock
/ asked the court to summon Captain
of Detectives Mcmahon, with instruc-
tons to bring the statement, alleged
| to have been signed by Miss Che
nauit Both Mr.. Hobson and air.
/ Diggs said that ii was agreeable to
them to introduce the paper in court.
/ After stating to the court that he
wished to put DR.. Collins on the stand
/ first, because he had an important call
/
| testimony that he might be excused.
Mr. Digs called him to the stand
| DR.. Collins testified that he visited
! the Chenault home about 10 O'clock
Sunday morning following the crime.
He stated that he noticed scratches
/ on the young woman's neck and
/ bruise spot
/ There were four distinct finger nail
1 marks on one side of her neck and y
I bruised spot on the other which made
the flesh appear as IL 1t nad been
pressed he stated
/ DR. Collins was then asked By At
/ torney Dlggs the condition in which
/ he had found the young woman. Il
! am satisfied, after examination. that
t the negro did not accomplish his pur-
( pose, and later developments in her
condition have proven this fact was
what he said in substance.
/ Attorney Diggs. for the Common
wealth. then turned the witness over
to the lawyers for the defense. At
torney May, in defending the negro,
sharply questioned Dr. Collins as to
| how he was brought into the case
DIR. Collins stated that he was their
/ family physician and that naturally he
was called to attend Miss Chenauit.
/ DR. j. A Cloyd, who. at the request
OF DR.. Collins, made an examination
of Miss Chenault on May 81. was
then called to the stand Although
the evidence Of the two physicians
differed in minor details the testi.
mony OF each corborated the other
so far as the main points at issue
were concerned.
Several minor witnesses were also
examined.