The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-04-11
rs HE THE MURDERER !?
aHE1IIEGED CRIMINAL CONFINED
IN THE CHEsTERFIELD JAZZ.
He Says His Name 10 James Lynch, and De-
niles the Charge, but Gives a Very I'm
satisfactory Account OF Himself

field county jail.
II Will be remembered that late Thurs
day evening two men were seen walking
down the railroad track from Chester IN
the direction OF Petersburg. The next
morning the body Of the younger man
vas found IN Ashland creek, about a
mile below Chester. and upoh invcstigd-
tion the murdered man was found TO
have been knocked in the mead with
large stick. which had several spots Of
blood on II.
The authorities used every means in
their power TO capture the unknown
tramp who was seen with the young
man, but up to Sunday every effort
proved futile. on Saturday night. how
ever. Mir. II. B. Jarratt. the depot agent
1T Jarra;ts Station, on the Petersburg
and Weldon railroad, about thirty niles
below Petersburg, saw a suspicious-iook-
ing man lurking about the depot, ana
noticing that he answered the description
OF the alleged murderer telegraphed Mr..
George T.. Robertson and asked for in
structions as TO whether he should arrest
the man. He received a reply author
izing him TO arrest the man and hold
him until he heard from Mir. Robertson.
Mir. Jarratt, together with posse OF
CillItISt AT biiNN diAtNtfN AiN ANt''tf
made no resistance when ordered TO give
himself up. Mr.. Jarrett held him until
MIR. Robertson arrived on Sunday morn
ing and the tramp was taken to Chester
field Jail Sunday night about II O'Clock.
went out to Chesterfield yesterday
and saw the prisoner. He had been re
lieved Of his outing" suit, the coat OF
which had two or three dark spots on
st. but II could not be detected whether or
fYDYn
coat will be sent 10 Or. William II. Tay-
Tor. Of this city. to be subjected to
chemical analysis.
The man is apparently about forty-fve
years Of age. some five feet eight or nine
inches I'm height and weighs about l65
pounds. He wore chin whiskers about
TWO inches long. and heavy moustache'
but no Furnishes. He has red race.
thin straight nose. high forehead and
light blue eyes that seem to be looking
off in the distance. His general physi-
ognomy has a hard look and altogether
presents rather a brutal appearance. his
entire makeup is repulsive, and ne Is
about as typical a specimen Of the pro-
fessional tramp as is usually seen.
When / entered the prison he spoke
70 me I'm n sort of sneering tone. and
remarked com placenuy. Another pollcy
man. come to talk politics.
| assured him that I was no politician,
but wanted him 10 say all he could in
his own behalf to which he compla-
Gently replied:
yes. all Of you fellows have some OBJ
ject in view but my politics is self-re-
lance" TO which l could not readily
reply. since we have so few of that sort
in this country.
II the tramp committed the deed OF
which he is suspected, he very carefully
statement that VIII
convict him.
"NIy name is James Lynch" said he
land I am an Englishman. I came 10
this country in 1869. and have been mere
ever since"
"Do you know who the young man Is
YOU were travelling with last Ihursday
evening"
"No. do not. / overlook him up the
railroad some distance above Chester, and
asked him where he was going. lie re-
Dlied TO Savannah. ! then told him l was
going to Savannah. too, and would Join
him. We walked on down the railroad
and stopped at Chester for while. ABOUT
dark we proceeded on our way, and about
n mile below Chester made fire ana
drank some tea together. / staid by him
at the camp fire for some time, but
don't remember how long 1t was, as
had no watch
''l00 YOU not learn Ills Manu- VIM az
was from. or anything about him during
your sojourn with him.
NO. l didn't have any business asking
his name nor questioning I'm about his
affairs"
what time did you leave him.
'I don't know anything about the time.
] suppose II might have been l o'clock.
We we're sitting together by the fire and
] heard a noise in the bushes near by.
] asked the man if he didn't hear the
noise. and he said he did not. l then said
that didn't like that, and was going
10 move on, which did. leaving him sit
ting by the fire, and l haven't seen him
since"
did the young man wear watch and
chain"
II don't know: didn't take any notice
Of his clothes or what he had on
''Do you mean to say that you Travelled
several miles with the man. and en-
camped with him several hours without
finding out either his name or where he
was FROM and recoliect nothing that he
said?"
mo. / don't know anything about him.
and / don't remember anything ne said
when I was with him. If a man knows
a thing, and he knows down deep in his
conscience that he knows it, there's no
use ia his saying that he does not; for II
ne does he tells a lie
This latter statement the prisoner re-
sorted TO several times, meaningless as IT
may seem. He also commenced to tell
about time when a man was Knocked off
a railroad bridge in Illinois and he was
blamed for il. though he was working on
the road some distance below at the time.
When questioned about this more closely.
he went back TO the old hobby about a
IMAM knowing a thing deep down in his
conscience"
He stated that he didn't know what
kind of hat the one-armed man wore.
and knew absolutely Tothing about the
affair" Then suddenly came out with
the words: II didn't commit the murder.
and you'll have to prove II"
II will be remembered that a very mys-
ferrous murder was committed near Ches-
ter last November. When Mr.. Robertson
asked Lynch where he was at that time
the tramp replied that II was none OF the
magistrates business.
He stated that after he left the one
armed man he went down the railroad.
where he found an open box car standing
on a side track. He slept In this car, and
resumed his tramp South the next day.
The tramp stated to Mr.. Perdue, Of
Chester. that he was from New York.
and added that he had some other things
10 say when he was alone. but didn't
care TO talk freely then.
The prisoner was evidently upon the
defensive. and had made up his mind not
20 talk freely about his previous record
lie would not say where he was from,
or anything I'm regard 20 his former life