The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-08-30
LOCAL MATTERS.
The Late Fataf Array.

tPosT-MOETEN 5ExAHIsATlgHiAND.s lSQbEsT j,
| TIE CASE OF NELSON LEWIS, KILLED IN a.
ARRRAYiWITH EPPS GnODAAS--TfIE VERDICT
Dr TAYLOR, the Coroner. and Drs. Deas
and Irving, resilient physicians at the city
aImsiouse, made d p0stnortsm examina.
ton of abe head OF Nelson Lewis yesterday
who was iatsify injured Wednesday after.
noon with t1ray-skid, or druy- pin, durfns
difficulty with aEpps Goodman near The
corner of Fotrtcenth and Cary streets.
The autopsy showed thntthe death-wound
was on the top Of the beud. rather fn front,
fand little to the left OF the middle line.
The scaIp-Woupd was about two inches in
length, extending down to1the skuiI-bone.
The wound in the skull was about an nch
in diameter and very neurly circular, the
bone having been driven into tbe substance
OF the brain in fragments. a piece Of Lew
ISIS CLOTH or felt-bat;and pieces OF the bone,
were found in the wound.
The inquest was held at the aImshouse i'm
nediately after the autopsy bad been made.
DR.. T. P. Mayo was the foreman OF the cor
oncr's Jury. The first witness examined
was Mr.. SamueiP. }. Royall, employed at Mr..
e. A, Saunders's, Garner Of Fourteepth and
Cary streets, who saw The whole difficulty.
Shortly before O'Clock on Wednesday, Mel
son Lewis, negro drayman, drove up to
Mr.. Saunders's store and backed up his
Gray, ready to receive a load, taking his
skds and setting them up against the wall
OF the building. .Epps Goodman. another
drayman, drove up at the time Lewis was
setting up his skids and backed bis dray up
to the store-door by the side OF LeWis's
draw. Goodman went into the store for a
barrel Of -four. aud as be seemed to be in a
great hurry, and as Mr.. Royal knew him,
he did not stop to make out Il ticket then,
but told Goodman be could go ahead with
the -four and he'd give him ticket after
wards. The -four was put upon the dray,
and as be turned to go out said to Lewis
that be had taken his (Goodman's) place,
and the two men began to quarrel. Mr.
Royals went out to the store-door and order
ed Goodman uway, telling Lewis to so into
the store and get his load. Mr.. Royal
thought Lewis was entitled to the position
he claimed. although he bad waited upon
Goodman first because he appeared to be IN
q great hurry and had only one barrel to put
on his dray.
AS MIR. Royal ordered Goodman away
and called in Lewis, Levi il picked up one
OF his skids and struck at Epps; but, Mr..
Royal thinks, did not bit him. Goodman
then picked up one Of his skids and struck
Lewis. who fell at the feet Of the witness
(Mr. RoyalD. DR.. Crump was standing
near by, but the affair happened in such
short space Of time that neither Of the two
gentlemen could interfere, and, besides, as
it is common occurrence for draymen to
quarrel the witness paid but little attention
to what was said in the quarrel. Mr..
Royals opinion is that Lewis struck at
Goodman before the latter took up his skid
and bit Lewis.
Frank johnson, colored drayman, was
standing in the door OF Mcssrs. D. 0. Da-
yis 81 Co., and saw Goodman strike Lewis !;
but was not witness to the first part OF
the difficulty.
Policeman Jeter was the next witness
examined. He testified as to Goodman'5
coming into the First station-house and
giving himself up. Goodman stated that a
man had struck him with dray-pin, and
was attempting TO strike him second time,
when he picked up his dray-pin and knock
ed him down; he did not seem to be at all
excited. He then locked him up.
DR.. Deas, one OF the resident physicians
at the almshouse, testified next as to the
character of the wound: The deceased
was unconscious from the time be was
brought to the almshouse until he died
Thursday.
After deliberation the jury rendered this
verdict: That deceased came to his death
on 2Sth day Of August, 1879, from frac-
ture OF the skull inflicted by William Good
man alias Epps Goodman with a dray-
skid during an alteration on the 27th
day of August. 1879, between him and
the said William Goodman alias Epps
Goodman.
The prisoner aud his counsel were pre-
sent ut the inquest.
DR.. Dcas examined Goodman, and found
traces OF what IS supposed to have been a
blow upon his left forearm.