Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-02-12
A A AFFAIR.
The Violent Death Of lanes l. Richmond,
a Promising Young Lawyer.

James Lorenzo Richmond, a nephew
of Judge Madill and brother-in-law
of Judge Adams, met a violent death
yesterday morning at No. 302S Chest
nut street. The coroner declares it
to have been a case of suicide. The
affair was a surprise to every one ac-
quainted with Mr.. Richmond, for both
his private and business relations
appear to have been of a pleasant
character. The coroner stated that
he could find no cause for the com
mission of the act. 1t was rumored
that Mr.. Richmond had left a letter
explaining the whole matter, but this
fact is denied by the relatives. The
only facts so far as known are that at
about half-past eight o'clock yes
terday morning Judge Adams, at
whose house Mr.. Richmond lived,
raped at the door and told
him to get up and come down to
breakfast. The judge sleeps upon the
same floor (the third and had Just
arisen and was on his way down stairs
when he stopped at Mr.. Richmond's
room. When called Richmond an
swered in a distinct voice, I" All right
| will be down shortly" Judge
Adams then went down stairs, took
breakfast and was about to leave the
house to come down town, when the
report Of a pistol was heard in the
third story.
The household were, of course.
greatly alarmed by this circumstance,
but they had hardly apprehended
what was to follow. As it was we'll
known that Mr.. Richmond had a habit
of sleeping with a pistol under his
pillow, it was thought probable that
the weapon had been discharged acct
dentally. Several persons simultane-
ously ran towards the door of Mr..
Richmond's room, but Judge Adams
was the first to enter, and, with the
keen eye of a judge, he understood at
once what had happened, and turning
away dispatched a messenger for DR..
Boisliniere, who arrived shortly after
wards and found Richmond a corpse.
The nature of the case made it
necessary that the coroner should
know the particulars; and so soon as
the doctor pronounced the man dead
the door was closed and no one al
lowed to disturb the surroundings
until the arrival of DR.. Auler.
The coroner states that he found
the body lying in bed with the night
clothes still on. The covering was
thrown off the shoulders and pushed
down as far as the waist. The head
rested upon the pillow which was COW
cred with blood, and a gun-shot
wound was found about one inch
above the right ear. The body Law
upon the back with the right arm
turned in the direction of the head,
and the hand rested upon the pillow
almost touching a revolver which
seemed to have fallen from its clasp.
The bed-clothing near the pistol was
burned and blackened with powder.
Dr.. Auler recorded the above de-
scriptiOn of the remains in his book
in justification of his verdict; but he
took a great deal of pains TO avoid
giving out any of the details of the
affair, departing from his office at a
much earlier hour than usual to avoid
the newspaper men.
Mr.. Richmond was twenty-ninC
years of age, a native of Woodstock
Vermont, and a lawyer by profession.
He has also taken some part in poll.
ties, and is said to have been a mem.
Der of the Democratic association
His Office was with Chandler & Lee
The remains were shipped to Wood.
stock last night for interment. II
spite Of the %coroner's verdict, the
young mans relatives hold to tho
theory that the revolver was acct
dentally fired.