The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-12-10

Mas1 KILLED, BlgSt7t1eSs hstsz Eut Up
Confession or the Prisoner.
From The Dover DeiaTarian, December II
This community was startled on Thursday
morning by ACKNOWLEDGEMENT that the hodJ
Of q man, partially burned, headless and
f~ootless, had been found In the Office Of DR.
Isaac G. West. An examination of the pre-.
uisea, q view of the remains, and attendance
on the c%oroner's inquest, coupled with the
absence Of DR.. West and of a negro named
Czech Turner, have led Us to the belief that
a murder Of the most ~atrocious description
has been committed, together with an at
tempt to burn a row of houses TO conceal the
crime. The facts, as far as we have been
able to gather them, are as follows:
A young man known rs DR.. Isaac c. West.
who protested to treat patients suffering from
pulmonary complaints by the inhalation pro-
cess, has been occunvinga room in the second
story OF a new building recently erected by
James NJ. kerbin. on Lookerman street, be.
tween Governors avenue and New street, in
which he had apparatus for manufacturing q
gas called "electro-oxygen." On Wednes.
day night about half.past II O'Clock West
left the Capital Hotel, where he boarded,
stating to the clerk. Mr.. Culbreth, that be
was going to his Office for the purpose oil
attending to some gas which be said be
was preparing, conveying the idea that he
had left the lamp burning under the re.
tort. At about haif.past IL o'clock Mr..
e.. W. Benn, who lives In the dwelling
part of the raipt-shop adjoining Vests
office, was called by his wife, who told him
she believed something serious had hap
pened next door, us she heard 4 noise as il
something heavy had fallen, followed by q
noise like that made by q sewing-machine.
Mr.. Benn got out on the window-coping and
looked into Vests window, and found the
place TO he oh fire. He gave the alarm, and
with some ueighbors broke into the room,
aud BOON had the fire under control; but u
sight that thrilled all present with horror
was presented when a light was brought into
the room. On the floor lay the headless and
%footlc:s body Of a man, partially roasted by
the fire. s {
The first impression was that this was the
body Of DR.. West, and that he had been
killed by an explosion Of the gas which he
had been manufacturing, or of some chemi-
calls he had been using. This impression,
however, was not sustained by the condition
Of the body or its surroundings. The body,
when found, was lying on It's back, with a
parcel of burnt pine wood, apparently pieces
of boxes, under and about It. The head was
entirely gone, and not q trace of it wa to be
found in the room-the neck looking as
though the head had been severed from it
with I'm axe. Both feet were gone taken of
above the anklejoints), and notraces of them
in the room. There was not a particle OF
clothing about the body. Not q single arti-
cle-such rs q kuife. a watch, or a bunch OF
k~eys-usuully carried by gentlemen was to be
found on.the body or anywhere in the room.
The brim OF q silk hat and pieces Of a coat
aud waistcoat belonging to West were found
in a part Of the room away from the body.
Some pieces Of a plaid shirt, like one worn
by Cooch Turner before bis disappearance,
also a piece of striped pantaloon stuff, were
found in the room. 1t Is c%opjectured that
the mutilated body had been placed OF one
end Of the large goods box, from which it
fell after the fire had burnt that side of the
box away. This seems probable from the
| fact that the back, which was next the floor
when the body was found, with a few pieces
of burnt wood about it, was burnt more than
| the front, and also from the fact that the floor
immediately under the body was not burnt
A post-mortem examination of the body
was subsequently made by Drs. Robert jump
and Edwin O. S~Ilakespear, with what result
| we have not learned at this writing. There
are u great many theories in circulation in
! regard to the manner in which the body
| came to its death, but we prefer not adyan.
cling any Of them until the investigation be.
fore the ~coroner's jury has been concluded.
The circumstance that a man answering
| somewhat the description of West got OIL
| the cars at Dover at 4 o'clock in the morning
is in a manner connected with the affair.
LATEST.
Just as We were going to press last eve
| ming DR.. West anne up on the . ?. u. train
and delivered himself to the sheriff, having
| previously telegraphed that he was coming
| He says that he killed Cooch Turner in self.
| defence /; that he got Cooch to carry up Q
| bucket of water; that he went up stairs be
| bind Cooch !; thai as he was going in the
| door Cooch raised n large hammer, saying,
"Your money or your lite" that he west.
| seized u bar of iron and struck Cooch on the
| neck with it, killing him instantly that ,har'
|; Ing the dead body on hand he did not know
| what to do with it; that he cut it up ano
| carried itaway piece at Il time; that be put
| the head under i brush heap near Squire
Smiths, and the feet in a lime pile on thu
| Hazletyille road says that he did not inteno
to burn the buildings.
1t is needless to say that bis explanation:
of the killing are not credited. A large
| crowd awaited his arrival at the depot
| where he was taken in charge by the officers
He is now lodged in JAIL His brothers ant
,,tbor ;,- In ", ;o;nod him in the coll. THEY