The Baby Is Gone

The Lunenburg Prisoners are moved as the date of the trial approaches.

The Lunenburg Case continues to attract public attention. The matter has been taken up in the legislature of Virginia. Instead of granting the rlief asked for by his Excellency Chas. T. O'Ferrall, this body has been contending over a most mischievous bill offered by Mr. G. A. Hundley and providing for the strangulation of the right of appeal.
WHO SUPPORTED IT
It is a noticeable fact that Mr. Murphy and Mr. Reddy of this city supported the measure. It passed by a vote of 89 to 48. Whether it will get through the Senate is an open question and if Gov. O'Ferrall is as positive in his dealings with this measure as he has been with some others its fate is sealed.
The primary purpose of the bill is to hang the innocent women, who an charged with a crime which it will be demonstrated they never committed.
Pokey Barnes who was carried Lunenburg in a drenching rail has been sick ever since. She was no allowed to carry any clothes and necessarily contracted a deep cold by the exposure.
Mary Abernathy was carried away last Thursday morning by Sheriff Cardoza. It is a strange coincidence that whenever he has come for these prisoners and appeared to be most liable to secure them heavy rains have set in.
It was raining when Pokey Barnes and Solomon Marable left here, and when Mary Abernathy was conveyed away the leaden skies again greeted the Lunenburg Co. Sheriff and his prisoners.
PHOTOGRAPHING THE BABY.
The baby of Mary Abernathy has improved rapidly. Editor Mitchell was at the jail Wednesday afternoon and despite the unfavorable weather he secured a photograph of the mother and babe.
Kev. S.C Burrell, accompanied by Mesdames Graves Thompson and others, had come down to visit Aunt Mary. They did not know until they we told at the jail that she would be removed the next morning.
GAVE HER TIME.
Aunt Mary said that Sheriff Cardoza did not give Pokey Barnes but ten minutes in which to go with him and accordingly she could not take change of clothing.
The people of Lunenburg are being much puzzled over the presence two strangers who say they are Pinkerton detectives there for the purpose of investigating the matter and finding the money. They were ordered leave the county but declined to do so and continued their work. Many doubt that they are the persons they represent themselves to be. They believe they are sent there by Detective Baldwin under instructions of the Governor.
COUNSEL CONFIDENT.
Counsel for the women are not a uneasy about these reports, believing that even if these reports are true investigation cannot result to the detriment of their clients.
Ellen Gayle, the main witness for the commonwealth, has not changed her statement relative to her accompanying Pokey Barnes on that fatal day, and if she had it would not affect the case inasmuch as she has already testified under oath and any change in her statement would make her liable for perjury.
No witnesses have been summonded in the case. The Lunenburg Co. Judge George C. Orgain presiding convenes on the 11th inst. Hon. George D. Wise, Judge H. W. Flournoy Capt. A. B. Guigon will go there to argue for a change of venue. Much depends on whether or not this is granted.
WHERE THEY WILL BE TRIED.
If the judge rules in their favor he will send the case to some other county for trial and the prisoners will pass out of the jurisdiction of the Lunenburg County Court and Sheriff Cardoza will relinquish his control over the prisoners, passing them to the custody of the sheriff in the county in they are to be tried.

“The Baby Is Gone,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed May 12, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1771.