Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-07-07
G0SHEN'S MYSTERY.
THE ASSASSIN OF Mr.. j. GRANVILLE
LEIGH STILL AT LARGE.
Suspect He Proves an Alibt and
IL Discharged by the Justice.
Isneclal from a stnn corre.ponaeut.l

lSpecisl from a STAFF Correspondent
GOSHEN, Va. july Eff energy and per-
severance can accomplish anything the
murderer of Mr. j. G.. Leech. who was
! assassinated about three miles from here
| SUNDAY night, will certainly be brought TO
/ justice. For two days Sheriff K. Il. Witt
and his efficient deputies. Messrs. John L.
| Wilson and W. F. Templeton, have been
unceasing IN their labors to ferret out the
mystery. Night and day they have worked
upon the case. and in the last forty-eieht
| hours they have scarcely had three hours
| sleep. Last night about il:30 o'clock the
officers left on the cast-bOund tram Tor
Au0usta Springs, q station about thirteen
| miles from here, TO arrest suspect
| nnmed Ietcher kenney, who resides
| in tnat section. The authorities had
| reason to believe that the man knew some
| thing of the crime, ana they Determines
| 10 take him unawafes. Upon reaohlng me
station they secured the services OF Mr.
Patterson. who Is ACQUAINTED with the ac-
cused. MIR kcnuev. who Is about 35 years
of age. is employed as foreman by Dir. Pen-
dletOn, who recently purchased tne Au-
gnsta SPRINGS. which - situated IN the val
Icy about a mile from the station. lie was
~ eep at the watering-pl1ce When tne oih-
Ger. went after HIM. The moon was SHINING
brightly over the somoie NUS .wheh 'he
ssc started out alter thelr victim, put
the road was exceed ngly rVuSh ahu "eiA-
ing was no easy matter.
ACANINE CHORUS.
Just before the officers reached the cot
taye where the man was asleep they were
greeted by pack of hounds who made
! ni0bt biJeons and there were black dogs
and white dogs. spotted dogs abd yelio"
dous. and the whole pack CT cannes on
hearing the nocturnal visitors united IN
! chorus OF howls aud made every one look
out fnr the safety of hls trousers, but the
midnight musicians proved TO be more
| bark thau bite. lhe house, when was
clothed in darkness, was qulckly sur,
rounded by the Sheriff, nis deputies, ana
| the DlsPATCd reporter. Mr. faIlsrsVn .3l
sleeper, while the officers aWalteu WIN
| drawn reyolyers. Mr.. Kenney quickly re-
sponded 70 the rap and Mr.. Patterson e4;
plninrd the mission OF the Visitors, anu
| told the man TO dress himself ana HghV
| the room. The suspect proceeded TO d9h
| his clothes. but kept his chamber IN DARK
| ness.
"UAyps UPl"--sURRESDBR.
After a delay of several minutes he came
out by the back-door and was promptly
halted by Mr.. Templeton,, VINO covered
him with his pistol and said, han'ls w,
Kenpey surrendered without resistance
and was taken INTO custody. II IS not
known whether be intended to steal away
through the rear of tho house or not, as
quantity Of lumber was piled against the
| front-door and possibly he could not nave
| opened It.
DENIED THE CHARGE.
l. .Ne1
The prisoner was at first a llttle eAciteu'
but from the very first he denied the
charge against him, and SAID that nc coul9
prove an abb. lie Is a married man, ana
certain SUSPICIOUS circumstances led the
officers to believe that he probably KNOWS
something OF the murderer.
lie was brought 70 Goshen this morning
and remained in the custody OF the Sherlu
until 2:3O o'clock, when Justice }. L. Val
den held a preliminary examination IN the
case. The room IN which the proceedings
took place was crowded 70 IT'S utmost ca
paclty, aud the greatest possible interest,"
was manifested by the residents OF the
peicbborhood. The prisoner was not re-
d O eutsd ly counsel, as he expressed nm
! "a as absolutely sure OF his discharge
monwealth's-Attorney Dave Moore ap-
peared on behalf of tho prosecution.
THE EVIDENCE.
The first witness examined was Colonel
Ieech. a brother of the murdered man.
His evidence, which mainly had reference
10 the circumstances lmmedlately con
uected with tho crime, was substantially
| the same as the statements heretoIore
published III the DISPATCH. Colonel Leeeh
did not know the prisoner. MT. l.. -
| Toecb. another brother OF the deceased,
was next pIacod on the stand and cOrrobo-
rated tho testimony OF his brother lie
stated that he had never seen henney
before and knew of no suspicious clrcum-
stances connected with the crime. Mr:
John Curry. the hackman OF the Cold
Sulphur Springs. stated that he met Men
ney Sunday afternoon about o'JO cloch
at the Ford House near the springs, ana
spoke TO him. This place Is about tnree
miles from the scene OF the a'sasslna'ion'
WHO WAS THIS MANI
John Logan, white man, TESTIFIED that
he rode 20 Goshen Gap with the deceased
on the afternoon ho WAS killed. ne VII
ness was caught in the storm, ana wntn
within 200 Yards Of the place where the
crime occurred he saw man trying TO get
over the fence. The man on seeing MIN
ran down the road. Logan said the tugi-
tive was excited and looked like a man
who did not have time to fool" lie dld
not resemble kenney.
Rob Dobbins. an old Virginia darky, who
suffered terribly, almost broke up the
court when called upon to TESTIFY. HIS
evidence, which was gwen on the install
ment plan, and accompanied by rapid CIR
cular movements of the lower Jaw, almost
conyulsed the small boys present with
laughter. No one knew exactly wnat
Uncle Bob said. and he did not seem to
know himself, but he managed 70 convince
the Justice that he knew nothing ot the
accused.
AT HOME AT THE TINE OF THE CRIME.
Robert Talley (whItel stated that he saw
the accused near Cold Sulphur about
O'clock Sunday afternoon, while Wesley
Talley testified that the prisoner was at
Kennevs (his home). which is near the
watering place. between ana O'CLOCK On
the night OF the murder.
Carrie Munday, the l6-year old step
daughter of kenney. testified that the ac-
cused was nj his home with his wife until
9 o'clock on the night OF the murder, ana
that he came there Saturday night.
Miss Annie Talley stated that she saw
him between and O'CLOCK.
A GOOD CHARACTER.
DR.. George s. Bonner testified to the
GOOD character of the accused, and stated
that he had never heard HIM use any
threats against the murdered man.
Mr.. Joseph Wood, the ticket agent at
Goshen, stated that he sold henney q
ticket for Augusta Springs about 1890
o'clock Sunday night. a number OF other
witnesses were examined, but their testi-
mony was unimportant. Carrie Munday
was recalled aud closely questioned by the
Commonwealth attorney. She was posi-
tive that Kenney was at home when the
CRIME was committed.
NOTHING TO CONCEAL.
The prisoner voluntarily made a state
ment in his own behalf aud answered all
the questions asked hun without hesits-
ton and in a manner which plainly show
ed that he had nothing 10 conceal The
examination did not diyulge single
scintilla of evidence against him. After
concluding his remarks the Justice said
that the accused had plainly proven an
riibi. and therefore he would dismiss the
case.
OFFICERS SoNPLUssED.
The discharge OF Mr. Kenuey practically
leaves the case exactly where il was on the
day the crime was first discovered. and the
officers are more nonplussed than ever.
They left late this afternoon for Lexing-
ton. but stated that the would continue
10 work on the mystery till they can find
some solution for the crime. II is said that