Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-29
GRANTS TH|RTY-DAY
RESPITE TO NEGRO
Governor to Consider Case of Au-
brey Barrett, Sentenced to
Die Tomorrow.
FATHER WILL PAY PENALTY
Counsel Asserts Killing of Farm
er Roach Was in Self
Defense.

Governor Stuart yesterday granted
a respite Of thirty days to Aubrey Bar
rett, the seventeen year-old negro boy
state Penitentiary tomorrow morning
for the murder Of w T Roach in
Charlotte County. Albert Barrett. the
father. will die at tho appointed time
no appeal having been made for Glenn
ency on his account.
The case Of the Barrett boy was
brought TO the attention of Governor
Stuart last week by State Senator
Walter K. Addison. of Lynchburg. who
told the Governor tha, he had been
Informed that this negro, not yet sew
cnteen. had been tried before Judge
George J. Hundley in the Circuit Court
OF Charlotte County without Jury
and without counsel for the defense;
that he had been induced to change his
plea from not guilty to guilty. and
after but the briefest of hearings. had
been Immediately sentenced TO enecu-
ton.
MOB VIOLENCE WAS
MARIO. --Y AVERTED
". T. Roach. of Charlotte County.
had been stealing wheat from his field,
and traced wagon tracks to the home
OF the Barretts. nearby Without
waiting for a warrant or for arrest
ing ofhcers. Roach attempted to make
prisoners OF Barrett and his son, and
fight followed. in which Roach was
Killed. There was high feeling in the
county for time. but Sheriff priddy
ohviated any chance of mob violence
by promising that there should be "A
prompt trial
Judge Hundiey presided at the trial
Oh the elder Barrett; Judge a. D. Wat
kins. OF Farmville was acting Com
nsonWealth's attorney. assisted by Com
mon~ealth's Attorney Light, of Camp
bell County. and Barrett was defended
by Attorney William Lancaster. Of
Farmville.
iHkEE JURiMES WILLING
TO GIVE BOY PRISON TERN
The elder Barrett was tried by jury.
had the benefit Of counsel. WAS CON
Ficted and sentenced to execution. An.
on his behalf no appeal for clemency
is pending. An effort. however. ha.
been made to secure a writ of error
from the Supreme Court in order that
the case may be reviewed OH its merits
NJ such step can be taken in the boy,s
case. as without counsel, he noted no
exceptions. Three members of the iurv
which tried the father are quoted as
stating that they considered the bow
a mere accessory. and would have
given him prison term had his case
been submitted TO them.
publication of the fact that an an
peal had been made for clemency in
the case of the boy brought forth a
series OF statements from the various
parties. Judge Hundley. in a signed
statement said that the boys plea Of
guilty made a jury unnecessary: that
the court had been informed that This
plea mad been made on advice Of Mr.
Lancaster. who had appeared as coun-
sci Tor the father: that Barrett con-
fcssed the killing both on the stand
and to arrestinG officers. and that the
court mad had no option but to pro-
nounce the death sentence, the statute
or 1914 making prison sentence op-
tional applying only to juries.
COUNSEL WAS FORCED
TO WITHDRAW
signed statement in which he held
'hat the killing had been in self
defense. He stated that Judge Humid
ley had refused and. in fact. threat
cned him with a fine when he ar
tempted TO argue that the boy was
merely coming to the rescue of his
father from attack by man who was
not armed with warrant for his
arrest In case where Il warrant
should have been procured lii view
OF the attitude OF the court and the
refusal TO grant instructions favorable
TO the elder Barrett. Mr.. Lancaster said
he had withdrawn and informed the
court that he could not represent the
10Y The younger Barrett, therefore.
went to trial without counsel 10 jury
was sworn. the boy was induced to
change his plea from not guilty to
guilty, possibly in his ignorance think
ing that would be mitigating circum-
stance. especially as he had already
made fuil confession. and was prompt
ly sentenced to electrocution.
WATKINS DENIES JUDGE
HUNDLEf WAS ARBITRARY
Judge Watkins. Of Farmvillc, who
yesterday issued signed statement.
IN which he resents as unfounded the
inference that Judge Hundley had
acted in an arbitrary or harsh manner
He states however. that ne does not
oppose executive clcmency to tho boy.
and has heretofore expressed his opin-
ion to the Governor
The attention of the Governor wa,
called to the fact that. in his ignor-
ance of the forms of legal procedure.
inc boy made no protest. noted no
execution and is now without a foot
hold in law on which he could note an
appeal TO the Supreme Court. His only
recourse. therefore, Is to the clemency
OF the Governor. The Governor in
dicated last night that he had not
passed finally on the merits Of the
Continued on Second Page)
Week End Rates to
Scashore,
Cteeaneake and Ohio Ry.
$500 round trip to Old Point and Nor
fox Ticket. cold Friday afternoons and