Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-26
A HORRIBLE DEED.
A MURDER THAT GREATLY ExcIfEs
TIE PEOPLE OF IUgAY.
A Railroad-Bridgs Waterman round Dead
In Els Cot-An Arrest-Ths
Inquest
fspsci.l ,elorram % ,he pIsps,ch.l

LuRAY, Va, March 25.-The people living
In the neighborbood Of Rileyyille, IN ibis
county, about eight miles north oil Lufsy'
were startled at an early hour yesterday
morning by the spnouncement that fIsnK
Beahm. a brldge-wstchman on the Shenan-
doah-Valley railroad, had been found dead
wing on bis cot IN the small watchman's
house at Jeremy's- Run tresile, short dis
lance from Rileyyille station, under circum-
stances which Indicated that BIO had been
cruelty and ioully murdered some time du-
nng Saturday night. The dlscovery was
made by track.walker on the railroad about
O'Clock Sunday morning. who passed by the
watchman's house. An examination showed
that Beahm had been shot through the win
dow from the outside as he lay upon bis cot,
and II Is supposed that the act was done
while he was asleep and that death must
have been instantaneous. IL is said that
watchman's lantern is always kept burning
during the night ready for any passing
trains, snd that Beahm's lantern afforded
plenty OF light for the preparation OF the
deed. He was found living on bis back
with his hands across bis breast, with
bullet-wound in his neck, the ball having
entered on the right and lodged In tue lett
side OF the neck, whence 1t was extracted
at the coroner's inquest. One or perhaps
lHOIt Ol tut lnuiutitu hiah BfNH'N7 49,
been cut or torn open and his poeket-book
taken. A two-dolisr bill was found lying
on the floor and the supposition ia that
this was loose in his Pocket aud fell out
without being noticed. IL is also thought
that this was about all the money he bad
upon his person.
BOX CARRIED AWAY.
An adjoining room was entered and box
or trunk containing Beahm's clothing and
papers was carried short distance away aud
riled and the contents scattered about, per-
haps Ia the search for money. His lantern
has not been found ~ vet. The outside door
was booked from the inside.
Intelligence Of the murder reached Lursy
yesterday, and the coroner, DR.. w. l.. Hud'
sou, and Captain II. S. Parks, attorney for
the Commonwealth. at once visited the scene
Of the murder, and jury being summoned
an inquest was held during the afternoon.
THE VERDICT.
The verdict OF the Jury was that Frank
Beahm came to his death from pistol-ball,
and that suspicion points to William Came
ron as the perpetrator. Cameron was &C.
cOrdinkly arrested ard VAS brought 70
Luray Yesterday evening and lodged In jail by
Special Constable James W. Hood. Cameron
lives near Rileyville, and the evidence on
which his arrest IL based is in substance as
follows: That there bad been 90 old grudge
or i'll feeling between him and Beahm
for some time past; THAT Cameron on
saturday borrowed two loaded TeVolyefs
OF different persons and one OF them was
found with one chamber discharged; that the
shVe-trscks in the ground around the box or
trunk Of the dead man compare In measure
ment with the prisoners shoes, and That
! IL. he hn Af
murder twice on Sunday, where large
crowd had gathered, without stopping or
seeming TO take much interest in the matter.
CAMgRoN's STATEMENT.
II is stated that the prisoner Gays that he
shot the one load out OF the pistol at mark,
and bis mother states that she heard the re-
port when be did 30. Cameron is single
man about twenty-One or twenty-five years
old. His father died about one year ago.
Beahm was about twenty three years old. a
married man with one child. His remains
were inferred to-day near Rileyyille.
There does not seem to be any desire TO take
any hasty action in the matter, but to await
further Developments aud not TO prejudice
the prisoners case, as 1t is felt that he may
be Innocent On tho present uncertainty
several theories are adyanced--one that
Cameron, II guilty, had an accomplish. and
then that tramp might have perpetrsted
the deed for the sake OF robbery. To this
latter view it is replied that tramp would
have taken the murdered mans clothing,
among which were several good shirts and a
new suit. All the clothing was LETT about
the box, or trunk, where 1t was opened.
The authorities will make vigorous inVes-
tiPalion OF all the facts and circumstances
calculated to throw any light upon the hor-
rbls deed and to discover the perpeIator OF