Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-10-28
WOMAN In THE CASE.
A coLD-BLooDeD MURDER IN NORTH
DaNvILLE,
Followed by Threats OF Lynching-G George
Lashiey Shot and Killed by His
Wifc's Parnmour, Jim Lyles.
Special telegram 70 the pisp..cn.i


DANvTLLE. VA, October 27.-The col
ored people of North Danville are con-
siderably excited over what appears to
be n cold-blooded murder which was
committed there about 2 o'clock Sunday
morning, and there has been serious
threats of lynching the murderer. jim
Lyles ia the murderer and George
Leshly is the victim. There is woman
in the case, and she is the wife OF the
murdered man.
GRAVE SUSPICIOUS.
For some time past Lyles has been
paying attention to Lashly's wife, and
LASTLY believed they were criminally
intimate. On Saturday night Margaret
LASTLY, the woman, Mary Darkins, jim
Lyles, and George Watkins went to q
party in the neighborhood and did not
return until u late hour. The party went
TO Lashly's house, on the premises of
Mr.. e. 4. Brown.
SHOT AND KILLED.
Arrived at the gate Watkins left and
the Darkins woman went into the house
where LASTLY was asleep, while the
LASTLY woman and Lyles remained at the
gate. Soon after this LASTLY went out
of the house, but had hardly left the
door when shot was fired from the
dark, and he reeled, staggered into the
house, and died, his last words being
"Lyles has killed me-"
ACCIDENTALLY SHOT HIMSELF.
The women went to Mr.. Browns house,
aroused the family, and stated that
I.ashly had accidentally shot himself.
At the coronor's inquest yesterday the
women both testified to this effect. but
the Chief of Police believed that Lyles
had something to do with the killing and
placed him under arrest. Margaret
LASTLY was also arrested as accessory.
STRONG TESTIMONY.
A preliminary trial was held to-day,
and something OF n sensation was made
when the Darkins woman testified that
LASTLY was killed by Lyles and that she
saw the shot fired. Her testimony was
that she left Lyles and Margaret at the
cate when she went into the room that
Margaret came into The room, walked her
husband. and called him out into the
yard that witness was standing IN tho
door at the time and saw Lyles raise a
pistol and shoot LASTLY to death, and
that she and the other woman then
agreed to tell the story about the accl-
dental shooting.
THE WEES STATEMENT.
Margaret LASTLY then took the stand
and told substantially the same story
that the Darkins woman told, but denied
that she had called her husband ont.
She said her husband chided her for
having gone of with Lyles to frolic and
asked her to 90 out into the yard that be
might talk TO her about it; that she had
no idea Lyles was going to shoot HIN,
but that the pistol shot was fired as soon
as she and her husband stepped out OF
the door, by whom they knew not.
SENT on TO THE GRAND JURY.
Lvles was sent on to the grand jury
for the murder OF LASTLY, and Margaret
LASTLY was also sent on rs an accessory.
1t is a very ugly case against Lyles, and
the colored people are highly incensed
at the murder.
THUNDER AND HAIL.
There was severe thunderstorm
here yesterday, accompanied by con-
siderable fall of hail
Rev. John b. Newton, OF Richmond,
has been here for O week aud has fairly
won the hearts of the Episcopalians with
his splendid preaching.