Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-06
COOK CONFESSES.
Hansy choked to Dsath--rhe Cause OF tho
Deed--A Very Serious
Fire.


NORFOLK, March 5. 1855.
The facts are supposed to be all ex-
posed now in regard TO the recent MUIR
der Of Edgar Haney, the news-yendor
an the Norfolk Southern railroad.
Charles Cook. the accused, made con-
fession Yesterday acknowledging that he
killed Haney on the night of the 9th OF
F.brnary. He stated that both were on
a frelc and drinking heavily at the
stores and bars in Berkeley. At 1880
o'clock they left Sylvester. Hills bar to-
eether and started home. AT Hunter x
Tilley's Office. near the railroad depot,
Haney made an insulting proposition to
Cook about his sister Annie, a girl SIX
teen wears Of age. A fight re-
shifted. and Cook struck Haney q
severe blow in the face with his
fist They clinched then and clutch
cd each other by tho throat lie COOK
was mad with Haney, and choked HIM
until the blood spurted out his mouth
before be let 60. Haney dropped to the
oround unconscious and in two minutes
Was dead. Cook says he removed the
body TO the old lumber-ya adjoining,
and after securing Haney's watch ana
chain and other iewelry went home. lie
told his mother that he had killed haney
in a fight and gave her the watch and
iewelry. He thinks his stepiather
Bailey and the young man John
THOMPSON went out and looked at the
bodv. He exhibited no knife at
home and made DO threats TO Kill
Thomson if he told about the
murder. After playing game OF cards
at home he went upstairs and went to
he'd. He does not know what his mother
did with the watch and iewelry. lie had
no motive whatever, he says, IN Killing
Haney. and had no idea he was choking
him TO death.
Cook has lied so persistently since his
incarceration that this statement may be
taken cum, grano sails. He declares he
didnot kill the man for robbery, and yet
when he found that Hsney was dead he
robbed the body Of everything valuable
on il and carried the plumber home
About davbreak yesterday morning
dnripg a high wind, the village OF Deep
Creek. in Norfolk county, was nearly
destroyed by FIRE, about ten houses, little
and big, being destroyed, together with
the United States post-office. The tire
broke ont in some unknown way in the
furniture store of Joseph T.. McGuire,
and soon spread to Jethro Bray's restau-
rant and then TO L. III. Pearson's grocery
and liouor store. The fire then crossed
the road TO John Johnsons grocery and
liouor store, and quickly wrapped
in flames James Vests bar'room,
ID. A. Browns barber and shoe
ehop. Sterling Scots dwelling, and
several small buildings used as cook
shops, all of which were consumed. The
entire burned district OF several years
ago WAS again swept over None OF the
storekeepers saved any stock OF value,
and the whole loss is quite serious to the
village, amounting to about SlO.0OO.
The buildings occupied by l.. II. Pear
son. James West. aud Sterling Scott be-
longed TO Mr.. Carey Weston and were
not insured, and the small cook-shop
buildings were not insured. The only
insurance was as fellows:
John johnson, $1,000 on stock, S0UO
Oh store loss, $1,000.
l.. II. Pearson, 5000 on stock loss,
1900.
Joseph E. Mcclure, $500 on stock !;
loss, $1,000.
John johnson. $1,000 on buildings
occupied by McGuire and Brown.
ID. A. Brown had no insurance.
Jethro Bray, $3.50 on stock and $3.50
on building.
The village is unsupplied with fire
apparatus and the citizens could do no
good in stopping the flames with water
pals. All the houses on one side OF the
canal were destroyed.
A bar-room in Portsmouth, on the cor
ner of Chestnut and County streets, kept
by man named Reed, was badly dam
aged by fire yesterday.
All the delegates from the lodges OF
this section to the Grand Lodge Of the
Knights of Honor of Virginia left for
Alexandria to-day.
Thirty-fve workmen were discharged
from the navy-yard Saturday night.
Judge Hughes, of the United States
District Court, has decided against the
Norfolk county ferries in the suits for
damages caused by the collision last
spring with the tug of the New York,
Philadelphia and Norfolk railroad. The
counsel Of the ferry have appealed to the
Circuit Court, and say if necessary they
will take the case to the United States
Surname Court u.