The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-07
TRUE BILL FOR
JOHN CLEMENTS;
TRIAL JULY 70
ASSAIANT OF MISS FANNIE CHEN
AULT CHARGED WITH GRIM
INAI4 ASSAULT BIZ GRAND
JURY.

JURY.
After hearing the testimony of Miss
Fannie Chonault and her father. Wal
lace w. Chenauit, grand jury, sitting
TN Henrico circuit court yesterday
morning, returned a true bill against
John Clements, the negro charged
) with having committed IA capital Of
Tense against Miss Chenault, without
hearing additional the witnesses that
had been Summoned. Clements trial
was set for July Goth and will probab-
ly be heard by Judge George s. Shack
eiford, Of Orange county. sitting in the
place of Judge r. Garter Scott, who
Is sick.
The bill charges the negro with
criminal assault. and not ''at-
tempted criminal assault"
Harry Smith prosecutes.
Harry M. Smith. who has lately APP
reared in the case, viii assist In the
prosecution OF the negro.
With him will be Attorney Isaac
Digs, who appears In the case as the
personal attorney OF the Chenault
family, and Commemorative Attorney
Sutton OF Henrico.
Clements will be defended by Gill
bert X. Pollock and Irving May. New
evidence upon which the prosecution
Is now sai7 TO be working, will be in
troduced, and a stubbornly contested
legal battle Is expected. Three or four
days will probably be required to hear
the case.
Just after the grand Jury had rem
dered its verdict. statement which IS
signed hy several neighbors and mem
bers of the same church with Miss
Cheuauit. was made public. The state
ment declares that the ssgners believ-
4 ed that the character OF Miss Chenault
was un!uaBeaeha hle and without men
tioning names limited At several Of the
alleged false impressions which GER
tain persGns endeavored 20 circulate
Text of the statement.
The statement read as follows
We. the members Of New Bridge
church and citizens OF that commu~
nity. trusting 10 be followers OF the
Lord Jesus Christ have had most
awful experience in the case ot one
of our lovefiest and parest Of char
peters Miss Fannie Ghenault whom
God in His ali-wise and most mFs-
ferrous workings suffered 20 be caught
and dragged into thtcket few
yards from her home hy Vile wretch.
Yet He frustrated his purpose and
brought her ont as pure as He did
partel IN The den OF lions.
This hag heen substantiated by two
81 oar prominent physicians. honor
able and HaIie mcn- And what ap-
peared 10 have been a miStahe in her
going ~ church the next day npoh
confederation ot AIRY reasonable pes ~
son, shows 10" PLAINLY ~ Vas tt"
providence 80 6snd Ia lei all WHO viii
SEE that she nd not been the Vie
tim fe. hfs most wills designs Had
he accomplished hss purpose she
could never ha41 been phN~}caAf% 1'iv
10 go % The pl0ce ~ WORSHIP @@t-le
she had aiwa2s found nfF Creates
pleasure, Fer SO do3aE she has heen
the object Of tue most slano@F9as re
ports, which hAT@ h*s" fAf 3hoF q
detrimental 70 her character IMAM nc
crime Itself sni sra h*S onf'AF "
all with great tHFlsti2h t'Ft' tNoe "''.
feels thn3sSSei fh7t u was "e1 one 81
her younger sisters
Then ~ our court "hefe ga"
sought pf"tsrtioH TOT ne ser af7o '"F
pure "'iaaIlio"a 81 Ntf&tHtA !" ''"
hike tt"u3iSh assault, her character
was questioned ana heF chaSsits as
sailed by tnssunat'on ana litl'aeho"
by attorneys wh2 are SnFresea I" rep
resent the ehlvair} % the state 'heE
attempt 70 Gr&g atr GOWN Z" ne ttNrA
of the vide brate that asSailea her'
himself being oat 81 r." rehiienflaFy
only few months tut th"HA GOO
they failed In thefF attempt more
completely than did the aendtsh as
satlant on the niRht o. NAY T.
This Christian strl has been known
to our neiEhh"fhpod s'nee chtldho"d.
and her character is andpestlohea ana
without hlelntsh. Every sunday IN
her absence from SUNDAY schooi she
has sent 20 her class most beautiful
Christian letter, which not only erouR NJ
tears TO their eyes bat would touch
the heart Of this most hard hearted