Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-31
ACTION OF THE JURY.
AN INQUEST HELD OVER THE BODY
or JOHN OAKLEY.
wstchman Williams Declared Rsspopsi-
BILE for His Dcath--Ths Poet
Norton Examination.

county, made q poS,-motse7n examination
Yesterday afternoon OF the abdomen OF
John Oakley. the negro who was shot last
wednesday by Mr.. Thomas Williams. the
aged Free bridge Waterman, and died at
A. NJ. yesterday from the effects OF his IN
juries. He was assisted by DIR. X. +. Tancii
(colored). who attended the deceased
whose family physician be was.
While the examination was boing made
quite number of colored persons collect
ed in front of the house, which Is on Jay
street just beyond the corporate limits.
and tried to see what was going on by
peeping into the room. Their curiosity,
however. was only partially satished, as
they only got an occasional glimpse OF d.
I,ef,wich. with his hands besmeared to
his wrists with blood.
THE HOME or prcEssEp.
Sfe place Of which Oakley livedis very
s~etty little tenement-house facing the
north. On the interior there IL every IN
dication of neainess. and the little parior,
in which was the coffin awaiting the re-
mains was very tasteiully furnished, es-
pecially for man of his apparent limited
means.
Directly in front of the house, from
which a beautiful view Of the new CIty
Hall can be had. a number OF hogs follow
"a
around, and this was the only indication
that tho neighborhood was suburban.
THE posr-MoRrEM.
The remains of the dead man were some
what decomposed and gave forth Hcken-
Ing and offensive odor, which blled the
house and made those present somewhat
faint
The stomach was cut open by the phy-
sicians and careful search made for tne
bullet, but at first It seemed impossible TO
discover il. Continuing their investlga-
ton for nearly an hour. however. the doc
tors finally located IL in the spinal column,
but il was not extracted. as Its dislodgmen'
would have necessitated considerable
rutilation of the corpse.
The face OF the dead man was perfectly
natural as he lsy stretched out under the
dissecting-knives of the physicians. out
one glance ~ the point of their operations
where the search for tho bullet was being
made would have sickened one not useu
20 such sights.
The Inquest.
After the pos-morfem examination was
,o1onls,ad an inquest was held in the par
lor OF the house, and the witnesses were
sworn bv the Coroner near the empty CONN
awaiting tho body.
Tie inrv consisted of three white and
three colored men and the witnesses were
carefully examined by them. Attimes the
cOlored jurors would deylate IN thslr ln-
terrocations from what Immediately con-
earned the case and it was evident that
they were indignant at the manner III
which oakley was wounded.
The following witnesses were examined
Sandy Harris (cOloredl, James Whlte tcol,
oredi. NJ. A. Campbell, DR.. x. l.. Ianeli
(cOlored). Peter Wren (coiored), ana RICH
ard Parsons (colOrcd).
WHAT HARRIS SAW.
Sandy Harris. tall, Gaunt negro (over
ok feet high. testified, as be occasionally
glanced Mt the coffin, that when near the
bridge he saw Oakley and Williams having
a fst-fght. During this encounter the
Waterman struck Oakley with ms cruz;
whereupon the latter returned the blow
and said ~ am tending to my business
Won ATTEND TO yours" After the tist-fght
Williams went To get his pistol, and. re-
turning. ran Oakley towards Richmond.
Mrs. Williams cried Blow his brains
out"
language towards Williams and thought
ono OF the bullets hit deceased on the
head, causing the scalp-wound.
Or Ieftwitch stated TO the Jury, how
ever. that il was almost impossible for this
wound TO have been caused by bullet, as
il was exactly upon the top OF the head.
THE PHYSICIAN.
DR.. Tancil who attended the deceased
during his illness, testified that ne visited
OotIev "Wednesday after the shooting oc-
cured and found him suffering intensely.
Tho wound was in the lower right side OF
tbe abdomen. and he probed for the ball,
INT could not find 1t. During his sick
ness DIR. Tancil heard the wounded
man state that he was gong over
lie bridge when the Waterman SAID
10 him "Where arc you goingfn 10 this
Oakley replied. About my business"
whereupon the Waterman called him a
IS b. and came towards hlm;
What arc YOU coming TO me Tor" asked
Oakley. and az this Williams struck him.
Deceased then undertook 10 defend MN
solf and they banded words until both
reached the house Of Williams, whose wife
handed him the pistol; then the shooting
occurred.
lanes White Ccolored) said he heard the
second pistol-shot. and fastening TO the
scene saw Oakley with his head bleed
iue. He (Oakley) walked TO lumoer-
wagon. got piece of board, and when he
were standing face 10 face when the plstoii
was fred. After being shot deceased
started back 10 Richmond.
TEE WHITE WITNESS.
Mr.. NJ. A. Campbell, the only white wit
meas examined stated that he saw the al.
fray from the Danyille shops, about two
hundred yards distant. lie could not well
distinguish the men, but was certain the
one who appeared to be a negro was stand
mo with stick uplifted, and the Other
walking back. lie saw the flash OF the pls
tol. and the negro staggered and walked
towards Richmond.
oTHER STATEMENTS.
Peter Wren (colored). who was coming
across the bridge in wagon at the time o.
tie difficulty, stated that he heard thu
crack OF pistol. jumped on his wagon a
and ran towards the scene OF the hgnt
On auproacning he heard the pistol hr'
again aud saw Oakley stagger. After bein9
shot deceased went towards Richmond
hut nj the time of the shooting he wa
standing perfectly still facing Manchester
Tie two men were about fifteen feet apart
and Oakley had a board in his hand.
Richard Parsons, VINO was on tho wager
with peter Wren. testified that be saw
Williams fire the second shot. and though
Oakley was then struck. When he ap
preached the two men deceased sald
This man has shot me for nothing;
picked up the board TO defend myself.
lie had the board in his hands when TIT
third shot was fred. so Parsons said.
TIE VERDICT.
After short consultation, from which
the reporters and witnesses who had as
senbled in the passage were excluded, thu
Jury rendered the following verdict -,
We the Jury sworn TO inquire into I'M
cause OF death of John Oakley, as to how
when, and by what means he came to IN
death. do say that he died on the 29th dal
day OF August, 1890. from the effects of {
nIstol-wound IN the hands of Thoma
Williams.
lSigpedl Herman BoHIISe,
X. BRUCE EVANS,
GEORGE W. Brown,
J.. l.. FUssELL,
W. G.. SISGLEToy,
j. NJ. Humphreys,
A. l.. LEFTwIcH.
Coroner;
w. Il. SNIrHsA
Constable.
BENCH WARRANT IssUHp.
Yesterday morning upon receipt Of th
news of Oakley's death, Justice CIuteh
field issued u bench warrant against WI
NTH murder TIN