Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-05-07

the outward slope is turfed. On top |
OF the enbankmcnt is WIDE walkwsy
covered with crushed granite. To pre-
vent the hundreds Of people who prom
enade there in summer evenings falling
into the water there Is q picket-fence
8 feet inches high between the walk
way and the water. set about Ia inches
back from the basin. Al various points
steps ascend the embankment from the
grounds. The whole grounds are en-
closed BY a fence feet high. All
gates are locked at night but for many
years prior to the l4th Of March, 1885,
there had been in the back fence. IN o
remote and seldom-visited locality, a
hole made by taking OF two planks.
STRANDED.
During the nights OF March 18th the
water in this reservoir had been allowed
TO fall about four feet. and the dead
body was found stranded on one OF the
slOping sides Of the basin. Taken out.
it appeared to be the body Of young
wOmar--a German woman, many
thought There was no sign OF hat
or shawl. and as st first no mark OF
violence could be seen, the hasty con-
clusion was reached BY some that il vas
a case Of suicide. Mr.. p. J. Burton,
Of the Dispatch, who went out there IN
the line Of his profession and made
close investigation, was probably the
first TO see marks Of violence on the
face. and to declare, in view Of the sur
roundings. that in bis opinion the rO-
man had been murdered.
Later in the day, and particularly the
following two days, there could be seen
the mark OF \ heavy blow over th. right
eve. lips slightly bruised, and on the
forehead some little tritlng pecks.
AUTOPSY.
Sunday Coroner Taylor. assisted by
DR.. Pettus, resident physician at the
almshouse. made an autopsy. The
marks were measured and sketehed and
the brain was examined.
The blow on the forehesd-the most
serious hurt--had not fractured the
/ skull. or even broken the skin bus it
had caused an efnsion Of blood on the
brain. and ITS effect WAS seen on the
opposite back side Of the brain IN what
was taken to be " counter-stroke,' 1t
might have been the cOunter-strokt, or
second blow given her. The skin on
the lips was not broken, but in few
days the under lip was darkened greatly.
The autopsy also revealed the fact
that deceased would have become q
mother IN from four 10 six weeks.
The conclusion Of the doctors was
that death occurred in the water there
was mud clenched in her hands thai
It was impossible 70 tell whether th'
blows were given before or after death
but that if before death they were suf
fcient 10 render deceased insensible
and might possibly have resulted Il
death.
SCUFFLE.
Mr.. Rose. in his evidence before tn
Jury. stated that bis attention was hrs
attracted by red glove on the walk
way-that looking into the water h
saw the womau's dress. - saw man
tracks on the waikwRy on the sSutheri
bend Of the parspet, and in the mids
Of them acloye. There wer
probably ten OF fifteen tracks. Their
seemed 10 be two tracks apparently &
a female and two OF three Of man.
seemed that the ground had been fur
rowed up ss if by scuttiing over spac
Of about three feet in diameter.
There was also IN the path a piece
= shoe-string." In this statement Nj
John Higgins. laborer at the reservoir
cOncurred.
Alta later period the jury Of inques
rendered q verdict that deceased lfanni
Lillian Madison came to her death b.
drowning in the Old reservoir, and ths
T. J. CluyeriuS was directly or ind
: rectly responsible.
HER PROPERTY-THE wATCH-KEY
One glove was found on the wslkvs
on the embankment. Her veil va
picked up outside Of the grounds an
ncarthe hole IN the fence. Close by II wa
: found AL old-lashioned gold wstch-key
\ Further on in the hospital-grounds al
Z other glove was found. In the 4" dead
house " her hat was found ; had bee
thrown in through broken window.
I Is claimed that when first seen It had
h il some. particles Of crushed granite
Z such as is on the reservoir walkway.
: Down II the brier thicket was iOun
70 terra-cotta colored silk handkerchie
: SO far unidentified. On the front ienc
= OF NJ. Dunstan's residence, dlstaI
= near half a mile. was found her re
= crochet shawl. sorae three or fot
/. miles away. IN the James river, opp
. site the Chesapeake and Ohio Railwa
4 yharvee. was found her clothes-ba
l. while at no accessible point does q
] river flow nearer TO the reservoir thi
T. from one half to three quarters OF
n mile.
p Shawl. hat, Jersey, &c. &c. ha'
. been shown TO Mrs. Dickinson al
Z identified as Lillian's.
. Lillian was quite well acquainted vii
. the Dunstan family, who had butrecent
= come here from King William count
but il is not probable that she kne
= their exact address.
h IN THE GLOOM. A WINTRY NIGH
- Just across the path, SIX feet fro
: where that veil was found, is the Gem
n n terv Of the SMALLPOX Hospital. He
2 $50 white wooden headbOards stare "
Is in the face. At best. on the brlghte
n day. it isa lonely spot. You might
e there for hours and hours and never 5
q human face; but at night. besid
ie being difficult Of access, it Il Of all
- calities in or about Richmond the INC
2. undesirable for man OF woman. Stan
lc ing on that path looking esstwardly al
= YOU see right before you the dea
S house" and other hospital building
it and beyond these the cleaning mon
G rpents in Hollywood; to the left IS {
j. eicht-foot closely-planked reserve
as grounds fence; to the right the sma
. = .-o,-ap aDd half a mile further