The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-08-31
FOUND IN
VA. KEELING

DANVILLE, Va, Aug. s0.-In the
face OF denial made by County Con-
stable Z. G.. Cakes that his party
wore hoods and white robes when ].
C. Sparrow was shot and killed by
Charles w. Wilson, 60.year-old to-
bacco planter, two white hoods, q
fragment of white sheeting and q
silken tasseled sash have been found
thrust into some underground a.
short distance from the scene Of the
shooting at Oak Hill last Wednes-
day night.
Wilson, liberated on BAN OF $780,.
though accused Of murder, says he
fired at random into a crowd of
robed and hooded men on his back
porch at IL o'clock at night when
they were attempting to gain admit
lance to his home.
Mrs. Wilson, wife of the accused,
found one Of the hoods and Thomas
Davis, her son-in.law, found the 9th.
er material. One hood was caught
on q barbed wire fence and its eye
slit was rent. The hoods had red
tassels. With them were found
cones OF stiffened cloth which evil
IDENTIFY were worn to keep the peaked
caps upright on the head.
Able Lawyer Defends Planter
John w Carter, considered one Of
The most brilliant Of the younger
Virginia criminal lawyers, has been
retained to defend Wilson. Asso-
ciated with Carter will be Hugh +.
Williams, also Of the Danville bar.
Preparation is being made for
hearing to be held at Bachelors
Hall, a small rural community near
here, on Wednesday, and a large
attendance IS expected. Already wit
nesses are being summoned. Among
these is DIR. j. E. Taylor, coroner of
Danville, who has admitted that be
found Khan membership card on
Eparrow's body.
Al significant fact is that Magis-
trate Ben w. Dodson. who was to
have been one of three magistrates
to hear the case, has been sum.
moned as a defense witness. This,
It IS contended, automatically re-
moves him as one of the justices and
his place will have to be taken by
another. Dodson has admitted that
he requested Constable Cakes, who
led the band, to make an ''investi-
cation" into the private life Of the
Wilson menage.
Khan Issue Not to Be Pressed
1t is reasonably certain that the
khan issue will not be pressed. At
torney Williams has made this clear
already In his comment on the case.
All we are interested in" he says,
is to represent our client, who is
charged with murders and to get him
out of his trouble. We are not in
terested in the background of the
case. Our interest begins at the
point where men attempted to enter
the dwelling and ends when Wilson
fired the shot,"
1t Is also made clear that the case
viii stand ur fall on the old principle
of Anglo-Sax law that a man is
master of his own castle and is
permitted by law to defend it from
aggressors.
The feeling here Is that the case
will not 60 to the grand jury, but
will be disposed Of by the n1agis-
trates. Should the case be remanded,
It is believed, Judge Turner Clement,
of the Pittsylvania circuit, would
ask for an investigation not only Of
the premises of the shooting but
the circumstances Of the late visit,
the reported presence Of robed men,
and Of how an officer of the law,
became identified with such men on
such mission when he was with
out warrant and had no criminal
charge pending against Wilson.
Constable Is COntradicted
Constable Cakes has stated en-
phatically that none Of the members
of his party we're in DISCUSSES of
any kind, an assertion which is con.
tradicted both by Wilson and by
members of his household.
The hearing is expected to bring
into clear light the suspicious which
were cast upon the Wilson house
hold in neighborhood gossip and
which was the basis for the ''in-
vestigation." Wilson will be ques-
toned about the visits Of George
King, a negro from North Caro-
lima. whose name has been associ-
ated with that Of a member of the
Wilson family and who, Wilson is
quoted as telling Police Lieut.. Han.
nibal Martin Of Danville, visited the
Wilson home and slept under the
Wilson roof on occasion.