Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-02-24
KILLED WITH AN AXE.
A BRUTAL EURpER IN oREENEsvILLE
COUNTY.
The Alleged Murderer Arrested and Jailed
Particulars Of the kff4ir-Thrse
Nurderers, &C.
Correspondence Of The Richmond DispatcflI

NOfffbDOuOentc OF Inc fltcnulOHl Dspebl+J
PETERSBURG. Va, February -. 1889
a brutal murder WIS committed 10
GreeneSyiIle county yesterday morning. iol'
lowed by robbery. for the accomplishment
OF which il Il supposed the murder was
done. Near the village OF Liberty. negro
settlement on the Atlantic Coast Line, lives
the Rev. Ephriam Ryals lcolored). wb" Is
also the proprietor OF STORE In wnieh was
employed very worthy cOIorod man named
Emerson Mason. Mason USUALLY slept In
the store, and generally Richard Williams
(colored) kept him company.
Yesterday morning when the store was
opened Mason was found dead In his bed
presenting a gbastly spectacle. His bead
was cleft in twain by the blow OF an axe,
snd his brains and blood were scattered
around. The deed had evidently been com.
mitted between midnight and daybfeak. az
the body was scarcely cold. Tic news OF
the tragedy soon spread, and II was not long
before almost the entire population oil the
villsge of Liberty and OF the adjacent neigh
borbood bad focked 10 the scene OF the
murder. The excitement among the ne
eroes was intense, and the crime was uni
versally condemned rs one OF the most brn'
tai known IN the annals OF the county. The
appearance and position OF the body lndi-
Gated beyond all doubt that the murdered
man had been struck the fatal blow while he
was ssleep and UNCONSCIOUS Of The presence
OF the lend near him. Examination showed
that the store had been robbed, which hsd
evidently been done after the killing OF
Mason.
TELL-TALE TRACKS.
In the newly-iallen snow the tracks OF n
man were discovered leading frem the store,
and a party OF negro men Was organized TO
follow them. IL did not take long 10 dis
cover the fact that in all that assembage one
person who ought 10 have been there was
missing. This person was Richard Will
liams, who usually slept in the store, and
whose absence at once created suspicion.
TIE party OF pu.suers faithfully followed the
tracks which led from The store. and fisslly
traced them to q neigbboriDg farm, where
they found and arrested Williams. His
shoes were found TO tit the tracks In the
snow. He was brought back 10 RyalPs store
and confronted with the corpse OF Mason.
Subsequently he was taken 10 Emporia and
locked up in the county Jail.
A coroner's jury was summoned to inves-
tigate the matter. and the session was held in
Emporia.
The coroner's jury rendered a verdict Of
death at the hands OF Robert Williams, aud
to-day after examination the accused was
Court Of GreeuesyIlle for Indictment and trial.
The evidence rs developed was conclusive
beyond reasonable doubt Of the guilt OF the
prisoner The deed Is said 10 be prompted
by jealousy on the part OF Williams towards
Mason. caused by Mason holding ap0siliOn
IN the employment OF Rev. Ephriam Ry2ls,
which Williams, by reason OF near Kin TO
Ryals's vile, desired to hold, and which be
thought should be given to him.
Great indignation is expressed towards
the murderer by the colOred people.
THREE NURDERERs FROM ONE COUNTY.
The arrest Of Williams for murder calls to
mind the fact that two other men are held IN
prison under sentence Of death for capital
crimes committed in the same county. Ran.
dali Watson tcoIored) was convicted about a
vear ago OF ,he wsntcn murder OF Joe
Robinson at Beldeld, and was sentenced by
Judge Hancock, OF the Circuit Court, 10 be
hanged. An appeal was taken, writ OF
supersedeas awarded, and ever since the case
has been pending in the Supreme Court OF
Appeals. The facts surrounding this MUIR
der were so positive that even the friends OF
the murderer were surprised at the action Of
the Supreme Court judge in awarding the
writs OF error and superseGeas, and have no
hope that a new trial will be granted. Wat
son has all the while been confined under
guard in the jail OF this city, having been
removed here for fear OF violence At the
hands OF people Of bis own color In Greenes-
Vile county.
Walter Harris (coloredl, who in Deem
Der last murdered Anthony Parham COLOR
ed) near Ga.kins's saw-mlll, in the same
county, by splitting bis skull with an axe, Is
confined in the county Jail under sentence OF
death, his trial and conviction having oc-
-, T.,I. II fha
object OF this murder was robbery, II being
known TO Harris that PArham had a con-
siderable sum OF money about bis person.
Parham was stricken down while eating
breakfast, but the crime was discovered
before the robbery could be committed.
THE COUPON CRUSADE.
The committee Of gentlemen appointed by
President Hardy, OF the Chamber Of Com
merce, has been actively at work during the
past day OF two, and has secured large
number OF names OF taxpayers to the writ
ten pledge that they Will not use coupons
this year in the payment OK taxes, The list
embraces most OF the largest taxpayers In
the city IN al classes Of business, and will
be increased by scores OF others who have
not vet been visited. The proportion Of cou-
pons paid TO the Treasurer this year promises
to be small as compared with last year.
WORK OF THIEVES.
At an early hour this morning Private
Detective Lanler discovered negro named
Alexander Lee stealing coal from one OF the
cars OF the Norfolk and Western Railroad
Company. IT, negro on discovery fed aud
was pursued. lie jumped into Lieutenant
Run, near the river, and was there captured
In a hsf.irozen condition. The prisoner
plead guilty in the Mayors Court this morn.
ing and was sentenced to sixty days impri.
sonment In jail.
Burglars last night broke into the Office OF
the Jackson Ice Company, on Sycamore
street, aud robbed the drawers OF what money
they could find. They attempted TO force
open the company's safe, and to enable them
TO work the better dragged the safe from one
room into another. They finally gave up the
Job as bad one.
YOUNG MEMS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.
The delegates from thus city to the State
Convention OF the Young Mems ChristilE
Association recently held In Danville will
deliver addresses on Sunday afternoon 10 the
members OF the Young Meas Christian As
ISOLATION on the work OF the ASSOCIATION In
VirpiAta ROBIN ADAIR.