Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-06
HELD FOR MURDER.
THORNTON ADAMS CHARGED WITH
KILLING The GERMAN PEDDLER.
t,im-Blood on shirt-Siceves--
Tho Axe Found.


thuty-thrce wears old and a laborer by oc-
-uration. was arrested yesterday after
noon on the charge of being the murderer
af Sammox Rosdoitchor. the young Ger
man pcddler who died in the Henrico
county poorhousc last Sunday week from
ihe effects Of injuries received on the
n.eht 81 July "a while asleep in n hay
shod on the farm Of Mr.. Jacob Foitig, near
Oslwood cemetery.
The arrest was made by Sheriff j. vii.
bar Southward. who was accompanied
rut 90 Mr. Foitig's, whore Adams has been
employed for several months as a farm
hand. by Deputy sheriff Ncurohr and Mr..
s. Stern, who has displayed great energy
anl rendered valuable assistance to the
county authorities in working upthis case,
which Is still involved IN deep mystery.
THE WARRANT.
Tho warrant against the accused was IS
sued bv Justice J. :. Atlec and was sworn
o. bv Tom Sully, the Young negro who IS
lu iail awaiting tral for the same offence.
Vie was arrested several days ago.
10 IS understood that the determination
toprocecd against Adams was reached early
iu the day yesterday AT n conference be-
tween tho Sheriff. Commonwealth Attor-
uoy. and Justice Atleo. ~ which there was
witness present. II has not yet leaked
cat who this witness was. but IL may
fairly be presumed that II was Sully, the
allegation that Adams dealt the blow with
tr axe or some other heavy instrument
which produced "Max's" death was maue
upon has oath.
TAKEN BY sURrrisf.
Adams was taken greatly By surprise
whom tho Sheriff approached him at ar;
Tgue's. where he was 40 work, and told
hmm 10 consider himself under arrest and
read the warrant 90 him. He offered no
resistance whatever but quietly accompa-
ned the officer and drove 10 the court
house IN jumper with Deputy Ncurohr.
Il never was more surprised remarked
ihe prisoner 20 a NspG'ch reporter VINO
was al the courthouse awaitlng his ar
rival. d" had not the slightest idea that
was suspected hy anybody % beng guilty
II the crime. ! tell Won honestly, with
"a clear conscience. toOn he added IN what
-ocmei 10 te an entirely frank and honest
manner. that | know nothing IN the
world about the robbery aud murder
was asleep at the time that the deed wa,
committed. ard heard nothing oi II until
after | went 10 work the next morning.
SLEPT UPSTAIRS.
where do YOU sleepY" inquired the
news-catherer.
Upstairs in Mr. Feitlg's dwelling. was
the reply. u could probably have seen
where Max was lying from the window OF
mv ROOM
How DO YOU get downstairs and into
tac yard from your room .
" have 10 pass through Mr.. Feitg's
bedroom. aud an certain That l could
not DO that while he Is asleep without
uasing him up. In the darkness one pass
ire through the room would be certain TO
stumble over chars or something of the
kind and even II they did not do tins the
noise 0f opening the door would wake
whoever was IN the room
Did you know the young German
wollt"
'No. sir: / did not. had only seen
hmm twice before the night on which he
Uls hurt. He came there once and only
.faXei little while before he returned 10
Richmond. The next time he came We
vs. re busy getting mp lrisn potatoes. and
Mrs. Feitig got him 10 stay and help us,
TIE night that he was hurt lett HIM and
Nr feitig downstairs reading when /
won't up to my room. ] had been working
rratty hard getting up potatoes and went
'I -leep early. was surprised that Tom
~.y should have sworn out the warrant
me-"
mo prisoner did not seem disposed TO
conceal. anything and was entirely wiling
utalk. Although questioned quite freely
fiH FNuuH man lll not say ANY tAlAs Ah"'
o. ell elllmplicated him in the affair.
THr AXE FOUND.
Mr.. Sonthward made several searches
while out M Alr. Fetig's place. lie had
-earch warrant with hlm and went
through the prisoners room, 10 which
there was no objection whatever made.
hut no clue or evidence whatever was
found there. Ne had no clothes down
there except what be wore at the time that
le was taken into custody and his every
day coat.
4 close examination Of the division of
the hay-shcd Wherc Max as tho dead
peddler was generally called, revealed
iargedont in post near whore his head IS
supposed 10 have rested. This appears 20
have been made with an axe, and one was
found. the rounding corner of which eX-
actly fitted the impression. The axe was
therefore brought upto the courthouse 10
Doe used as evidence. Having been thrown
about the wOOd-pile and used for
killing chickens and other purposes II will
b very hard 70 show that II was with this
that the Young Germans skull was frac-
iured. There are on the handle, "A portion
~ the undersde OF which, by the way, has
been recently split OF. and on the metal,
two unmistakable evidences of blood, but
the claim that chickens have been butch
cred with II Will make II difficult 10 prove
tLat MAX = blppU uhi' tht oAd4Af.
BLOOD oN sHIRT.sIEEyTs.
II was nearly : O'Clock when the Sherif's
party drove up 10 the courthouse. The
sun had sunk behind the western sky, the
Clerks Office had been bolted and locked.
aud things Were taking on the appearance
of night
/, having been ascertained that Adams
when IN Richmond stavs at tho house OF
ms half-sister. Mrs. Frank kearns, No
2i01. east Main street, where ne Keeps
most az his clothing. authority was Obtain
"a from Justice Childrey To search the
room in which he STAYS, and an ofhcer
from the First station was detailed TO exc
cute the warrant. He was accompanied 10y
Deputy Neurohr and Mr. Stern. They soon
returned. bringing with them a bundle
containing a sheet. plcated- bosom SHIRT,
and am unbound handkerchief.
These articles. all of which were soiied,
were -pread out for inspection on the
Cerk'- table in the courtroom, where the
ra.r,bf shone down brightly on them.
There were numerous blood-smears on the
sheet. bnt did not al all resemble oiood
from a human body. The handkerchief
had some dark splotches on II that looked
ike some ones nose might have bled on ~
and both sleeves of the shirt had "A ie%
small hlood-stains on them tnat iooheu
ike they had been slightly spaticred'
COMMITTED TO JAIL.
ADAMS. who had several friends 20 call to
go him as soon a. he reached the court
l.use was committed 10 iall and his case
LId over until next Tuesday morning, tht
i.th. when preliminary examination WI
probably be held No counsel has been re-
i4ined. but IT is likely that steps WI Q,
taken in this direction to-day and that
notion viii at once be made for bail.
The prisoner. who is about five feet nin' NJ
inches and weighs some LOO pounds %
more, has neither mother nor father m Dn
two brothers aud haii-sister. ne ws va
raised by Alr. heerns, VINO sas MI l,,.ad
liable or honorable young man never hVeu
Re is certain that Adams is as innocent q
be- is that he would not under any circuin
stances have a cent not legltimateiy IN hi
own. The prisoner has darh halr ah' any
eyes and sandy-red moustache; lie Ia
~ omen conntennnee. although his eye
are rather downcast. He was born ah'
raised here in Richmond. ana was he'e