Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-29

turned. and found no one where he
had loft them. Immediately he gave
the alarm. and after a short time. the
dead body OF RUa,h was found I'm tho
woods near where he was last seen
alive. An examination OF the body dis
closed that h, WAS StrucS upon the
back OF the head with some heavy in
strument. which caused the breaking
of the skull. and the brains to ooze
therefrom. On the front OF the head
was another wound inflicted by an in
strument which clcaved the bone just
above the risht eye. penetrating the
brain. Three other wounds were found
upon the top OF the head. inflicted
lenBthwise. cleaNinE the skull Two and
one-half TO three inches in each case.
and penetrating the brain. In the
meantime. father and son had disap-
peared. and suspicion pointed to them
as the perpetrators o. the crime. and
III few days the; were aPprchendcd
i'll the County OF Camputl and brought
back to Charlotte.
No comment is needed upon the con-
duct Of the good citizens OF Charlotte
and Campbell. other than the high
communication for their forbearance
did not take the law in their own
hands. but turned the prisoners over
TO the courts Of the Commonwealth.
son WENT TO ASSISTANCE
OF HIS FATHER WITH STICK
On the 26th of July. the Circuit Court
OF Charlotte convened for the trial OF
the Barretts. The grand jury return
cd true bill. The prisoners We're
brought into court. and without OBJ
lection were arraigned and pleaded
mot guilty" Mr.. William Lancaster.
OF Farmvlle. a lawyer OF long expert
ence. who for many years was Com
monwealth's attorney of the county
Of Cumberland. represented the pris-
oaers. Through counsel. the prisoners
elected to be tried separately. The
older Barrett was tried first. The sub
stance of the evidence introduced by
the Commonwealth and not. denied in
any material fact was about fol-
lows:
When Collins left to so for the war
rant. the older Barrett undertook to
adjust the trouble with Roach. Fail
ing in this. he attempted to escape
Roach laid hold on him. and in holding
him. they both fell 70 tho ground. The
younger Barrett had gone some forty
or fifty yards away. The older Bar
rett called for his son 10 come and
take Roach CT. The younger Barrett
took up large stick and struck Roach
on the back OF the head Roach was
stunned and partially :eli TO the
ground. but was able TO give exclcma-
tion OF distress. The older Barrett. in
his own words. finished him by strik-
ing him repeatedly with a rock. The
body was then taken TO the place
where j, was found. The Barretts then
aed. taking with them a small amount
OF money and the watch OF the de-
cea sed. which they claim 10 have found
on the scene O: the killing. None Of
the instruments either rocks or sticks.
have ever been found since
The prisoner testified in his own be-
half. and here I may say that in my
own experience o. nearly forty years
in the courts OF this Commonwealth.
and after having heard number Of
confessions by persons who had COM
m:,ted atrocious crimes, have never,
with the exception OF one. heard a con-
fess!on made with less appreciation of
the enorTity OF the crime. and with
less regre, at its commission The
prisoners seemed TO be devoid Of all
sense CT SORROW
SAYS BOYS COUNSEL ADVISED
HIM TO PLEAD "GUILTY-
The case was then argued by Mr.
Light. OF Campbell County. and myself
representing the Commonwealth, and
Mr. Lancaster representing the prison
ers Instructions were carefully drawn
and given by the court. which / believe
covered the case. The jury after
short time returned their verdict of
guilty of murder in the first degree.
In the meantime. a second jury had
been summoned for the trial Of the
boy. When he was brought into court
his attorney. M-. William Lancaster.
advised him to withdraw his plea Of
mot guilty" and plead guilty" sub
hitting 10 be tried by the court had
!ntination that this would be done and
had SO informed the Judge. l was deep
- impressed with tho position of the
COURT and saw AT once that the judge
vas very reluctant 10 assume the re-
spons!bility OF passing upon the life
Of this boy. and can say without fear
Of successful contradiction that SO far
as my observation went. the judge did