Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-21
LIGHT ON A HIDDEN CRIME
THE DEATH-B ID STORY OF A
SALOON KhEPERiS WIFE.

Creeping Down Stairs she Surprises
Her Husband in the Act of Numbering
Msn-The Body Robb d and Thrown
into IA Weil-A Belief IN 1t the Victim
of the Crime Was q Missing County
Clerk.
RICHMOND, VA, Dec. 20.-Richmond is
again stirred by murder. The sensa-
ton this time is the result OF deserted
wite's ante-mortem statement in relation
to crime committed by her husband. 1t
appears that some months ago Richard
Shinnck, keeper of barroom in the vi
cinity of the Second Market, on Sixth
street, which is patronized prOmiscuously
by whites and blacks, sold out his bust
ness and soon atterward left the city for
the West, leaving his wife behind. Last
Saturday Mrs. Shinnick, who has been ill
with consump ton, complicated with other
diseases, finding her end fast approach
ing, and having received all the religious
ministrations OF her faith, she made
known her desire to make public state
ment.
HIDDEN MURDER.
Police Justice Richardson was sent for
and TO him the dying woman related the
details of murder perpetrated by her
husband over year ago. ShinnIck lived
on err the barrOOm and his wife was FREE
quently called upon to assist him.
She SAYS that one night last fall between
the hours of II and II O'Clock she hap
pened to enter the bar by the back door
when she saw her husband. who YVES in
front of the bar counter, strike and knock
down white man with pair OF brass
knuckles that he turned, and seeing her
ordered her to go up STAIRS which she did
She could not rest, however, and creeping
down again she peeped into the bar when
she was Mortified by seeing her husband
drag the mans body behind the counter,
rob 1t of roll of money. raised a trap
at the end of the bar and push the body
into an old well under tue floor.
SEARCHING THE PREMISES.
Upon this information the police to-day
went to work to find the remains by pull
ing up the floor and dragging for tie hid
den well, but up to s O'Clock tonight had
made no discovery. The whole place,
however, will be thoroughly overhauled.
Last fall the State officials, j. Nj. Carroll,
City Treasurer of Staunton, and W. FL.
Crawford, Clerk OF Bland county, left
their homes for Richmond, since which
time neither of them has ever been heard
from, and the belief strongly prevails that
one of these was Shinnick's victim. The
wife's description Of the murdered man
in some res poets agrees with the appear
ance of both, but more 80 in regard to
Clerk Crawford She describes the MUIR
dered man as limping, and Crawford had
a short or shrunken leg and used a
crutch.
sHINNICK'S WHEREABOUTS.
The last that was heard of Shinnck he
was in Cincinnati, whence he wrote last
month two letters to an eX-detective ask
ing information as to what was going on
in Richmond, il he was talked about in
any way, and what was said about him.
If his wife had ever given out anything
about him and saying that he had gotten
divorce from her, and he wanted to
come back to Richmond. He warned the
eX-detectiye to say nOtning about his
writing TO him. The Cincinnati authorI-
ties have been telegraphed to arrest Shin
nick if he can be found.