The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-02-23
s III o CK ING URDER IN
MANCHESTER.
4 !CITYzEN SHOT AND KILLED IN Front
OF HIS oWN EOUSE.
ARREST OF THE ACCUSED MURDERERs

l. Our neighboring town Manchester is sell
dom ever disturbed by an occurrence so
| shocking as that of Sunday evening last, in
which an estimable citizen lost his life by
| deed of the most unproveked and mur-
derous character. To begin with the sad
story On Sunday afternoon two young
men, Thomas Willis and Richard g..
Whitehead, having become intoxicated,
wandered about the town Of Manches-
ter, creating considerable disturbance
and rendering Themselves generally
annoying. During the afternoon they
carried on their antics near the dwell
| ing Of Mr.. James Rogers, on Decatur and
Second streets. Mr.. Rogers went out, and
told them to 60 away. They went off with
some words, and for time all was quiet.
At about I o'clock Mr.. Rogers started from
| his dwelling to 60 to church. AS he reached
| from his house, he met two men, who ac
costed him, and one Of them shot him with
a pistol, the ball entering his neck and
going into the spine. He staggered few
steps, and fell in front Of his gate. He
died in about ten minutes afterwards.
Mr.. Rogers was q man Of about forty or
forty-one years of age, stone-mason by
trade, and a member of the Masonic fra
ternity. He had by years of industry and
energy acquired quite a competence, and
was one of the most useful citizens of Man
chester. He leaves wife and four children.
Directly after the murder, Policeman
Charters, who happened to be in Manches-
ter at the time, set to work, and after seve-
raj hours Of vigilant search, succeeded in
arresting Thomas Willis, one Of the young
men above mentioned. From his account
of the affair, measures were taken for the
arrest of Whitehead. The last mentioned
was arrested by detective Parker and po-
liceman Fitzgerald at his house. They
we're confined in the Jail at Manchester.
Thomas Willis is a man of about twenty
eight years of age. He was an employe of
the Tredegar Iron Works for time, and is
considered q man of rather bad character.
In appearance he is far from prepossessing.
Richard Whitehead is o young man of
about twenty-four years, and an employe
of the Manchester Cotton and Wool Mills.
He is the son Of a worthy citizen of Man
chester, though he has always been con-
sidered very wild young man.
Yesterday morning coroner's inquest
was called, and Drs. Weisiger, McRae, and
Bronaugh, having viewed the body, con-
CURED in the opinion that the deceased
came to his death from the effects of o gun
or pistol-shot wound received one inch be-
low the right claTicle, passing through the
sternum near the medium line.
The jury met at the house Of the de-
ceased, and after viewing the body, pro-
ceeded to Masonic Hall, and the examina-
ton was held.
g,The following-named gentlemen COM
posed the jury: Messss. ]. NJ. Perdue
(foremanJ, c. 0. Maurice, Ajax Gray, S. S.
Jones, Thomas Hancock, R. d. Hogan, J.
G. Hogan, J. G. Wells, P. II. Gay, Thad
Grow, Joseph Walker, WI. Holt, and Hen
ry Fitzgerald.
The Following evidence was then taken !:
Miss Selona Kinney, sworn: I was stand
ing in my porch, and Mr.. Rogers came from
his gate around the corner of Decatur
street. AS he did 30 two persons came up
and asked, {" Is this you, Rogers ?" He
said, eyes" Mr.. Rogers asked, "What
are you doing with that pistol ;" and made
q motion as though he were trying to get ii
from the man who had it. AS he did SO, he
turned and shot him. Mr.. Rogers said,
"Oh, me (" and fell. The two men we're
about the house during the afternoon we're
tight, and making q great deal of fuss. |
heard one of the parties say, Stop, Tom"
identity that cap (speaking Of the cap
found in front of the house) as the one on
the head of that man (Whitehead). Yes
terday evening MIR. Rogers was coming
around the corner from his house, and the
other parties were coming from across De-
catur street. l saw no blows pass. One of
the two men seemed about to strike Mr..
Rogers. l did not recognize the men. They
were two low men. The shot was fired in
front of my house. l saw Mr.. Rogers
speak to the men during the afternoon, but
there did not seem to be any fuss between
them. The man who shot Mr.. Rogers was
running before he turned and fired. He
was but few steps from Mr.. Rogers at the
time. The latter was alone, and had no.
thing in his hand. The prisoners look very
much like the men I saw advance on Mr..
Rogers. . .s-
William Kenney, sworn I was standing
in Mrs. Green's porch last night at about
7 o'clock. IsaW two men coming down the
street leaning on each other. As they got
to the corner they halted and met Mr.. Ro-
gers. One Of them turned to run, and the
other said, "Don't, Mr.. Tom.'' Almost at
the same time shot was fired, and Mr..
Rogers fell. The two men were Of the
same size as the prisoners. l saw the two
men about Mr.. Rogers's during the after
noon, intoxicated. They seemed to be scuf-
fling, and were annoying the whole neigh
borhood. Mr.. Rogers came out end told
Whitehead to 60 home. After the shot was
fired the two men went up towards Main
street at about twenty yards apart. They
seemed to attack Mr.. Rogers just before the
shot was fired. After the shot was fred
the parties ran. One Of them had hat.
The other was bareheaded. The man that
was running at first, fred the shot. After
Mr.. Rogers spoke to Whitehead in the eve
ming the latter met his father. Mr.. Rogers
told his father to cane him, and remarked
that he had great mind to cane him him
self. When Mr.. Rogers was shot he stag
gered towards his gate, and fell nearly IN
front of it. I picked him up and helped
him into his house. He died in about ten
minutes afterwards. Mr.. Rogers did not
use any threatening words towards the prI-
soners.
Miss Kenney, recalled: The cap dropped
on the sidewalk was picked up by my sis
ter. a.ss..
Policeman Henry Charters, sworn: Last
night about ~ o'clock, passing down by
Pilkinton's factory, heard pistol shot.
a minute or two afterwards | saw man
run up Hull street. / don't know who ne
was. I went on to the railroad, and heard
| that Mr.. Rogers had been shot. came
with my wife home, and went back. in about
| FIVE minutes. I reached Mr.. Rogers's
house, and there heard that q cap had been