The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-04-25

Further Particulars or the Killins OF '."'
Read-The Scene Of the Murder-"'
Dodsen Arrested on Suspicion
Verdict OF the Coroner's
yury-A Theory that
Throws Light.

fcorrc.,opdenco Of the Richmond Dispafch.I
DAsyILLE. Va, April "a, 1883.
The murder OF the colored man james
Read. and the subsequent attempt 10 purn
mn the body-a brief account OF whlch was
tclegrapbed the Dispatch last nIght-causes
considerable excitement here, espech'hy
among the colored people: .s
Tbe building in which the body was
fo,Ind-recently occupied by W. I. Dodson
fwbite) and family, but latterly by Dodson
sloneZwas discovered to be on fire about
Gao O'Clock Yesterday morning. Ponce
man Lowrie and some others lm.neula' o.,
entered the building and exting'ilsneu '1o
fire, and then. after they had bad ,li,is y. a
look around, it appeared that m'iIuei "''
been committed, and an
ATTEMPT TO CONCEAL THE MURDER
made bv burning the house. In the roon'
on the lower floor there was considerapie
nool Of blood. and at several places around
-tohIo there were spots OF blood, ana
a,ong mn n small stairway there were clots
Of blood. Kerosene oil had been poured
,,non bed i'm this room, and the pea Sc.
on fire In the room above. dressed anu
wrapped around, with bed-clothih9' 'nere
was found lying on the door
THE DEAD BODY
Of negro man, and with blood oozing
from wound on the head Just above tne
temple. II was evident that Kerosene OH
had been poured on the clothing, ana lnes
SET on fire. The charrcd remains were 81,
ugly sight. II has been ascerlaineu Una.
the man was James Read, VINO was very
ouiet and inoffensiyc colored cItiIeh.
CORONER's JURY
was summoned in due time, but could
me to no decision, and was adjourned 10
z O'Clock in the evening. After protract-
cd examination no verdict could be rem
dered.
The Jury met this morning and rendered
n verdict that the body was that OF James
Read (colored). and that he came TO ms
death by reason OF blow on the head from
some blunt instrument, supposed to be IN
the hands of W. L. Dodson.
ARREST OF D0Ds0N.
Conductor John L. Grigg arrested bod
son to-day at O'Clock at Franklin juno
ton. on the Virginia Midland road. lie
was brought back to town TINS evening"
and will probably have a preliminary eN-
animation tomorrow. Several arrests, on
suspicion, OF cOlored people have also Deen
made.
TIE SCENE OF TIE MURDER.
Dodson's watch was found on the mantel
Of the lower room OF the house, ana par
Of shoes said TO be his were lying on the
floor But it was evident that whoever
had killed the man must have had some
h. In in the attempt to conceal the murder,
for one man could hardly have carried the
body up the stairway from the lower to the
uuper room. Indeed, appearances indica-
ted that there had been several people III
the room that night or morning.
EVIDENCE OF GAMBLING.
There were on the floor table and some
chairs. and here and there several ticklers.
which had but lately contained liquor. The
conclusion is that a gambling party had
been in that house that night or morning,
and that the killing was done by one OF
that party. and others had assisted in what
was done afterwards. There was a singll-
lar admixture of haste and deliberation in
what was done.
A SUPPOSED MOTIVE FOR TIE CRIME.
II is stated this morning that Dodson had
a few davs ago had his life insured for
$1,000, and the surmise now is that he
killed the man and set the house on ire,
with the thought that it would be con-
cluded that he himself was burnt up in 1t,
and his family would receive the amount
OF the policy. That collected, and he hay-
ing escaped, men say that his idea was that
a reunion with his family elsewhere would
be brought about Read, it is said, was never
known to be in gambling party, and was
every way n good citizen, so men say.
ALPHA.