Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-12-14
LETTER FROM RICHMOND.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette
RICHMOND, Va, Dec. Is, 1898.

NSofteSPonoence Oh the AIeNanQrla GaZeIIeJ
RICHMOND, Va, Dec. 1S, 1898.
1t is fact that the weather prognos-
tications of Wednesday were realized
to-day and the spring like balmuess of
yesterday was turned into winterish-
ness.
The wind whistled like a small boy
with new opera tune, and as the
solons wendell their way up the wind
ing paths to the big white house on the
top of Capitol Hill, it's melancholy MUIR
murings played a harmonious accom-
paniment to the thoughts ofsome of the
law makers. Letters from home had
not made them happy and the mute
pleadings of the squirrelsfor peanuts was
received in about the same manner as
the chaplain's prayer.
There was rumor current about the
Capitol to-day that shortly an elegant
lot of unused uniforms would be offer
ed for sale. These uniforms have
marks indicating the rank Of colonel.
A great deal of the noise and confu-
sion, dissatisfaction and hard feelings
created by the nomination of Mr.. Mar
tin seems to have disappeared and the
people are now about at nominal heat.
It there was any foundation for all the
talk of the alleged unfair means being
used to secure Mr.. Martins nomina-
ton it is rather strange that somebody
can't be found with sufficient nerve to
tell what he knows.
Mr.. Withers has his resolution drawn
up and is ready at any moment to of
fer it before the House, provided some
one will signify his intention to disclose
the facts.
1t is rumored among the Martin peo-
pie that they will themselves ask for
an investigation in order that their can
didate may be thoroughly exonerated
from even a suspicion that any under
hand" methods were used to his ad-
vancement.
The Martinites claim that they won
solidly by thorough organization, and
they likewise assert that Lees forces
were never thoroughly organized.
They concede the fact that FitZ. Lee
was the peoples" choice, but say that
Mr.. Martin will make the best repre-
resentative. They will, however, have
a hard time making the people believe
these things, for they cannot under
stand how any body could beat "our
Fitz."
The fact that Judge Wexford failed
to sentence murderer Philip Norman
Nicholas yesterday has given the pri-
soner new hope for life and he now
thinks that his counsel will be able to
get him new trial. This is very
doubtful, however, and the impression
obtains that he will in few days have
the death sentence passed upon him.
The case was heard about month
ago and the jury found him guilty His
counsel asked for a new trial on the
ground of after discovered evidence.
This is now being considered.
The crime for which Nicholas will
likely be hung was most brutal one
and included an innocent man as well
as the intended victim. 1t was a dou-
BILE murder and was committed last
December.
Nicholas boarded with man named
Mills in Henrico county, just above
Richmond, and made his living fishing
and trapping on the banks Of the James.
Mills finally suspected Nicholas of being
unduly intimate with his wife and sug-
gested the propriety of his seeking an
other boarding house.
Nicholas did not like this and at once
began to scheme to get rid of Mills.
He bought poison and told Mrs. Mills
that q grain of it in q cup of coffee
would Six the old man." Mrs. Mills
refused, however, to administer the
poison.
There was another man boarding in
the house named Wilkinson and Mich
olas proposed to the men to go across
the river with him TO rob q bee tree.
The three went away together and sew
eral hours later Nicholas returned very
wet and told Mrs. Mills and Mrs. Will
kinson that the boat sunk with them
and his companions were both drowned.
The matter was not reported to the
authorities for two days. The officers
Immediately went to work and Nicho-
las was arrested the next day. The
boat was recovered and in the bottom
were several newly bored auger holes.
The bodies of the men wheh found
were clasped in each others arms.
The theory was that Nicholas know
ing that Wilkinson was a good swim
mer would save himself and be
witness that Mills's death was accident
al, it being knowd that Mills could not
swim. When the holes we're unstopped
and the boat filled with water and sunk
it is supposed that Mills caught Will
kinson in an effort to save himself and
thus both were drowned.
Nicholas denies his guilt of course
He is an ugly fellow and his looks do
not add to his chances ola new trial.
He is very illiterate and when talked
to about the murder always drops off
into an ahsent-minded manner and
acts as though he were feigning in
sanity.
There has not been hanging in this
section since the execution of Thomas
]. Cluverius, convicted of the murder
of Fannie Lillian Madison, whose trial
was without doubt the most celebrated
ever held in Virginia.
Hugh Higgins, the proprietor ola st.
Louis restaurant, was arrested last