Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-18


colored woman, and Mary Kidd, q
white woman
Question: " Are you on good terms
with BOTH"
Answer "No; have fallen out
with both several times
Question " DO you feel safe in Jail
hereg"
Answer: "Well, yes. ] have a
good many enemies who want to kill
me, but have friends who believe in
my innocence. do not believe | will
be harmed"
CJC PRIsoNER's APPEARANCE.
The prisoner would be rather de-
cent-looking fellow but for the fact that
his face has recently been disfgured by
an accident Several weeks ago he was
at the courthouse loading his gun, hay
ing first placed the caps on the tubes.
While ramming the powder the gun was
prematurely discharged, and young
Puryear received the charge full in his
face; consequently his expression is
not Of the most presentable character.
The whole Of the left side Of his face,
together with his nose, is fearfully
blackened, and this Disagreement lends
a sinister cast to his countenance.
PUBLIC OPINION.
There were fully fifty people at the
courthouse to-day, among them many
men Of character and intelligence. The
verdict with them was that the accused
was guilty Of brutal and precon-
ceivcd murder. They base their opinion
upon the fact that, according to the re-
ports in the community in which
Puryear taught school and in which
his victim lived, there is no doubt
whatever but that he betrayed the UNI
fortunate girl.
THE WIFE.
Mrs. Puryear was not more than
twenty years old at the time Of her
death, was cOnfding in her disposition,
and was very unsophisticated. Puryear
himself was accustomed to boast of his
conquests. lie had been involved in
many scrapes and had narrowly escaped
prosecution.
According TO all those with whom
your correspondent talked on the SUBJ
iect, he had treated his wife very mean
" during the past three months. His
language had been uDgentlemanly, and
he had gone so far as TO threaten her
life. In the presence Of dozen gen
tlemen he said few days be-
fore he was married that he
intended to be single man or
widower in less than six months.
Further. il is asserted that every fact
goes to show that nc married his vic
tim more from cOmpulsiOn than from
love. On two separate occasions Mrs.
Webb and her daughter (Puryear's
wife, had driven to the courthouse and
made anxious inquiries touching Pur-
year. In addition, it is alleged that
Puryear, for the past two months, use
to leave his wife for a week at the time
without the means of obtaining food.
On these occasions she was dependent
on the kind Offices Of the old cOlore
man.
PRICHARD'S TESTIMONY.
Frank Prichard. This old man tes-
titled before the coroner's jury to this
effect, and the sheriff Of the county as
sured he that his word is as good as
that of any man in the county. There
can be no question as to whether Pur-
year had motive in getting rid Of his
wife. As to the death scene, old Uncle
Frank Prichard said that when he came
into the presence Of the dying woman
she was in horrible commissions and
was biting her lips and tongue. lie got
a silver spoon and put it between her
teeth, but she bit clear through it.
4 few minutes before her death, and
Just after her most severe CONFUSION,
she had lucid interval and said
L" Uncle Frank. | want you to tell
everybody that Holmes killed me-"
Then her strength seemed to fail her
for a moment, but gradually recovering
herself she gaSped; The toddy he
gave me had something white in it. and
he said it was powdered sugar and that
il was all right" Then she died.
Uncle Frank was one Of her best
friends. lie it was who kept her sup
/ Piled with food when her husband left
/ her
Your correspondent met DR.. Knox
Thompson, who went to Richmond yes
terday, carrying with him the stomach
Of Mrs. Puryear for chemical analysis
by DR.. W. Ii. Taylor, the State Chem
list. DR.. Thompson said that his mis-
sion yesterday had been unayailing, be-
cause he could not guarantee the chem
lists fee. but that to-day he had gotten
the proper papers from County-Judge
Eppes making the county of Dinwiddie
liable for the fee. DR. Thompson had
the glass out of which Mrs. Puryear
drank her tOddy. 1t has white sedi-
ment in the bottom, which may turn
ont to be poison. DR.. Thompson will
90 TO Richmond tomorrow morning on
the 5 o'clock train. 1t would not be
safe to wager either way that Puryear
will be lynched The Jail could be
easily forced and the guard intimidated
and overcome.
SUGGESTIVE SURROUNDINGS.
Twenty yards from the jail is gal
lows upon which two negroes have been
! llnched. Puryear may share their
fate. PROFESSIONALLY there is a great
deal Of feeling against him. In his
! wiie'S vicinity there has been, and is
now, frequent talk Of sending body
Of men TO lynch him. Nobody seems
10 care whether he is executed by legal
process or not.
Puryear's father, mother, and sister
are living. No later than last Febru-
airy his father was arrested for stab
bing man, and barely escaped legal
punishment. The accused lived here
in Petersburg a year ago. He was
then involved in business transaction
which, according TO his employer, was
diScredtable, and caused a rupture in
their relations. Puryear was in the
city last Thursday. There are reports
current that he then purchased strych-
nine in drugstore in this city. lie
denies this most strenuously. The tes-