The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-01-03
Shocking Tragedy.

FarnYllle, ordinarily one OF the qule[eSt
towns in Virginia. was thrown into great
excitement Saturday by a most horrible
tragedy which was enacted there, resulting
in the instant death OF a NEST respected Cit
izen and the subsequent demise OF his MUIR
derer.
A dispatch from Farmville gives the fol-
lowing particulars :-s'About one O'Clock
Col. VIM. Randolph Berkeley, prominent
member of che bar, was rutllessly shot down
by the hand OF an assassin, who Immediate
ly after the consuDmation of his purpose
committed suicide. Col. Berkeley was seat
ed in his law office conversing OH business
with Mr.. Alfred Moth, local banker, when
a knock was heard, and the Colonel. saying,
BE seated, Mr.. Moth got up to open the
door. AS soon as the door was opened Col.
Berkeley was shot in the breast and stag
gered, when the assassin fired again and
shot him in the right temple. Capt. W. Fl.
Kennedy, who had done the deed, stepped
into the office, and said to Mr.. Moth, You
had better leave, and then shot himself in
the head. Several physicians were speedily
on the spot, but life was extinct in Colonel
Berkeley, and Kennedy was only just
breathing. The cause of this awful crime is
believed to have been the fact that Colonel
Berkely had distrained on Kennedy's goods
for debt due clieilt. Capt. Armistead,
the county coroner, opened an inquest in
the case of Col. Berkeley ia. the afternoon.
The evidence of Mr.. Moth showed clearly
that the facts were as stated abOvt. DR.,
Nash, physician who had been attending
Kennedy, testified as to threats against
some person whom he alleged had injured
him. Kennedy was moved to the Randolph
House, and died last night, having been in :
sensible from the time he did the deed
al Al. i1alvr linz yUl,
ont the State, having been frequently spoken
OF for Governor. and other prominent posi-
tons. Capt. Kennedy was the proprietor
of the Randolph House at Farmvile.
A dispatch from Norfolk says :-''Wm. H..
Kennedy has a brother in this city, and
spent some time here this fall. During his
stay here he showed conclusive evidence Of
temporary insanity, and at one time at
tempted to take his own life by means OF
laudanum, which he secreted in his room at
the Atlantic Hotel. His brother and other
friends knew of his wandering mind While
here, and attributed it to his affection with
Bright's disease Of the kidneys. He was
about thirty-two years of age, and was con-
sidered one OF the most honorable young
men il. the State. lie was Of an extremely
said to be one Of the best friends the family
bad.''
Col Berkeley was a cousin of DR.. Carte r
Berkely of Staunton, and Mr.. Kennedy was
the brother nf Mr.. Geo. Kennedy, formerly
clerk at the Virginia Hotel OF this city.
A DRY-SNIOKER .-Fhe Richmond CORE
spondent of the Petersburg Post tells this
little joke at the expense of eX-Speaker
Hanger:
He is what is called a dry -smoker-that is,
he keeps cigar in lis mouth just for the
taste OF the tobacco, but does not smoke it.
They say question was raised at enc OF the
committee meetings whether the cigar that
Speaker Hanger smokes is not the one he
had last winter?" One of the clerks tells
ths on him. How the question was decided
has not TRANSFERRED.
Major Elder, Commonwealth Attorney
for the city OF Staunton, smokes the fellow
to Major Hangers cigar.
VIRGINIA POULTRY AssOCIATION.-We
have received a small pamphlet represent
ing the design of the Virginia Poultry Asso
citation, of which our enterprising county
man, A. NJ. Bowman, Esq. is President.
The First Grand Exhibition OF Pure Bred
Fowls, Fancy Pigeons, &C., will be held at
Richmond, ON the 9th, 10th and 1lth OF
January, under the auspices of this Assoria-
ton. The occasion will doubtless be an in
teresting one, and attract Il large attend
ance.
HEAVY PAYMENTS BY THE TREASURY.
Since the passage of the army bill, tllt
United States Treasury has paid out oyel
thirty millions in currency, the greater p0r
ton of which was paid as compensation tt
the officers and men of the army. The
Treasury is now paying out over twenty
three millions in gold on account OF the in
terest of the public debt, due on the lst o
January next, making in all over s53s 900. 00
!. lish.irsel In the l.asl six tYeeLs