Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-02-16
Further Particulars Of the Terrible
Tragedy In Gloucester.
NO SIGNS OF A STRUGGLE.
CERTAIN HUGHES WAS DEAD.
A Brief Statement from the Prisoner
= Porsonsl History, &c.
lspeeI.l telegram Q .he plspa.eh.l


GLOUCESTER C0rErHoUsr, VA, February
B--I.a.t uirht this village WAS s'af,led by
the announcement ihst J0shus Ross,
prominent Republican politician and LAWYER,
had Killed hrs uncle. Mr. George liughc..
welltbv farmer the Owner % the handsopc
estate Of White marsh ana other properties
go thi. county. To-day the excitement was
intense. the po0pie coming IN from al The
surrounding sections 10 ascertain TIE cause.
Many were the opinions expressed hut no
one ~ yet has been able TO ascertain why
Ross shot his uncle.
ALL LIVED TOGETHER.
Joshua Ross, his wife. sister, snd mother
al lived with MT. Hughes in this village,
ftW hundred y9rd. from ibc court-b0Use, IN
handsome dwelling recently built Last
night about O'Clock los. shot and killed.
als uncle while the latter WAS Wing IN bed,
having retired for lhe uighi. Mr.. ilughes,
lff.rc ~ufng 90 bel. told a member n the
family tb8t ba was unNell and was ROi0g -
rltIrr early. and asked that plnstcr Dee made
.ud esDt him. few minutes after Hughes
Ial retired 20 Die room Ross entered The
E..hcn where his wife was preparing the
plaster and SAID: "Dne.c George is dead,
lrtc killed him" he then went TO The
telephone office. which was near BY, aud
fe.rhoncd 20 White Marsl i0r bis brother
nod for coroner.
SENT FOR PHYSICIAN.
Ife aiso sent = messenger for A physician 70
come Immediately 10 his uncl"s. About
tins time Mts-fs. G.. R. Bridges Is. u. Chan
lsln Walter Cbapmau. g. q. Ware, and T.
g.. Cooke, who were at the hoiei, heard ~ the
shooting and immediately went TO Mr.
Hughe.'s house. and were met by Ross, Who
wl. in the front porch smoking cigar
Thcq vent with bm into ihe house and
missed into Mr. Hughes's chamber, where
they saw the BODY lring ON the Tea side With
fhe ieft hand under tne bead and with bull
Ict-holc iu the right temple.
Struggle.
The ball penetrated the brain. Upon The
bod.cloihes we're stains u blood, but there
yas nothing in the room that indicated that
bsirurgle bad taken place between tine two.
Near Hughes on the bed pipe was found.
one Of the gentlemen walked 10 The bedside,
examined the BODY, aud turned 30 Ross and
remarked: "WhY, tae body is warm; Mr..
HCghes Il alive"
Ross coolly replied "tic Is dead; KILLED
hiIn. LcFe IL The pistol lying 90 the floor. -
Ai10 O'Clock Thursday morning Ross sent
telegram 10 bis mother. who wss I'm IIich-
Inond. Va, on visit. which reads as follows:
Come 10 Clay Bank Tonight. We must
move. JOSH"
Ross was not confined IN jail tin about
O'Clock that night. lie frequently walked IN
the yard smoking cigar.
TIE INQUEST.
The Coroner's inquest was held this morn
ing al 10 O'Clock. but no witnesses were eX-
smin,d on account OF Ross, through bs
counsel, obieciing. lie made the following
statement ON IhursdaY, ne said, hls WIFE
called at his Office, remaining sometime and
speaking about their domestic Affairs,
telling him II hcr troubles. spying
ms Uncle George mad offered gross
insults 10 her by making improper al
vance. This outrage WAS more than he
could stand and after ,haying made bis wife
tell him all inst had taken place between
her and his uuce, that afternoon when hc
lcft hrs business be went home and 10 his
uncle's chamber ard demanded Of hIm the
truth. aud that hc (IIughesl tell bm an that
had bappened He asked Hughes il his
wife. statement was correct, sud he replied
Yes, and Ross said, IN conclusion "FOr
that killed him.'
AHANpsOME WIFE.
Ross married Mics Rhoda Shiplcy, of
Baltimore, few months ago, a handsome
brunette nuetcen years OF age. lie is about
iririy.twO. Mr.. Hughes was hty.eicht.
boss was an adopted son Of Mr.. Hughes and
la heir 10 his estate. Hughes raised him
aud educated him, aud was as much devoted
fo him az u he were his own son. TIE
prisoner is IN jail in GOOD spirits. II Is
thought that the plea OF his conn
sl will be insanity, rs different men,
b,rs IL his family have been
inmates u ssylums. Ross OF recent years
las been very di,sipated, and it il said thar
within the last few days both be- and his
uncle had been drinking. His statement IS
not believed here. hut 20 one can assign any
other plausible reason why he should bave
killed his uncle. The prisoner had long
consultation with his counsel this afternoon
General Tsiiaierro and Mr.. Robert McCand-
l,h. He declined 10 be interviewed by the
DISPATCH reporter VINO called upon him to-
night
PERSONAL HISTORY.
Hughes wsS native ~ ireland, and came
81 this country when quite young. In 1913
he was largely engaged a. an importing mer-
chant In New ors. ana Wa widely known
in tnc financial circles of that city. In 1863
DE had made purcha-cs OF valuable real es-
tate in the COUNTY ~ Gloucester. including
the famous farm known as White Marsh,
for which he paid $40 GOO. This property
he greatly improved, intending 70 make II
bis country residence. lie failed m toe imam
r,gI Grief, ~ 1873 and all Oi his Gloucester
property WAS decided 20 bls wife, who was an
irish lady OF high birth and rare Intelligence.
The little 10 tins properly was for long tine
M dispute in the courts, when the liughe-e7
were represented hy Hon. Henry X. Pollard,
a7d the ease was iinallY decided IN the ST.
prcne Court Of Appeals Of Virginia case OF
'Tabb against Hushe,) in favor OF Mrs.
Hughes.
Ross was formerly editor OF the Underwater
Liberal and represented the county OF Glou-
crster for two terms IN the Legislature. lie
stood high in the councils Of his party, the
Republican.
Mrs. Hughes died recently and by her
death Mr. Hughes became heir to all her
property.