The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-07-16
F|ENDS GIVEN
CONTINUED From First Page)
Rappahannock
envy Sunday


night.
The grand jury composed of j. L.
White, foreman J. W. Elliott, w. w.
Green. G. Il. Knopf, W. A. voolfolk,
r. A. Coghill, ]. ". Barlow. r. ID,
Vincent, w. F. Huntington. found true
bills against John Lewis Rollins for
attempting assault upon Miss Cole
man. and against George Mathews for
criminaily assaulting Mrs Coleman
Rollins Pleads Guilty.
The case against Rollins was begun
Immediately and, in reponse to the
Indictment, plead guilty, placing HIM
self on the mercy of the court. George
Mathews plead not guilty, and his trial
was at once entered into before the
following jury:
Cicero Burruss. foreman: w S,
Wright, l.. H. Allen, w. !, Gravatt, d.
c. Smith, j. j. Broaddus, E. f. Flagg'
T, E. Barlow, Clarence Williams
Stanley b. Kay. r. Blanton and X.
B. Andrews, all prominent farmers
of Caroline County.
Rollins, who had plead guilty to his
own indictment. was first witness call
ed against Mathews He told
straight forward story Of an agreement
made Sunday afternoon between t1em
TO go to the house of Mrs. and Miss
Coleman. admitted entering by lad
der which Mathews placed to the
upper hall window and going into the
room of the ladies. whom they found
asleep. without going into minute de-
tails of their horrid work, he stated
that he attacked one of the ladies
while Mathews attacked the other, not
knowing one lady from the other.
He told of the awakening of the
ladies'. their cries to each other, their
I al hat ha 1nf
room without accomplishing his fiend-
ish purpose. They left the upper
floor by the window and ladder, going
directly away from the house without
throwing bricks or attempting another
entrance His chief plea seemed to be
that the other negro drew him into the
trouble. -"
Gives His Case Away.
Mathews, the accused negro. wssen
given the privilege of asking his ac-
cuser questions, surprised the court
by asking Rollins whether he did not
help him move the ladder to the ~ans
dow Mathews had up to this time
stoutly denied any knowledge of the
affair. but had admitted being in tle
neighborhood since Saturday evening
remaining there until Monday morn
| ing when he returned to his home
near Dogue. in King George County,
where he was arrested by Constable
Boulware Monday evening.
After the recess for dinner Mathews
took the stand in his own behalf, his
testimony amounting to confession
which accused his accomplice OF doing
about all that had not been accounted
for in the testimony of the first negro.
He acknowledged that his diabolical
| purpose was accomplished and plead
that the other negro got him into it.
Court Room Is Cleared.
Mrs. Coleman appeared as witness,
the court room being cleared, and
| made short statement of negroes
attack Miss Coleman was in the town
having recovered sufficiently from fac
shock, but her testimony was not
necessary and she was not called as a
witness. The negro who entered the
plea of guilty was her assailant.
The jury was out five minutes and
returned the verdict of guilty, fixing
Mathews punishment at death. The
court passed the same sentence upon
Rollins.
Others Are Released.
The other three negroes who had
been held in pail on suspicion OF being
parties to the crime were released. 1t
developed that Mathews disguised his
NOlNr iitLh d BSt'uiiaI
was not like the voice OF one Of the
other negroes. Clarence Roy. who had
been identified with reasonable GER,
tainty by the ladies. The two con-
victed negroes did not implicate any
others.
The case is regarded here as a
| record one in the matter of dispatch.
| The crime was committed hate Sunday
night, the two convicted negroes and
| the three suspects were all in the
Bowling Green Jail Monday midnight,
| The preliminary examinations were
| made Tuesday. on Wednesday the
! sheriff and his deputies covered sew
| eral hundred miles in securing wit
nesses and jurors for the grand jury
session and trial today. The court adj
| journed at ais r. NJ.
No Need For Troops.
| Though arrangements had been
| made for the presence of the militia
at Bowling Green Courthouse for the
| trial OF the negroes should the temper
| of the community indicate violence,
| and, though Adjutant General Sale
! held two companies in readiness
there was no call for them. One was a
! Richmond and the other a Fredericks-
| burg company.
MAYOR TO URGE SPEED