Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-08
, CRAWFORD YET MISSING.
BYsoxE rHoUcHrToBE DEAD
Cssnief'ns Repsrss-Lndiss Ask the Mayer
Of WSshsviIie 70 Cause a second search TO
be sisse for Him.

Cssniefins Repsrss-Lndiss Ask the si,ys
or Wysheviiie 70 Cause second search u
! be nsse for Him.
The following from our Wytheyill,
correspondent gives the latest concern
ing the absence or death Of Mr.. w. II,
Crawford, clerk Of the Circuit and
County Courts in Bland.
ID is here stated that Mr. Crawford
started to the Exposition, and so 1t has
been said before; but his deputy, in a
letter to the Auditor of Public Ac-
counts written some weeks ago. de.
cfarcd that he left home with the pur-
pose of coming TO Richmond. The
deputy tells what was told him
by Mr.. Crawford. His statement
is confirmed by a very recent letter
from Bland Courthouse, from a gentle
man who had the very best opportuni-
ties for knowing what Mr.. Crawford
told OF his purposes when he left the
Courthouse. Ii is, however, now well
proved that Mr.. Crawford had no par
ticular occasion for coming to Rich
mond--that is, not to settle with the
Auditor. When he left home he had
barely 'neard Of the charges against Mr..
WllliaIii X. Smith. He left the Court
house the day that Mr.. Smith was ar
rested. II may be that he intended to
go to New Orleans ria Richmond-ln
out-of-the-way route. however.
His indebtedness at the Auditors Of
flee cannot now be ascertained. but il
will hardly exceed 1900; may. possi-
bly,. be not half of that. Ii depends
on the offsets he has.
There is allusion in our telegram fol-
lowing to cripple. said to have died in
Atlanta few weeks ago. true name
unknown. Mr.. Crawford is or was
about thirty-three years Of age. was
unmarried, and was a cripple. His left
leg was shriyelled, and he used crutch
constantly.
WY1HEvILLE, VA. Feb. I, 1885.
Nothing definite Of Importance has
been received here of Mr.. w. II. Craw-
ford, the missing clerk of Bland coun-
ty. Wytheville, as well as Bland. is
full of conflicting reports and rumors
about him. The impression grows that
he either died in Georgia or has gone to
the West. but there is no reason ad-
yanced for his going West. He left
here to attend the Exposition, and did
not have business in the West.
Ladies here petitioned his Honor the
Mayor Thursday to make a second
search for the body, and the adjacent
woodlands were searched for the body
to-day. Monday the water-courses will
be dragged, and an additional search Of
woods and fields made.
BY those who know Crawford the
idea of finding his body about here is
ridiculcd. the fact of his leaving Wythe-
vile on December 4th being thoroughly
The last copy of the weekly Rome
Ga.) Courier reports, and in a measure
'eriiies, the telegram from Atlanta, but
Idds that Crawford's relatives visited I
Atlanta and failed to identify the re-
mains. However. this report of the |
'isit TO Georgia by relatives is denied .
It Bland Courthouse.
Another report here is to the effect
hat Crawford was followed on the /
rain December 4th by two suspicious /
haracters living in Wytheyille. who
eturned on the next train one hour
ater.
Crawford showed large amount of
money at Wytheville depot in small
and was seen to be watch
d and followed by two men to the
rain; but there is still nothing con-
radictory Of my report of his leaving
ere nor Of his death at Atlanta.
His death is so far confirmed that
notion will be offered in Bland court
skiing for the appointment of his sue
pSgOr