Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-16
WAS SHE MURDERED?
A DINwIDDIE SENSATION.


Correspondence ofthe Richmond Dispatch
PETERSBURG, June Is, 1885.
On the 23d Of last February young
man and young woman came TO Pc
tersburg on the midday train on the
Norfolk and Western railroad, aud
registered here rs man and wife at
clearinghouse in the southern quarter
OF the town. The couple were Holmes
Puryear and his wife, Of Dinwiddie
county, recently married, they alleged,
and on their bridal tour. On
February oath Mrs. Puryear was
taken suddenly i'll aud gave
birth to child. Young Puryear pro-
fessed to be scandalized. denied that he
was the father, and insisted that the
child should be given into the custody
OF negro woman who wished to adopt
it. To this the mother agreed. and the
child was thus disposed of. Puryear
then deserted the woman, leaving her
at the boarding house without funds
and in absolute need. The woman. in
her distress, sent for police officer,
who brought magistrate with him.
To the magistrate the woman, who was
under oath to tell the truth, stated that
she had been betrayed by Puryear, who
had obtained possession Of her property
in Dinwiddie county. She then de-
clared that about month before her
trip to Petersburg she had been,
as she thought, legally married to
her betrayer. On these representa-
tons warrant was issued for
Puryear's arrest and duly served.
Puryear promised to take his wife
home to Dinwiddie county, ana to
treat her properly. To insure the per-
Torrance Of this promise Chief-of-Po-
lice Gilman hired a covered convey
ance. whichwas placed at Mrs. Puryear's
convenience, and police officer was
detailed TO accompany her. On the
night of the Goth Of February the hus-
band and wife, under police escort, went
back to their country home.
APPLYING FOR DIVORCE.
Soon after the return of the young
couple to Dinwiddie county Puryear
instituted divorce proceedings against
his wife, who engaged W. K. McKen-
ney, ESQ.,, of this city, as her counsel.
1t is alleged that there had been a very
unpleasant feeling between Puryear
and his wife, which eliminated when
Mrs. Puryear asked the Court to issue
an order directing her husband to pay
her counsel fees. The order was
issued, and the case has been pending
for a month or more. This morning,
however. Mr.. Mckinney, the young
woman's counsel, received an urgent
summons to come to Dinwiddie Court
house, as his client, Mrs. Puryear,
HAD BEEN POISONED
! yesterday, and was dead. It is alleged
that Holmes Puryear offered his wife a
beverage in which there was Strychnine.
The woman drank. and was poisoned.
When her sulIerings became intense
and she realized her condition, she is
alleged to have said. with her last
words. that her husband was her muir
derer. She died shortly afterward in
terrible agony, and her husband was at
once arrested and taken to Dinwiddie
Courthouse, where he was lodged in
Jail. Persons from Dinwiddic cOunty
to-day say that there is very bitter feel.
ing against the alleged murderer, and
that he is by no means safe from lynch
ers.
| THE MURDERED WOMAN.
was the daughter of the late Durkir
Webb, who was once reputed to be the
wealthiest man in Dinwiddie county
The magistrate who examined her here
says that she was delicate in appear
ance, and looked as if she might have
suffered a greal deal. She struck hin
as being very weak, mentally anC
physically.
Holmes Puryear, the accused, is be.
tween twenty-five and twenty-six year,
old, a rather ordinary-looking young
man, and said to be of a good county
family.
The colored woman who adopted thC
child took most excellent care of the
little one, which, however, siokened ano
! died a week ago.
FURTHER PARTICULARS,
Later intelligence is to the effect tina
Puryear poisoned his wife Saturday
morning instead of Sunday, the woman
dying about II o'clock \. NJ. from tn,
effects Of strychnine administered in ;
whiskey toddy, and accusing her hus
band Of the crime, as stated, before
death. At the corners inquest, which
was held to-day, the jury rendered 1
verdict that the deceased came to hel
death from toddy mixed with poison
administered by Holmes Puryear. Ii
was also ordered that a post-mortem be
held upon the deceased, and that heI
stomach be taken to Richmond for ex
animation by the State Chemist.
Puryear, after poisoning his wife, got
| very lnutH illOAlCdltu pA dlCDHDllLNN
bitters. and then pretended that he wa
poisoned himself, but little salt water
soon restored him, and he was then
taken to Jail, where guard was set tc
prevent his escape and to protect him
from lynching. 1t is rumOred, how
ever, that owing to the ex-
citement produced by the event he
will be removed to this city for
saie-keeping. For the past several weeks
be had been living with his wife pend
ing the issue Of the divorce suit. The
effort of counsel for the defence to
sec ure fair hearing for his wife had
made him very bitter against her. The
property which his wife accused him Of
squandering was sum of money de-
rived from the sale of land which Mrs.
Puryear held contingent upon the death
of her mother, and which was sold at
the instigation, it is supposed, of Pur-
year.
| nnTn mn nnrD uTpDLD