Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-14

broken through the bridge.
The State Pharmaceutical Convention
has ended its session ct Fayetteville.
Il chose A. w. Rowland, Of Wilson,
president. The meeting was an inter-
esting one, though not largely attended.
wAYNEAvILLE.
rho Monroe Madison Myatsry-suf-
eide.
Correspondence OF tho Richmond Dispatch.l
AUGUST I, 1886.
Tbs Monroe Madison tragedy was
few days ago the subject Of judicial in.
yestigation, with . view to discover II
possible the author Of the mysterious
and bloody occurrence. The matter
came before Judge j. @. L. Gudger
upon . writ Of habeas corpus recently
sued out by A. B. Lakey, who on July
LIST was arrested at Pigeon River, in
this county, Charged with the murder
of Monroe Madison, and, after examina-
ton before two justices Of the peace--P.
P. Morgan and Benjamin Morgsn-was
committed 10 jail TO answer the charge
of murder, and ct the same time Ada
line Christopher, the prosecuting wit
ness, was sent to jail for want OF ability
TO give bond for her appearance.
The case has excited deep and wide
spread interest throughout this section,
ss il was believed that tho mystery
surrounding the death Of Madison would
be cleared up on the trisl. More than
ordinary interest centres around the
case, as the unfortunate young man WAS
4 first cousin Of Lillian Madison, for
whose murder Cluverius has been sem
fenced to be hanged. So quite . crowd
gathered to-day ct the courthouse at
the appointed hour to hear the trial.
The State was represented by Garland
s. Ferguson, ESQ.,, the solicitor, as
sisted by Mr.. Robert A. Gilmer; the
defendant by Mr.. tombstone Jones, Of
the Asheville bar.
The ground taken for the prisoner.
q fair.haired young man, twenty years
of sge, from Macon county, WAS that
Monroe Madison was not murdered, but
committed suicide that If he was muir.
dsred, the prisoner ct the bar was not
the guilty person. as be was on the day
of the shooting at his home, in the Nauti.
hailed mountains, seventy miles distant
from the scene of the tragic occurrence.
In support of these views . number Of
witnesses were examined, prominent
amorg them Mr.. Haynes, chairman OF
the Board of Commissioners Of Hay
wood county, on whose land the shoot
ing occurred, and W. II. Beaver, chief
of the Pinion Detective Agency, who,
since the death of Madison, has been
Engaged in trying to clear up the mys-
tefy.
The proof establishes the theory OF
suicide very clearly, Notwithstanding
Madison's sworn dying statement that
be was murdered by robber. lie shot
himself in secluded spot in the woods
two miles west Of Pigeon-River station,
one hundred yards from the railroad,
and five hundred yards from the resi-.
dence of j. u. Patton. At the fatal
spot were found Immediately after the
shooting o pistol with two chambers
emptied, pocket-book open and empty,
number of papers, a watch
and chain, . trunk.key, and
q silk handkerchief hanging on bush.
All these articles were scattered within
Q radius of seven feet. Madison's track
from the railroad to the fatal spot was
plain, and his track leading from there
to Patton's house, where be first made
bis appearance after the shooting. No
other track could be found leaving the
railroad, nor along the path that ne
pursued. nor at the spot where
the shooting occurred, though Madi-
sons tracks were readily as
cernible. Yet, Madison declared that
his murderer met him on the railroad,
demanded his money. and walked OIL
with him by his side to the
spot in the woods where the
shooting was done. Nota single article
belonging to him was taken away by
the imaginary robber. Madison said
the robber took his money. 1t wa
proven that he had no money that day
lie said be owned no pistol, that the pis
toll found on the ground was the robbers
pistol. 1t was proved that week before
that day Madison bought q pistol il
Asheville exactly like the one found
and loaded it with cartridges Of thu
kind found in this pistol. Also, that I
day or two before the tragedy Madison
was discovered in the woods shooting
pistol. 1t was shown that the poo
Young man spoke Of suicide two day
before the shooting; that though h
was worth $4,000 he had no none,
with him 4; that he had mania TO
buying land, or making contract,
for the purchase of land which
be never fulfilled that he mad
number of such purchases and neve
paid dollar On them; that he had n
trunk, nor so much as a change
clothing with him; that he was oftel
sad and melancholy and peculiar in hi
actions. All the testimony tended t
show that the young man, while in
melancholy state, took his own life. !
} is not improbable only, but impossible
for murder to have been committed i
the way that he describes; while, O.
: the other hand, every fact and circum
stance points Enthusiastically to suicide
Such are the conclusions reachs
after the trial. The abb was prove
Z beyond the shadow Of . doubt by
number Of respectable Witnesses fror
: Macon county, and the prisoner va
released.
fashtonAbls Marriage In Oxford.
: Correspondence ofths Richmond Dispatch
u OXFORD. N. G., August IL. SO.
3 This afternoon ct 8 o'clock, ct Ii
+ residence of the brides mother, M
l. John johnson WAS married to Mi
p Mary L. Crenshaw, Rev. L. w. Ros,
rector of st. Stephens church, offici
ting. Only few friends and relative