The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-09-30
rstaunton vindicator. Yesterday

lStaunton yindicator. yesterday.I
On Monday morning the streets were
alive with rumors that Mrs. Adele Points,
residing in the eastern part OF the city,
who had died suddenly the night before,
had come to her death by blows inflicted by
her husband. Mrs. Points being All esteem
ed member Of one OF the Oldest and Dest
families in the city the rumor caused much
excitement. She was the daughter OF the
late James Points. who was United States
marshal OF this district from President
.Jackson's time up to the war, and
at one time Grand Master of the Masonic
Grand Lodge of Virginia. One OF her bro
theirs is the well-known Professor Leonidas
Points, of the Wesleyan Female Institute,
and another is DR.. William J. Points, late
clerk of the United States Court at Harrl-
sonburg, and G. w. Chief Templar OF Vlr-
ginia Good Templars. She was about thirty
five years OF age and highly esteemed by a
large circle. Her husband, Mr.. William j..
Points, is about forty years OF age, son OF
the late Benjamin F. Points, one OF the
most esteemed citizens Of Staunton. He
has been helpless invalid for several
wears and hardly able to move, even With
crutches, and for the last few months his
mind, it is believed, as well as his body, has
been infirm. For some time the married
life of the two has been unhappy, an unhap-
piness that was not known to the brothers OF
Mrs. Points, who would have taken steps to
relieve her from the position in which she
was placed. Mr.. Points had three children,
two of them girls, eight or nine years old,
and the other boy, eleven months old.
THE INQUEST.
no,ro, ,bo 1,od hoord nj r.
cumstances OF the death, declined to hold
an inquest on Monday, but having the mat
ter officially reported to him by Mayor Bal
this and Chief Of Police Peck, summoned
Jury to meet at the residence OF the de-
ceased on Tuesday morning at o'clock,
and at that hour the following Jury assem-
bled James II. Waters Coreman), James
c. Marquis, F. NJ. Young, John B. Scherer,
Sr., J. S. Gillian, and NJ. P. Funkhouser.
The body OF the deceased was in the room,
enclosed in a handsome satin-lined burial
casket, on the top of which was bunch OF
mignonette.
THE EVIDENCE.
Professor Leonidas Points, brother OF
the deceased, testified that he knew nothing
OF the matter personally. When ne saw her
dead on Sunday night he saw nothing un-
natural in the appearance OF the corpse.
DR.. Fauntleroy, being called, testified that
he was called in on Sunday night, and found
Mrs. Points in dying condition with the
symptoms of apoplexy. He had been told
OF her being struck by her husband, and
examined her head and neck carefully, but
found no injuries. She died about ten min
utes after he got there.
Mr.. Jacob Yost said he was walking home
with Miss Bessie Harman from church to
her residence, which is next door, and as
they passed Mr.. Points's heard loud and
angry talking within. They paused, but as
it was OF no interest to him he proposed tc
| walk on, but Miss Harman said, s'Ob, Mr.
Yost, YOU don't know" Just then they
heard q thud, as if some heavy body had
fallen on the floor. The children screamed
and then the screams subsidized into sobs
AS they got on Mrs. Harman's porch Mr..
Points's little glrl came out OF his door ano
cried out: "Oh, Miss Harman, please come
over; mama IS dying."G The child was
wringi her hands, and seemed crazed VIII
fright. The witness and Miss Harman went
over, and Miss Harman, asking him to re-
main at the door, went in.
| y DR.. William j. Points, OF HarrlsonDurS
| who was present in the iury-room, here sale
that he was astonished on arriving here tx
4
| had been aware of it be would have insisted
on the family being represented by counse
before it, or otherwise he should have pro
tested against it. But now it had been com
menced he was determined to have it tho
rough and searching.
Miss Bessie Harman corroborated Dir
Yost's testimony, and added that when SHIT
eot into Mrs. Points's room she found Mrs
points living prone on the floor, with hel
feet under the bed on which Mr.. Point
was sitting upright, and her head near th'
| crib. She asked Mr. Points what was tn
matter, and he either said 81 don't know
or rave no answer, she could not remembe
which. The children commenced telling
that he had struck their mother, and h'
shook his head at them, and told them tt
ston. They said, ssFather has strucf
mother. with his cane on the back OF, th'
Mend y The cane was lying across the foo
Of the bed They said also that he hat
been beating her all the evening, ever since
supper. Mrs. Points was totally uncon
scious, and did not respond to some enortS
| made to restore her by the use OF camphor
Mr.. Points held the baby in his arms as IL
sat on the bed.
BODY VIEWED.
DIR. Points here asked that the jury shoult
90 into the chamber and view it, which WA
done. It was small chamber, TASTEFUL!
furnished, and on the mantelpiece two chill
dren's photographs Jointly framed, ant
under them the inscription, " The Lore
Give thee peace" Miss Harman said Mrs
Points was lying on the floor on her righ
side with her arms thrown out. A crutcf
stood some distance from the bed.