The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-21
LAND PLEADS FOR
LEN|ENCY FOR Man
WHO STABBED HIM
vIRGINIAN REPORTERS COMPASS
SION FOR GRIEF STRICKEN
MOTHER SAVES WRIGHT.

Pleading guilty to the charge of
feloniously assaulting Ashby Lanc, a
reporter for The Virginian, on the
night OF July IL. and arising after Mr.
Land had testified for the prosecution
Yesterday In Hastings court. Gilmore
Wright throw himself upon the mercy
of the court, after declaring that Mr..
Land had stated the facts in the case
and that he had no evidence to Of
fer After being assured that Mr.
Land agreed not to push the case
after this admission. Judge Richard
son imposed fine Of $25 upon Wright
on the charge of assault and bat
terry.
During the entire hearing Wrights
mother was in tears and 1t is known
that ii was compassion for her feel
ings that caused Land to agree to
not further prosecute.
Shortly after the grand jury had
returned a true bill against Wright
charging him with a felony after ex-
aiming Mr. Land only, the case was
called in Hastings court
Mr. Land took the stand and told
how Wright, whom he had never
seen before, stepped from the front
door of a restaurant and cut him and
ran. He told that Wright had de-
MED cutting him before he had been
accused OF this or even before Mr..
Lana hau uiscoN@feu tHae He Hao
been cut.
1t was then that Wright arose and
stated to the court that the cutting
was without provocation. and that he
had never before seen Mr.. Land.
Wright told that he was employed for
eighteen months in the restaurant IN
front of which ne attacked Mr.. Land.
With prison term Of from two 10
Ave years staring Wright in the face.
No~ hvaka (nfnD1 ct piv.
Arising, Mr.. Land asked the court
to be Ienient with the young man
who had attacked him, because of his
confession. accompanied by promises
to behave himself in the future.
Judge Richardson hesitated In
agreeing to this, stating that the case
was a serious one and should go be
fore a Jury. Comm onwealth's At
Itorney Fowlkes here arose and asked
that a fine of s26 he imposed, stat
ing that the action of Mr.. Land was
very nagnanimcus and he felt that
az he was the one who suffered, his
wphes should be. regarded in the
matter.
Just before Judge Richardson rem
dered his decision, Mr.. Land address
ed the court and asked that as long as
the young man would not be prose-
cuted by him that he had one re-
quest to make. He asked that Judge
Richardson require promise from
Wright that he would not in the fu-
ture visit the restricted district, rs
frequent visits. according to the young
man. had been the cause Of his trouble.
He also asked the court that Wright
promise there publicly that he would
TRY to make a. better man OF him.
self"
Wright, with tears In his eyes,
arose and stated that II these were
the only conditions imposed upon him
by a man whom he had seriously IN
iured he would live up to them.
Both Wright and his mother left
courtroom with Land and with
their arms around each others necks.
thanked the young reporter for his
kindhearredness. The tears flowed
I freely down the cheeks of each as
they told him that he would live long
in tho memory of both. Wrights
mother declared that she would try
TO raise her sen TO forget his old COM
panions ard the whiskey which caus-
ed his downfall and would try to
teach him little deeds of kindness
which had that day been shown hem
by Land.