Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-08-07

Ross; there lying dead, the jurors sworn to
enquire when, Nheres how, and by what
means the said John W. Ross came to his
death, upon their oaths do say that John
W. Ross came to his death on Sunday,
July 18th, 1874, between the hours of and
10 "A. NJ, by reason of certain gun-shot
wounds Which entered the body of deceas-
ed IN the region of the heart, and that the
said wounds were inflicted from a gun
discharged by Rufus r. Fisher.
In testimony whereof the said coroner
and seals.
F. W. SCOTT,
81. Of 2. and acting coroner,
''R. ID. HILLIAD,
Foreman,
And the rest of the Jurors.
Fisher and Wallace have been arrested
and put in jail.
MoNTAGUE's ESSEX, July 81, 1874.
After the finding of the coroner's jury
on Monday, July, y, that John w. Ross
came to hia death by buckshot wounds
from gun discharged by Rufus R. Fisher
as you have been previously informed,
Fisher and his accompliceS. James Il.
Wallace, Ben Robinson Ia negro man)
and Rhoda Robinson Ia negro Woman)
were committed to Middlesex county jail
for safe keeping until their trial shall be
had.
THE SUPPOSED MOTIVE FOR COMMITTING
THE MURDER.
Fisher, who keeps store on Parrott s
creek, and Ross both lived ut what is
known as Milestone landing. 1t appears
that sometime since Ross applied TO his
County Court for license to sell liquor, but
xunc raf,lcol p1ot tho fDctiYnOnU Of of
Fisher S friends that he ROSS was man
of bad character. He attributed the fail
ure to obtain the desired privilege to Ru-
fus Fisher. "a bitter enmity sprung up
between them. Ross determined to retail
! late He declared his intention to present
Fisher at the next term of the court for
cohabiting with a negro woman named
Rhoda Robinson. Ross returned from Bal
timore, Nd, on Saturday, July Is, from a
visit to his relations, with the avoWed pur-
pose of presenting Fisher before the court
on the following Wednesday, and it is sup
! posed that Fisher was induced to Kill him
| in order to prevent his exposure and
shame.
JOHN W. ROSS.
Ross was about thirty-live years of age
and native of Maryland. He seems to
have been man of rowing disposition,
having travelled extensively in the capaci-
| ty of a sailor. He also served five years
in the Federal army. He came to Middle
sex county about six years ago.. and Ell
gagged in the oyster planting business
| built him a house out in the Parrot s
| creek, and lived entirely to himself. He
IS reported by his neighbors to have been
quiet and Industrious man, ard always
voted with the Conservatives.
RUFUS R. FISHER.
| is about thirty-two years of age; has dark
hair and gray eyes. While he has not a
very preposseSsing cOuntenance, yet there
| is nothing to H. dictate that he would be
| capable of committing such an atroclous
crime against his fellow man as the one
now charged to him. III retOfere he was
generally regarded as peaceable man,
| though it was fully proven that he was on
terms Of great intimacy with the negro
| woman Rh0da Robinson, who is a fall
type of the native African, being very
black and quite filthy III appearance
Fishers father at one time, before the
war, was in affiuent circumstances ard
much respected, and it is to be regretted
| that father who in time past enjoyed the
confidence and esteem of his neighbors
| should have the declining years OF his LIE
enbittered by this load of sorrow and
shame which attaches to the crime his son
| is charged to be guilty OLA murder: fol-
its cold blooded atrocity is second to none
on the criminal record of our State except,
perhaps, that of the famous Jeter Phillips
murder
1t is thought that great efforts will be
made en- the part of Fishers friends to
avert the punishment which the law SO
justly prescribes for such crimes. The
Hon. B. T. Bland, our present senator,
has already been employed as counsel for
Fisher, and other able counsel will doubt
less be engaged in his behalf. The regular
term Of the court at which thist would
come off is the 18th Of October next, but
it is said that an extra session will be call
ed for this trial before that time.
Much excitement still prevails in the
community, and persistent efforts are be
ing made by the able representatives for
the Commonwealth to discover further
proofs and evidence as to the murder.
|