Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-11
RABY COURT MARTIAL
is HELD AT HOPEWELl
Evidence mud Findings In Case VIII lie
Submitted tn tdJutant-
General Snlc.

ilOpEW ELL. VA, February lo-Thc
general court martial which met here
to-day IN hear the charges preferred
asains, Corporal Il. IL. Raby, of Nor
folk. by 4 board 81 inquiry which in
vchtiSated the shooting OF sam Lew IT,
OF Bcihavcn. y. e., by the militiarnan.
completed its hearing shortly after
noon, and the members left for their
homes All hour later.
The evidence in the case was re-
corded. and will he il.d with Adjutant-
General Sale along with the decision
reached by the court in the ease. AZ
soon as the evidence had been heard
the court Went into executive session.
and after discussion lasting "a few
minutes. reached q decision bu, the
decision was not announced, and Will
not be made public until it has been
passed on by Adjutnnt-General sale
and Governor stuart.
Captain II. l.. Opie, OF stanton, did
not reach Hopewell in Time FOR the
converting of court. az his train was
delayed last night between stanton
and Richmond. He arrived about II
o'clock. but az the court had COM
menced hearing evidence, IL was
thought best for him not 10 sit az a
member.
Major 9. l.. Wright, OF Norfolk; Cap
tain II. n. Ralnes. Of Danville: First
Lieutenant l.. II. Williams, of Danville,
and Lieutenant &. Crowder. of Peters
burg, the other four members, We're
on hand when court convened at Ia
o'clock.
Major X. r. l.. Watkins, Of Franklin,
judge advocate. questioned all OF the
witnesses very closely. The testimony
of Privates Brigstock and Stailings.
who composed the guard with Corporal
Raby, who fired through the tent, in
JuriNg Lewis. was substantially the
same. The soldiers said that they
Knocked on the door OF the tent and
asked TO DE admitted They said that
Lewis replied. asking what they
wanted The miltiamen stated that
they Informed Lewis that they merely
wished TO warn him, and that they
meant TO do him no harm. They said
that he then fred twice through the
tent, the bullets passing close to them
each time. They said that they re-
turned the fire. after retiring TO a safe
distance, but after learning that Lewis
had been hit. they returned TO the
tent and, after offering to render him
first aid treatment, assisted him TO the
emergency hospital.
Lewis stated on the stand that his
attention was first attracted by some
one knocking on his door. He said
that he asked who Il was\ when they
requested admttance, but instead OF
stating that they were soldiers, he said
that they merely insisted that he come
out. as they wished TO speak to him.
He said that. fearing that they were
intruders. he fred through the roof OF
his tent. y lapse Of three or four
minutes then occurred. he said. before
he heard another sound. The soldiers
retired some distance and then began
firing through his tent. Eight bullets
passed through his tent. seven Of them
missing him by not over foot. Two
OF them struck him in the arm. he said.
painfully injurng him.
Lewis said that when the shots were
fred his father and brother. who lived
i'm an adjoining tent, came to his as
sistance. but that the soldiers did not
return until after his father and
brother had reached his side.
Counsel FOR Corporal Raby and the
Judge advocate decided TO submit the
case without argument. and the court
adjourned 10 consider the evidence.
The decision and the record OF evil
dence will be forwarded at once 10
Adjutant- General Sale but It will
probably be several days before II is
made public.