The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-27


the firm of Chapman, Massie & Co.
MIR. Massie was &C years OF age. He
leaves wife and two daughters and
two sons. Mrs. Massie. with young
daughter. wcro in Philadelphia at the
time of the assault upon Mr. Massie.
Mrs. Massie returned Thursday after
noon, Miss Massie remaining in Phila-
delphia for tho treatment OF her eyes.
Mr.. Massio was well-to-do and re-
spected citizen, and remarked Just after
the assault was made upon him that if
he had an enemy III tho world no did
not know him.
THE AUTOPSY.
Tho autopsy upon the body of Mr..
Massic was begun ut midnight last
night and completed III = o'clock this
morning, Drs. Gale, Fry and Simmons
officiating in the absence OF Coroner
Gray, who was indispoScd.
Owing to Coroner Gray's illness. con-
siderable difficulty was had in securing
power to act III the premises. 1t was
finally secured by Mayor Evans sending
! to Judge Robertson for authority TO act
as coroner, which was immediately
granted
The three physicians will meet this
morning ut IL o'clock and submit tho
findings Of the autopsy to Coroner Gray.
1t runs as follows:
We found upon opening the cranial
cavity that the blow in front above the
right eye had fractured both outer and
inner tables OF the skull. from which on
the inside we removed three or four good
sized splinters OF hone. The brain gcncr-
ally as well as is covering was violently
congcstcd, the result OF tho inha NINA
| ton. Toward tho last there was partial
| paral ysi3 in the left sidc Of the body as
Il result Of tho condition of the right
side Of tho brain.
Under the point of fracture OF the
| skull the brain had softened and dis
intcgratcd, and had begun to break
| down. This point seemed to be the
! center of the inflammation.
! The wound i'll the rear oi thc head did
! not penetrate the scalp and there was no
! specific evidence OF serious injury st
| that point
| This report is corcurrcl in by the
| three physicians. The weight of opip-
! ion is that the murdered man WAS struck
! with q blunt instrument presumably i
! slung shot, and that tho rlurdcrcrs mp
/ preached him on the right. Mr.. Massic,
F! turning slightly on his approach. re-
/ ceivcd the BLOW directly above the
center Of the right eyebrow. This was
the only blow struck, the hruisc at the
| back Of tho head being caused by AIR.
Massie falling and striking the ground.
After giving tho details of the autop-
81 DR.. Simmons said that it was time
that something was done to bring the
, perpetrators of this terrible crime to
justice.
The day Grover Cleveland was elected
President two negroes Kidnapped Liz
zic Wilson on Shenandoah avenue about
( O'clock and when they found them
selves holly pursued cut her throat
from ear To ear. Two negroes were
! tried three times for the crime and the
| evidences convinced the public that
they were guilty, but they went free.
/ Major hicCormicll, ~ well-known and
! highly respected citizen, was shot dead
! in his track, ut tho Union depot one
! evening, while talking with some
I friends, a-nd nobody was punished for
/ the decd
/ Nov another inoifrnsivc and well-to-
! DO citizen is waylail and murdered.
| almost in broad daylight on ono OF the
| principal streets OF the city.
This ranks With tho mCst terrible
! crimes that have ever been committed
/ In Roanoke and unless the thugs and
-throats that congrcgate are taught
! Il lesson by the ferrcting out OF the mvs-
| teries OF this affair and furnishing OF the
! guilty ones. no mans life will be safe
| on the streets after dark"
On tho death OF Mr.. Massc DR.. Sim
mons sent q message into town de-
nanding tho arrest of the negroes who
had been suspected OF the crime, and
they were Immediately unprecedented.
3. The negro Redd did q bold and pecu-
! liar thing yesterday which will not tend
to bend til" public sentiment in his
favor. Yesterday afternoon he walked
into tho office of Chapman, Massie &
&c. Mr.. Chapman was alone.
us Mr. Massic in?' asked the negro
Mr.. Chapman put Oh an assumption
OF ignorance as To his visitors identify
and said:
NO, but am his partner What
can do for YOU
Il want to pay him some rent"
What nance" added Mr.. Chapman.
''i;edd. John Rcdd,' the negro replied.
! MIR. Chapman found the account and
| took the money. The negro then asked
without further conversation:
''llew is MIR. Massie?''
Mr. Chapman looked tho negro
! straight in the eye and replied:
! MIR. Massie is not expected TO live
! till cvdning.'
Rcdd became very much perturbed,
and, turning abruptly, left the office.
The Kascr's Proposed Visit to Paris.
| PARIS, Dec. oG.-Rcgarding Emperor
! Williams proposed visit to .his CITY, a