Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-04

found them much excited. She re-
ouested me to go up the ladder and
look in the room and see what !
could" / did so, and / saw at first
what took to be . lot Of bed-clothing
IN the middle Of the room, but upon
further examination I was satisfied that
I could see an arm with blood upon 1t.
I then told them that believed 1t to
be Miss Mcdonald, and after Squire
Anderson arrived | forced an entrance
through the front window Of the
house and passed into the back
room, and there saw lying on the hoor
the body Of Miss Mcdonald. / was the
first person to enter the house. l found
At the back door q Ratchet, aud upon
the handle of it were drops OF blood.
The back door was locked, the key
gone, and the hatchet was found be-
bind the door, evidently placed there to
keep it from being opened. When
opened the door Mrs. Gill and the others
came in, and we all went into the room
where the body was. One OF her arms
was resting across her breast, with
blood upon the hand, and across
her feet was a sofa-pillow, and
from its appearance l would say
that it had been placed there, and
when the pillow had been removed a
large quantity Of blood was seen, and
also q razor with blood-stains on it. No
blood was seen until the pillow had been
removed. There was no blood on the
floor where her head was resting.
Around her neck was a silk handker-
chief, and when united it a large
wound was exposed. am Of the opin-
ion that she was murdered.
JACOB HOLMES.
Jacob Holmes (colored): | have
known Miss Mcdonald for long time,
and always thought she was Of unsound
mind. remember she came near set
ting fire to the house on one occasion,
and but for me the house would have
been burnt up. rented room from
her and occupied it for several months.
On one occasion she got me to stay in
the room with her, and told me that
she was afraid to stay by herself. She
thought some one wanted to kill her.
| remember she had a razor ; she
handed it to me to look at one day.
She said it had belonged to her brother,
who is dead.
j. VI. t. RYAN.
Mr.. John NJ. T. Ryan said that he
was well-acquainted with Miss Nc
Donald, and that last winter she spent
a portion of her time with his mother ;
and while there colored man called to
see her, but was refused, and after
wards returned and demanded to see
Miss Mcdonald. She said she did not
want to see the man because she was
afraid of him.
FANNIE HARRIS.
Fannie Harris (colored Ny husband
and myself occupy the room that ad-
Joins Miss McDonald's. We rent two
rooms from her; pay her two dollars
and half for them. The last time
saw her was Monday last. She was
standing in her door, and spoke oi
going down town TO see some friends
She has very few people to visit her
The last time saw any ladies call or
her was several weeks ago. They came
in hack. never knew her to have
a razor never saw her with one. Or
Sunday night | heard her cough in heI
room. On Monday and Tuesday nights
/ did not hear her, but heard
the chickens. They roost in one o
the rooms and make a noise. | heal
them make noise any night. | have
not been in her room to see the body
yet. l started to 60 in there yesterday
but did not go any further than th'
door. Miss Mcdonald was in the habi
of calling me every morning. always
brought the water for her in the morn
ing. Monday she did not call me.
thought she was in town with som'
friends, and on Tuesday morning, wheI
| found out she was not at home, | be
came uneasy and made inquiries abou
her.
DIR. MORRIS.
Upon a careful examination Of tn,
the body am inclined to believe it t
be a case of suicide. All indication!
point that way. find an incised wounc
about four inches in length on the lef
side of the neck. examined the en-
tire person, and found no bruises what
ever. The wound severed the trache
and the large blood-yessels in tha
locality. The wound was inflicted wit
the right hand. I.think she has bee
dead about three days from the pecu
liar odor Of the body. ! think tn
wound was inflicted with a razor.
have no doubt but what it is just as
is here stated. The case to me is
plain one Of suicide.
THE JURY,
Several persons were examined b
the coroner's jury, but no additiona
facts were ascertained. The body wa
turned over to Mrs. Gill and Mrs. Nil
Ter for burial, under the direction q
Messrs. A. Fisken and G. c. Walter
Who had known the deceased for man
years.
BY order of Justice Anderson a thor
ough search was made through tn
rooms for valuables known to hav
been in deceased's possession. After
patient hunt her gold watch and chair
together with some valuable papers
were found.
The funeral will take place from tn
house this morning at 10 o'clock, an
the coroner's jury will meet at tn
same hour at the Office Of Squire Al
derson to examine number Of WI
nesses.
| Manchester Matters.
The marriage Of Miss Ida Harriso
to Mr.. Richard b. Darlington took plaC
from the Bainbridge-Street Baptii