The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-10
DODSON'S DOOM.
TIE nANvILLE MURDER AND AR
son CASE.


son CASE.
History Of the Crime-One Of the Most Re-
markable i'm che Annals OF the state-rcn
Years In thc Pcnltentiary.
The case Of the Commonwealth against
W. T. Dodson was brought TO a close yes
terday in Danville. In many respects this
Is one Of the most remarkable eases in the
criminal records Of the State. It's history
Is briefly as follows: On the 2Sd OF April
the house occupied by DodSon in Danvile
was discovered 10 be on fire. After the
flames had been cXiinguished the dead
body OF negro man named James Read was
found IN the building. Blood was running
from several wounds upon the body, there
were bloodStainS ia several parts OF the
house, and Reads clothes had been satu-
rated with oil and set on FIRE. Oil had also
been poured on some bedding in the room.
Suspicion attached 20 Dod>on. who was ar
rested al Chatham. and confessed sub
stantially that he had hired two negro men
20 bring him body. and had set fire 10 the
house in the hope that the remains
would be thought his (DodSon's). His oh
jcc;. he stated. was 90 enable his family
TO realize the proceeds OF a policy OF in
surauce on bis life. He infinitely described
how he had fixed a lighted candle near the
body so that 10 would burn down 10 and
iguUc The oil within q certain time. II was
his intention, II his plot succeeded. he said.
10 20 10 Texas. ON Yesterday we gave p
report Of the testimony on the first day Of
The trial. Bclow is the report OF the pro-
ooedingS 20 It's conclusion:
The Clash of Evidence-A Dispute-A Sceue
i'm Court-The Evidence Closed.
Reported Tor the Dispatch.
DANvILLE, VA, June s, 1888.
The clash in the evidence given by PO-
licemsn Lowrie, who said that DodSon con-
fessed to him thst Read was knocked down
in his Dodson's) house and in his pres
cnce, aud the body then. on bis order, car
ried upstairs; and that Of Messrs. Jen-
nings, Scott, and Conway, became moro
decided yesterday after the examination OF
Mr.. Z. Bouldin. Of the Times, and Captain
Hall. chief OF police. and Mr.. l.. c. Wood,
the iaier. Mr.. Lowrie had not been able
10 find the memorandum which he had
written Of DoGson's confession to him, but
Mr. Boudin. who was on the grand Jury
that indicted Dodson, said that when Mr..
Lowrie gave his testimony 10 the grand
jury he made substantially the state
ment made i'm this trial. and in doing so
referred several times, as If 10 refresh his
memory. to 4 written paper held in his
hand. Captain Hall and Mr.. Wood. who
say they were present when DOdSOn made
his confession 10 Mr.. LOwrie. and that they
heard everything that was said in the room.
said that DOdson did not confess that the
man was knocked down i'm his house and
in his presence, but that Dodson said that
when he rot 10 his house he found two
men there with body that was lying on
the floor Mr.. Wood added that he did
not remember that DodsOn told the negro
with whom he bargained that he was
physician and wanted a body for dissec-
ton. but did remember that DOdSon said
that the only mistake he made was in cut
ting the candle too long.
DISPUTE.
A. 10 the dispute which arose between
Mr.. LOwrie and Dodson while DOdS0n was |
making his statement to Mr.. Conway. Cap |
tain Hall said that Mr.. Lowrie asked bod |
son II he had not told him Nowr1e) that !
the man was knocked down in his house |
and in his presence, and that DOdsOn re- !
piled. "Did l say that?" To this Mr.. !
Lowrie said, Didn't you;" And bod |
son said. Z" No" As 10 the inquiry OF |
Dodson's about the instrument, &C., Cap |
tain Hall had some recollection, but not q
positive one. that Dodson did inquire il |
the instrument had been found with which !
Read was struck. and if Mr.. LOwrie knew
how many times he was struck. (There
were on exhibition a harrow-tooth and a
hatchet which were found i'm Dodson's !
house. and some testimony, which did not
settle any point. Was given concerning
them.)
Dodson laughed pleasantly while Captain
Hall was rebutting Mr.. Lowrie's statement. !
DoDsoN's MOVEMENTS.
Much testimony was given a. to the
movements Of DodsOn and Read on the day
and night before the murder was committed.
1t appeared that DOdson was at the house
Of a col0red woman named Maggie Keen
for two or three minutes on that dav. and
was at the house OF a white woman named
Jennie Smith from about 9 =. VI. TO 10 p.
NJ. and when he left said he was going to
see his wife, and left message Tor woman
at the house, Donnie Fay. that he would
see her when be came again. Ii also ap-
peared that Read (the murdered MANI was
seen with Pink Haley, who is now under
indictment for being an accOmplice OF
Dodson's in the murder Of Read. about II
O'Clock OF the night on which the murder
was committed.
SOMETHING OF A SCENE.
Something Of a scene occurred when the
woman Donnie Fay was giving in her tes-
timony. II appeared that Dodson had
been in correspondence with her, and that
several OF her letters to him were in posses
sion Of the sergeant, and a ring OF hers.
When the first pack Of these letters was
handed TO her she recognized them as hers,
and put her hand over her heart while
locking at them. When the last one was
shown 20 her she manifested pain and
again put her hand 10 her side, and imme-
diately afterwards tainted. Restoratiyes
were administered by Sergeant Boisseau
and one OF the jury, and after few min
utes she was able 10 finish her testimony.
] could not discover that Dodson's eye
rested on the woman while she was talking,
nor did he appear in any way interested.
When she tainted he took up newspaper
and employed himself in reading il.