Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-11-16
The Albemarle Tragedy.
The arrest Of the supposed n'urderer-1nter-
esting Details.

eStH4 Detuuo'
A letter from detective Craddock, received
yesterday morning, announced to his partner
Mr.. Knox. the arrest of Henry Salmon IN
Albemarlc. for the murder of his mother and
brother, Luther-on Thursday night last in
that county. Last evening, however, prom
inep. member of the Richmond bar arrived
from Albemarle and gave us the details of
conversation had with Mr.. Craddock after the
arrest. Mr.. Craddock, on first meeting Sal
mon. it seems, pretended to be land-buyer
in search of Albemarle land, and the latter at
once agreed to sell him the land he had in
herited by the death of his Mother and brother,
giving as reason for his wish to dispose oft
that he felt so badly about the horrid tragedy
connected with it. After some conversation,
in which all that Salmon said was carefully
noticed by the detective, the latter told him
that land buying was not his main object In
coming to Albemarle, that he was military
officer detailed BY General Candy to invests
cate the Salmon murder. Salmon thereupon
Tecited to him the story of his having gone to
a corn shucking Thursday night at the farm
of n neishbor mile off, and on his return the
next morning that he found the door of his
mothers house open. Looking through his
window, he saw the body of his brother who
had been murdered, but did not then see his
mother; that he Immediately, without going
in, went back to the neighbors at the farm
already referred to and informed them of what
had happened. The detective noted that he
could not have seen the brother through the
window at all, lying as he was in the position
when found, nor could he have looked into
the window unless he got upon something to
elevate him, and there was nothing near it
Further, that the body of the mother was
found near the open door, and must have been
in full view of him when he approached the
house. He was only gone, after leaving the
neighbours farm, half hour, until he returned
and reported the incident, and yet it would
have taken an hour and half to have seen
and done all he reported to Mr.. Craddock
during that time. The mother when found
had her apron full of chips she had picked up
in the yard and taken into the house This
she would not have done in the night, and
the conclusion of the detective was that she
was murdered before he went to the corn
shocking as she was taking chips in at night
to build fire. Salmon further reported to
the neighbor when he went back that he
found his brother dead, and yet when Mr..
Henry, the neighbor, came with him towards
the house the noisy breathing of the dying
man could be heard twenty yards from it
finally said to Craddock he would answer no
more questions until he could get counsel
Craddock left him, and after communicating
with persons at the constructing, who, among
other things, said Salmon seemed very uneasy
all night, came back to him, and as he ap
proac hed him, remarked : 81 have found the
man who killed your mother and brother;
you are the man, and [ arrest you" Salmon
denied it, saying he knew nothing about it.
He manifested no feeling and showed no in
dgnation at being charged with so horrible
crime. In abiding to this circumstance,
Craddock said he is one of the coolest and
most 1nfeeling men he ever encountered.
An officer of Albemarle county, on hearing
of his arrest told our informant that some two
months ago Salmon came several times to him
to enquire about the property of his mother
and brother, asking if, in the event of their
death, he would not inherit it. He told him
he would. Salmon. it seems, had before that
gotten into some difficulty about some cloth,
and, on being threatened with a suit, had
conveyed all of his interest in his mothers
estate to the murdered brother. The affair
has created the most intense feeling in Albe-
marie county.
We omitted to state that a suit of the
clothes of the accused were found ID the
house with stains of blood on them. There
were also marks of blood on a pair of his
shoes found there.
If the murder was perpetrated by him, as
alleged, before he went to the corn, shocking,
he must have changed his clothes before
leaving the house where the horrid deed was
done. Salmon was taken to Charlottesville
and locked up in Jail. Craddock was sent for
and went up Saturday, and the arrest was
made on Sunday,-Richmond Wing.