The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-04-11

CRANKY LETTERS.
Three Strange Communications
. About Charles Cameron.

Several papers are in possession OF
The TINES that seem TO have peculiar
connection. The public is familiar with
the disappearance of Charles Cameron
and the finding of his body in Roanoke
river. About week ago THE TIMES
received an anonymous communication
from Salem alleging that Cameron was
murdered.
About March 90 Governor Mckinney
received letter from Salem signed by
Mrs. Carrie L. Garst, complaining that
young Cameron had been murdered and
that his body was buried without an
inquest. The writer referred to DR..
Wiley as to her standing. The letter
recites at some length the circumstances
OF Cameron's disappearance and makes
definite charges as to who murdered
him.
Gov. Mckinney referred the matter
to Col. Hansbrough, commonwealth
turn referred it to Roy b. Smith, COM
monwealth's attorney OF Roanoke.
In the meantime Mayor Evans had
written to Col. Hansborough, stating
the he viewed the body of Cameron, and
that 1T bore no marks of violence, and
that an inquest was unnecessary. Mrs.
Garst charged in her letter to the gov
ernor that Cameron's skull was crushed,
and that his neck had the appearance
of having been choked.
Mr.. Smith reported promptly to the
Governor the facts in the case that were
published in TIE TIMES at the time of
Cameron's death. Following in line,
the most remarkable of the papers
above referred to is an anonymous letter
written to Judge Williams. The follow
ing is the letter:
JUDGE WILLIAMS: Every Body Said
that Charles Cameron was drowned but
that was not So for 1 helped; this was
the man that this party has killed
did not mind the Others Like did this
One he was not drunk--told-
and--that man had 1OO.75 Dollars
and mule and that he would divide
with us; and he did not have but as
cents and package of Letters from a
Lady that he was going to marry her
name was Miss Flore nee Garst.
"Tkey did not killed him at once he
was In the stable when they was looing
for him and then the River was high
They threw him in the River he was not
in the River when it was dragged
Hauled him off am gone out of the
united states and Will never come back
l not of told but the men is getting so
bold was afraid they would tell on me.
At--the women know all about this
killing---cadled him back he was going
home he begged so hard to spare his life
but---said not. take him up and
you will see the bruises and marks"
The above is an exact copy of the
letter in spelling, punctuation and cap
italization. The letter bears the post
mark Catawba, April f. The writer, in
beginning the letter, which is written
with lead pencil, wrote Salem, but
Catawba is on mail route, few miles
from Salem. Tho letter was probably
handed to the mail carrier, (perhaps at
Mason's Cove) who mailed it at Gaia w ba
The writer evidently attempted to
disguise tho handwriting, and it looks
as though it were written with the left
hand
But all three communications bear
unmistakable evidence of having been
written by one and the same person.
Cameron was undoubtedly drowned, and
the motive of tho letters is a mystery.
Word is received from Salem that
neither Mrs. John Garst nor Mrs. John
i'll. Garst wrote them.