The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-09-17
ANOTHER UNFORTUNATE
SUICIDE OF AN UNKNOWN MAN
SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

secluded Portion Of lakewood selected for
the Deed-Tho Body Accidentally Dis
covered by "a Grave Digger-Tircd of
| Life and Only Christian burial Wanted.
Yesterday morning, about II o'clock,
the dead body of young white man
was found by the grave digger in the
bottom of Oakwood cemetery near the
creek which runs just IL rear OF the
cemetery.
REPORT HEARD.
On Sunday evening. when the sun
was getting close TO the horizon, Mr..
W. \. Dickerson, the superintendent or
keeper of lakewood cemetery, was
sitting on the porch Of his residence in
the cemetery conversiBg with Mr. Il. i.
MCCabe. formerly superintendent OF
the mails under the Cleveland regime,
but who was promptly turned out as
soon as Assistant Postmastcr-Gencral
ClarksOn got his fingers on the position.
These two gentlemen were quietly
cOnvcrsing, when gun-shOt was heard.
Gun-shots are not unusual in the rear
of Oakwood cemetery. Presently
another shot was heard. Mr.. McCabe
remarked, You have right smart
hunting across yonder on Sunday eve
ming Mr.. Dickerson remarked, That
is a pistol shot this time. - Both gun
and pistol shots being frequently heard
not only on week days, but on Sundays,
too. no attention was paid TO it. There
seemed to be general shooting, both
with guns and pistols, in the low
grounds in rear Of the cemetery
Mr.. McCabe, after tea. went home,
and Mr.. Dickerson, in que time, wentto
bed.
THE BODY FOUND.
Yesterday morning, between 10 and
| o'clock, a negro man started out to
do the duties required of him. lie oc-
cupies the position of grave-dIgger OF
lakewood cemetery. lie passed along
the road which leads to the pauper sec
tion-that portion of the cemetery
where inmates of the Almshouse and
others who have no friends to pay their
funeral expenses. but have to be buried !
by the city, are inferred.
FOUND IN THE BUSHES.
By some fortuitiOus influence. the old |
grave digger took short walk through |
the bushes and weeds instead of walk |
ing the circuit OF the road, and thus
stumbled right on the body. He looked
at it. saw the pistol in the right hand |
and at once reported the fact TO the
keepers Office. The grave digger. not
withstanding the fact that he had han
died quite number Of dead bodies,
was quite startled.
FIRST POLICE STATION.
4 message was sent TO the First POI |
lice station at Once-say II o'clock
that a dead body bad been found IN
Oakwood cemetery. the idea being that
as the cemetery was city property the
city Coroner should appear and also city
officers. Yet this was not the case.
While the cemetery may be city prop
erty. it is in the county of Henrico; so
the First pOlice-statiOn replied that
lIenricO county courthouse ought tOl
be communicated with.
HENMCO COURTHOUSE.
As soon as the county courthouse
was telephOned TO, there Vas quite a
moving around. Squire Jonathan
] lcolorcd), started of to act as acting
coroner, and Deputy Sheriff Peter Neu-
rOhr made arrangements To summon
coroner 5 jury.
THEY VIEW THE BODY.
The acting coroner, Squire jonathan,
/ the physician summoned, and the jury
viewed the scene where the deceased
came to mis- death. and examined the
body. After reviewing the remains.
the jury. coroner, and doctor went 10
Mr.. Dickerson's Office and hoard the
evidence.
Mr.. w. A. Dickerson was the first
witness. He testified 10 hearing a
pistol shot Sunday evening about half
past 6 clock. and telling Nr. McCabe
that il was pistol shot. lie paid no
attention TO il, because such shots and
gun shots were frequent IN the evening
every day III the week from that direc-
ton.
Tom Green, the colored grave. digger,
said: II came along this morning Mon
day) and found the man between 1Ol
and II o'clock. Ii was in the bottom
near where the paupers are buried. He
was lying on his left side, his head in
his hat. The pistol was tightly graspcd
in his right hand.
Mr.. William Schaaf said: | saw man
dressed like the one whose corpse you
have seen pass my house about O'Clock |
Sunday evening. | live about three
squares from the cemetery, on Oak |
wood avenue.
LIST OF ARTICLES FOUND on HIS PER !
son.
The following list of articles was
found on the unknown man 5 person: !
In the inside vest pocket there was
found the sum of thirty dollars and /
sixty-three cents. 1t was composed of /
three ten-dollar bills and sirty-three
cents in silver.
\ silver watch, with the engraving /
on the works: Made by Elgin Natl |
Watch Company TIE number. 467 .067 |
and the word Leader On the inside |
of the second case is the No. 400. and |
the unintelligible marks of a jeweller !
who had repaired the watch.
The chain is a trace chain. and plated /
gold color 1t was fastened to the sill /
yer watch with piece of string.
A small leather pocket-book usually /
used TO carry notes in on inside pocket,
entirely new. No mark was on this
book. and nothing was in il. 1t was
absolutely empty.
Two keys. One Is an ordinary trunk
key. The other il very evidently key
used to open workman S chest con
tanning his tools.
One pocket-knife of three blades. The
large blade is perfect. One OF the
small blades is broken of to the hilt.
The Other small blade has the point
gone.
One silk handkerchief, hcmstitc he'd
white, little worn.
THE PISTOL.
The pistol found clasped in his hand.
IS a small five shooter. On it are en-
graved the words, Young America
double action.
When this pistol was shown the re-
porter 1t had four loads in it. Only one
had been exploded.
VERY STIFF.
Dr.. X. F. Taucil lcolored). who lives
L .