Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-21

Mr. Hall and wife were attacked at their
residence, IN the lower part OF Henrico
county. and beaten nearly TO death.
TWAS about s O'Clock at night when Mr..
Hall heard rap at his door. and. asking
who was there, was answered "A friend.'
Upon rising and opening the door he was
SET upon and most savagely beaten with
stick. His wife, who clme to his assistance,
shared the same fate. In all probability
both would have been murdered had not
their granddaughter, who was abed In the
upper room OF the house, Jumped out OF
the window and let the sash down with
great noise, and fed TO a neighb0r's to give
he alarm. Then the man made OF, ram
ming around to the back Of the house and
out from the place through the orchard.
THE MOTIVE.
Various were the coniectures a. TO the
motive for the crime. That robbery was
intended is improbable; that the ruttian
expected 10 find Mrs. Hall alone was more
likely. and II was generally believed that
that was the true design OF the villain.
Saturday. after the assault, the Board OF
Supervisors OF Henrico county employed
Detective John Wren TO work up the case.
He and his brother Dan and Mr.. Frank
Nolan went down into Henric0 and COM
mcnctd investigating.
The conclusion was before long reached
Jy Mr.. Wren that the crime was the out
growth Of a fight OF factions in tue colorcd
church down there.
The church was divided into two par
ties-"the Nat. Hill faction" aud the
"Dr. James faction" At Oscar Gibbs's
place the angry religiOnists had broken
the peace and wele called before justice
TO answer for it. A fine was imposed on
several OF the peace-breakerS, among Others
on David Anderson.
PERILs OF PEACENAKER.
Mr. Hall. who was present. used his
kindly Offices 10 reconcile the warning par
ties, and he agreed to preach for them. IL
was halfway arranged that a hall owned by
Nat. Hill should be secured, and that Mr..
Hail should preach 10 the cOlored people
there each sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock.
II Low believed that Mr.. Halls kindness
in this respect brought about the attack on
him: The theory, In brief, being That the
James people were willing to kill Mr.. Hall
rather than that the Nat. Hill crowd should
enjoy the triumph Of having church es-
lablished In Nat. Hill's hail. That was the
theory adopted by Mr.. Wren. The next
thing was 10 ferret out the man IN the
James faction who was probably the in-
strument In working his factions yenge-
ance upon the aged minister.
DAVID ANDERSON.
A number Of circumstance conspired TO
point to David Anderson as the offender,
Anderson j. thirty years of age; iSab0ut
iye feet eleven inches nigh; i of ginger
bread color and weighs about $50 pounds.
Te Is married. and has three children the
oldest being girl 0f eleven. Anders0n's
house l. on two acres Of land owned by hi,
wife, situated about threc-qulrter- OF
mile south of Mr.. Halls. He works ~ a
laborcr on neighhoring farms. aul G'' re-
Gently been employed at the Deep.B0tt1m
fishery.
STORY OF THE DAUGHTER OF THE ACCUSED
MAN
Yesterday the daughter Of Anderson, be-
Ing taken before Justices Atlee and iar-
brough. stated on oath that on the night in
question her father lett home about dark.
" hen he came back at was very late,'
| and hIs shoes were very muddy, and he
was taking them or when she saw him.
He woke her when he came home by
knocking at the door. Witness declared
| that her father told her TO tell anybody that
/ came 10 inquire about his movements that
| Le went 10 bed early. When he LETT her
/ father had on his best clOthes-a black
| coat, black pants. and black hat. He had
/ a stick When he went out, but none when
| he came back.
Witness also said that her mother told
| her 10 tell any ono who made inquiries 10
! sav that her father went tO bed early.
This girl. who j. eleven years old, Is
represented as tOlerlbly intelligent. The
| statement was made at a time when she
/ was separated from her mother and her
father.
TIE ARREST.
/ Andersen was arrested at Deep Bottom
/ by Nr. Wren and the county officers. lie
! declared his innocence, and asserted that
| ne went to bed soon after dark. and covered
| himself up and 30 remained until next
\ morning. His wife had previously stated
| that Anderson threw himself across the
/ foot Of the bed and slept there. while the
! Girl says that her father went out, and that
! her mother slept on the foot Of the bed
Mr.. Wren is assured by some Of the col
ored men woI kim at Deep Bottom that up
| " lhe time when the Swede was arrested
| on suspicion OF having committed the as
salIlt Anderson was con,picuOuSly dis
/ traught. but that after the Swede's arrest
! Anderson seemed cheerful, and his manner
| became az usual.
Comingto Richmond yesterday Mr.. Wren
| endCayOredtO get Andersen 10 knock on the
| buggy las did the man at Mr.. Hairs door
| and IN answer to the question " Who's
that?" say "A friend but Anderson
would do nothing OF the kind.
Anderson and his wife were both arrested
| and brought to Richmond and lodged in
lIenrico Jail. The girl was likewise
| brought here to be held a. a witness, in
! order that interested parties may have no
opportunity Of tampering with her.
BLOODY SHIRT.
on Monday about mile from Mr. HalPs,
a coarse shirt, with several spot, OF blood
| upon il was found under bush. This
WAS shown 10 AndcTSOn's daughter but
she was unable to identify itas her fathers;
she thought it might be his, but she was
| not certain.
A search Of Anderson's house furnished
no incriminauDg evidence.
The warrant OF arrest was issued by JUS
| tice Atlee.
In all OF the work which the case mecca
STATED Mr. Wren had the hearty and en-
ergeiic cooperation Of sheriff sOuihward
and his deputies.
! Is ANDERSON THE MAN?
This accused Anderson does not bear a
| good character. he was once convicted OF
petit larceny and got nine months in jail.
| He was caught in another crime, but was
not prosecuted but II showed a sayage's
nature. On the day after tine occurrence at
| Mr.. Halps, Anderson was one OF the col
orcd men who were brought before Mr..
| Hall for Identification. He came in his
| ,hrt-sleeyes. Mr. Hall failed 10 identify
| him.
Mr.. Wren expects to be able to show
that Mr.. Hall was at that time so dazed by
she effects OF the blow upon his head that
he was unable 10 give vigorous exercise to
| his mental faculties. 10 remains To De
seen whether. after Mr.. Hall has fully re-
covered, he can recognize the accused.
Anderson has the short-cropped beard
that Mr.. Hall described, and also answers
tolerabIy well TO the color given.
Mr.. Hall il Of opinion that the attack
made upon him and his wife Is correctly
| ascrihable TO the cOlOred church difficult
ties. He has several reasons for thinking
so. One Is that the man. when assaclting
him, said (as Mr.. Wren states). "D-n
you; wen get rid OF you" or something
Of that sort. Until Mr.. and Mrs. Hall were
removed TO this city Mr.. Hall had not given
| expression to bis suspicious; but here he