The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-24
BROOKE IS txONERATED
On CHAE.GE Of MURDER
Pont Mess Hall No
vembcr 4.
HENDERSON AGAIN IN Tolls
Plans Made in Petersburg TO Enter
State j. ,ague-Murderer Brought
Back-Burke Goes TO Annapolis.
Hold up Reported.


Petersburg, Va, Feb. 23.-After a
stubborn fight, which lasted through
out two days in the Circuit Court of
Prince George, Judge Moncure pre-
siding, the case of Osborne NJ. Brooke
indicted for the murder of Gilmore
Snead at mess hall in the DUPONT
plant at Hopewell on the night of No
Vemoer 4, came to an end today with
complete exoneration of the ac-
cused when the Commemorative A.
torney admitted failure to prove the
charge and the court instructed the
jury to return a verdict of iustifia BILE
homicide. which was done without the
Jurors leaving their seats A number
OF witnesses testified both for the
prosecution and tn, defense, and the
evidence all tended to show that
Brooke fired the shot in the perform
ance of his duty.
Among the witnesses who testified
for the defense were General C. r.
Bricken. brigadier-general Of the Ala
bama Guards, of which Brooke was a
former member; Chief o. NJ Reeves,
OF the DUPONT Guards: stewart at
the mess hall of the DUPONT company.
and the accused himself Brooke
testified that on the day OF the shoot
ing he was on the inside of mess hall
No. when young Snead came into
the hall In a line with other employees
OF the plant: that Snead was offered
a seat at a table, which he refused:
that he secured seat for him at an
other table, but that did not please
Snead: that when the men began to
leave the mess hall that he (Brooke)
stationed himself at the mess hall
door to give information to the men
that smoking was permitted only at
mess hall No. 3: that notwithstanding
instructions Snead insisted o,,on
smoking on the porch of mess hall
No. s; that he warned him not to
do this and told him that II he he in
sisted that he would have to place
him un Ter arrest and carry him to
the guardhouse; that Snead stated to
him (Brooke) that he could not carry
his (Snead's) cigar tie to the guard
house and came over to where he
(Brooke) was, with his fist balled up
as though he intended to strike him;
that he grappled with Snead and was
pushed backward against the railing
of the porch. He asked Snead to re-
lease him. telling him he was about
to break his back; that he felt Snead
reach for his (Brooke's) revolver in
his right hip pocket; that he was
left-handed, and that he procured his
revolver from his left hip pocket and
in seif-defense attempted to shoot
Snead, who was much taller than him.
self, In the legs. but that the bullet
struck him in the abdomen and re-
suited in death. Other witnesses
corroborated much of the evidence,
and General Bricken, introduced as a
character witness, testified to the ex'
cellent character of the accused.
Mrs. Sadie I. Brooke. of Luvern.
Ala, mother OF the accused, and
his young wife. formerly Miss Chit
wood. of Richmond. were present in
the courtroom throughout the trial
and left the courthouse with Brooke
immediately following his acQuittal
Attorney Charles Trotter Lasslter,
of this cit. made an able fight for
his client and succeeded In complete
Iy breaking down all evidence of the
Commonwealth.
Henderson Again In Tolls
Former Chief of Police W. p. Hen
derson of the deposed Ho oewell force.
Is again in the tolls according to In
formation which reached here from
Hopewell The former chief is now
charged in three separate warrants
with having failed TO return $50. $5&
and $50 rent accounts on January !,
2 and 8. respectively. The warrants
were sworn out by N. Wilson. Wit
nesses named are Mr.. Richard Eppes,
Misses Mary and Josephine Eppes It
IL SAID that HENDERSON eOInS tllNS
past has been collecting rents around
Hopewell for Mr.. Eppes and that the
irregularities charged In the warrants
were discovered by Mr.. Wilson. Hen
derson is under bond for malfeasance
in ONCE while chief of police of Hope
we'll
Glass Day Exercises.
The class day exercises of the Feb
ruary clas OF the Petersburg High
School were presented before a. large
and appreciative audience In the au-
ditorium of the D. NJ. Brown School
last evening. Deep interest was mani
tested by relatives. friends and &C
uuaintances of the graduates and the
manner in which they acquitted them
selves in their several roles was pleas
ing to all.
A distinct feature of the exercises
was the presentation OF a comedy
drama entitled valley Farm" which
was faultlessly rendered. and which
merited the approval OF the large au-
dience. as was evident by repeated
applause.
The class organization is composed
OF the following graduates: President,
Geraldine e. Gerald; vice-president,
James e. Meakin: secretary. Irma /.