Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-07-08
THE GOSHEN CRIME.
NUMEROUS THEORIES ABOUT THE
ASSASSINATION OF Mr.. lEecH.
0ss Of These Exploded by the dispatch
Correspondens--susp and Sag-
Esstions--Possibie Clue.
Especial frora a stan corrcapondon,.,

dozens OF theories about tho crime. but
each in turn is exploded by investigation.
and clue after clue resolves itself into
nothingncss. After the discharge of MIR
kcnncy aud the almost positive proof Of
his Innocence tho good people of Rock
bridge found themselves greatly puzzled
and beIeit of anything new 10 talk about,
and hence they have bad 20 RELY in great
part upon their imaginations TO supply tho
Deficiencies.
susPr roS's FINGER.
For several days past suspicion has
pointed her menacing finger TO William
DAVIS. q farmer. who married the half
sister Of the deceased. Davis IL known TO
have been on very bad terms with the
murdered man, and from tho reports
noiscd abroad IL seems that his relative
did not treat him with tho consideration
which kinsman deserves. The two had
a transaction about some real estate
and Davis purchased piece Of property
from Loech. As he did not have
the money TO make cash payment he gave
the deceased deed OF trust on farm
which be owned as security for subsequent
payments. Leech took another deed Of
trust on the property be let Davis have.
The latter not being able 10 meet his obli-
cations when the time came was forced to
relipquish ell his holdings, while Leech
profited greatly by the transactions Nntu-
rally Davis used some abusive language
about his brother-in-law, and their cordial
relations ceased.
VISIT TO DAVIS.
Knowing that much credonce was At
tached to the various reports concerning
DAVIS the DISPATCH correspondent visited
the place where he resided and talked
over the murder with him. His homo IS
nearly FIVE miles from here and in o beau
tiful country, encircled on nearly every
side by hills. The house is made of logs,
but Is very comfortably fitted up. 1t
stands on On eminence and oyeriooks a
splendid meadow, where the tinkling OF
many cow-beils constantly fill the stIll
mountain cir. When the scribe drove up
20 the cabin he was greeted by Mrs Davis,
who exhibited the Characteristic Virginia
hospitality. She invited him IN, but SAID
her husband was out in the fields working
and would not he back for an hour or so.
A sturdy 7-vear-old youngster. encased IN
o PAIR CT boots nearly as large as he was,
eyed the correspondent suspiclously.
while several bright-eyed little girls with
berry-stained cheeks peeped through the
door at the visitor. Mrs. Davis divided
her courtesies bet ween the scribe and
On individual about IL months old. whom
she carried in her arms This interesting
juvenile. invigorated by the fresh, healthy
air. forthwith produced an elongated howl,
which clearly showed the absence of con-
sumption in the family.
A GOOD TALKER.
Mrs Davis was perfectly willing to talk,
and being an interesting conyersationalist
she entertained the newspaper-mau very
we'll. She said that her husband was on
bad terms with Leech, as he had acted
IaIlu m a htfQIpQgo tTQnGQrt10n
and. moreover. he had not shown her the
same attention that her other brothers
did. Still they were not enemies. and his
unexpected death was q great shock to
them. She was not in condition to
stand excitement. and said that for
this reason her husband had not
discussed the matter much with her. They
had wondered great deal who committed
the crime. but could form no ideas about II.
There was whiskey-stIll in the neighbor-
hood. and ruffians frequently passed back
and forth. and sometimes. their conduct
was very disorderly. These fellows carried
the LIQUOR in cans, bottles. and pitchers.
and as they imblbed freely their behavior
ut times was shocking.
SUGGESTION.
They were mostly negroes, and ne Mr..
Leech had habit of speaking roughly to
them, Mrs. Davis suggested that possibly
some of them might have murdered HIM.
She stated that she had also heard that
man bad been seen sbadowing the deceased,
aud that Loech was uneasy and apprehen-
sive of late. as If he had received some
intimation that evil would befall him.
Mrs. Davis said that the murdered man
had been twice married. His first wife
aud child died of dysentery within few
days of each other. while hls second matri-
monial venture was even more unfortu-
nate. The family were stricken down with
the same disease, and the mother and two
children in less than a month We're laid
beneath the sod.
THIRD IN CONTEMPLATION.
He contemplated marriage again and
was engaged, it is said, to a young lady
who resides In Bath. The marriage was
70 have taken place in about two months.
Mrs. Davis SAID that she was in her front
porch about the time of the murder, and
although their house is nearly mile from
the scene of the crime she heard Wild
cry tor help. Her husband was WORKING
in the fields. and they did got
hear of the assassination until the
morning after il occurred. After
a DELAY Of nearly one hour Davis made his
appearance. He il q tall. wirv man, and
typical farmer. After being introducedto
the news gatherer he talked over the crime
and his relations with the murdered man
without hesitation. and appeared to be
perfectly honest in what he said. Mrs.
DAVIS ioined IN the conversation, too, and,
womanlike, seemed somewhat anxious TO
act rs spokesman for her husband, who Is
byno means so intelligent as his wife.
CONTRADICTION.
She alluded to tho fact that Mr.. Davis
was in the house when they heard the
screams. and said he was in the rear of the
building. This contradiction of her for
mcr statement was not on unnatural one,
ns she was a little excited when she first
met the scribe. and might possibly have
misunderstood the question asked her
about his Whereabouts. Mr.. DAVIS SAID
lie did not attend the funeral of
AT the time and did not have
a horse. He was questioned closely
by the correspondent regarding his rela-
tons with the murdered man, and ad-
united without hesitation that they had
not gotten along very well. but neverthe-
less they were not enemies and were on
speaking terms. In fact, he did not know
up 10 the time the crime was computed
that Mr.. Leech had any enemies who dis
liked him enough 10 shoot him down with
out warning.
UNREASONABLE.
II the statements of Mr.. and Mrs Davis
be true. and they certainly appear to be,
the suspicious against them are unreason-
sble and rather unjust. Mr.. Theodore
Ieeeh, brother of the deceased, IN speak
ing of the crime TO your correspondent,
said that he was almost positive that DAVIS
had nothing 20 do with the case. He had
no idea why tho deceased was murdered, as
he did not think he had an enemy who
would think of doing such cowardly
act. From the nature of the wounds re-
ceiyed by the murdered man MIR. Leech
was almost positive that two persons did
the shooting. He could not account for
the horse being tied to tree outside the
gate.
SUSPICIOUS MAN.
On the Friday before the assassination
MIR. 4. l.. Campbell. who resides short
distance from the scene Of the tragedy.
saw a suspicious-looking man lounging IN
the neighborhood. The fellow appeared
TO be waiting for some one, aud occupied
his time picking berries, but finally went
on ia the direction of the gate where Mr..
'Leech was shot. MIR. Campbell says he
has seen this man since. and that he Is
working on the Allegheny Hotel at
Goshen.
ANOTHER CLUE.
A telegram received from Sheriff Witt TO-
,lay by me- states that he Is now working on
another clue. Mr.. LeecRs little boy
walked nearly 10 the gate with his father,
lust before the shooting occurred. He
had hardly gotten back In the house before