Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-28
TIE JACKSON CRY MURDER.
Thomas Craven and HE Dead Victim
Prisouer's yersion of the Crime.

Thomas Craven md 1fis Dead Nictim-
Prisoners Version of tho Crime.
Thomas Craven. the slayer OF Reuben
Mills at Jackson City Monday night was
taken to Alexandria on Tuesday AFTER
noon by Deputy-Sherlff Il. F. Matthews,
OF that county Cravens was glad to so,
being tired Of the uncomfortable cell In
which he was confined at the First Police
Precinct Station. at Washington, and
anxious for a preliminary hearing.
The body OF Mllls was ais T,,, re,
Coroner, who was, however. unable TO
make any statement In regard 10 the
holding OF an inquest.
HIS STORY.
Craven surrendered TO two Washington
officers. and gave the following account
OF the crime.
city" said Craven TO Washington Posi-
reporter, mills was sitting at the taple
In the back room. went In ana SAT
down opposite him. He was abusing the
waiter al great rate. and / said some
thing to him In a pleasant way, and then
ne turned on me and commenced abusing
me. calling me all sorts OF names. sud
side of the table, and struck me. jump
ed UP and tried to defend myself. lie
was much stronger than /. and Knocked
me down. Then he began kicking me IN
and my shoulders are all bruised from his
kicks. Several Of the men caught hole
Of him and held him. and ! got up and
bleeding. and ] could feel my face swell
ing. looked In mirror to see how paa
/ was hurt.
Just then glanced through the door
into the dlning-room, and j saw Mills;
with n chair raised, coming at me. ! had
noticed the revolver lying inside OF the
bar and l grabbed it up and fired with,
the chair in his hands and was coming
the purpose OF defending himself. Whe.
] fired he may have lifted the chair up
in front OF him right quick.
THAT is the way II happened. had al
ways been friendly with him."
DID JEALOUSY PROMPT THE MUIR
DER?
According to the story told by some OF
the race-followers at Alexandria Island
track yesterday the Virginia authorities
will be able TO develop sensational fea-
ture in connection with the murder of
Mills by Craven. They laughed at the
idea that the only motive for the killing
was the beating which Craven had re-
ceive1 Just before hs took Tom Welchs
revolver out of a drawer in the bar-room.
They say that jealousy prompted the deed,
beyond n doubt. II appears that Mills,
who was a very large man. with gene
rOsity proportionate to his size, gained
the dlltctiOnS Ol Il WOIldll VI TIC uANlo-
ion" class. to whose wes Craven had
succumbed n year or so before. The
latter did not take kindly to the badinage
Of mutual friends who were aware OF the
situation When in the company OF Mills
he was friendly TO all outward appear
ances and they were In the habit OF
sitting down to meals and drinking to-
gether. 1t was when Mills was absent
that Craven would make remarks about
getting even some day." and that his
turn would come after a while"
The bartender at Joe ThOmass place,
where the two were accustomed to spend
their time when not about the racing
stables. and where the shooting occurred,
seems 10 have expected that Craven would
seek revenge for being "cut out" and II
Is surmlsed that Craven made conf-
dant Of him. II is also said that he knows
the woman who was the indirect cause
OF the killing and could tell some very
interesting things tending TO show pre-
meditation if ne were summoned es a
witness and properly catechised.