The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-06
A MYSTERY EXPLAINED.
NOW MR.. cHLS. 8. THOMAS, OF coz
CMBix, CAME TO HIS DEATH.
The Coroner's Jury Decides that the Wo-
man Arrested Did Not Kill Him-He
wasa Very Prominent Man.

deeply stricken over his untimely and |
shocking death. as related in detail in
The Times yesterday morning. few
hours after its discovery.
They feel that good man and true.
under the influence OF drink and sur
rounded by combination of circum-
stances. which followed while he was
under the curse Of this weakness. brought
him. whose former life had been above
reproach. to an end unexpected and deep
ly deplored.
Would that he had been spared for an
other day. and another fate, and that
the mantle OF charity might cover this
sin which overlook him with such stern
decree.
Not murder, but natural causes. swept
him on. and the coroners jury yesterday
found a verdict setting forth that he
died from congestion OF the lungs, ac-
companied By hemmorrhage.
The iury surveyed the body at the I'M
dertaking establishment of l.. 7. Chris
! i'm at g.D Yesterday afternoon. and
then adjourned to the Virginia Medical
| College where Mollie White, who keeps
the house on Locust and Tobacco alleys
where Thomas died. and Mamie Webb, an
| inmate of the house. were examined.
The evidence by these. two witnesses
corroborated the statement in The Times
Yesterday morning in every detail
WHAT The CORONER SAYS
DIR. W. H. Taylor. the coroner. stated
| To the Jury that when he first saw the
| BODY IL had been moved about some, but
practically was in the same place where
he died He examined the furniture ana
! found no indication of blood or any strus-
/ MI a
pocket-knife on the table, but there was
| no hlood on that. When he arrived he
| had been dead some time. and the blood
| ON the sheets indicated that the hemmor-
rhaue commenced when he was lying on
| the bed. that he afterwards got up and
! from weakness fell on the floor. and
| finally rolled under the bed, which was
easy of accomplishment. lie made post
rortem examination and found the lungs
In a very bad condition. the valves Of
| the heart diseased and the heart en-
! larged.
| lie found large hole in one Of his
| lungs from consumption, and the lungs
! full Of blood and froth. which all went
| to show that be died OF congestion OF the
lungs, accompanied by the hemmorhage.
| He found q bruise over the right eye, but
not severe enough 10 be Of a serious ma
ture. He thought the blow might have
brought on the hemmorhage, but was
more decidedly Of the opinion that the
| free use of whisky was the cause.
| DR.. Taylor said that il was wonder
| that he had lived so long In apparent
health, when his condition was sucn that
| he might have died at any moment.
lie was of the opinion that Mary john
son, alias Leonidas or Lee Andrews. I'M
| der whose bed he was found, was not
instrumental in his death.
oLA.N-D Till BODY.
Mr.. p. p. Jenkins. an intimate friend
| Of the deceased. living on the opposite
shore Of the Rivanna river, about four
miles from the Thomas farm. having
| heard Of the fate of his friend, claimed
| the body. which had been first Identified
| by papers found in the pockets OF de-
| ceased He made arrangements with IN
dertaken l.. 7. Christian for preparing
the body for shipment to Mr.. Thomas
family. who live about four miles from
Columbia.
telegram was sent 10 the family OF
the deceased yesterday, notifying them
Of the finding Of Mr.. Thomas dead BODY,
and that the remains were taken up on
the evening train by Mr. jenkins.
Quite a number Of persons who knew
Mr. Thomas called yesterday TO look al
the body, and expressed the deepest sor-
row for his death, and spoke in the high-
q
Those who know him cannot account
for the terrible circumstances surround
ing his death except on the ground that
the girl Mary Johnson who came from
Columbia and knew Mr.. Thomas, met MN
on the street while intoxicated and toled
him into the house for the purpose or
fleeing him.
A MORAL MAN.
Several gentlemen who knew Mr.
Thomas intimately say that he never ire
ouented places of Ill repute. but was In
every way a strictly moral man, and this
and other little details in the evidence
confirm this theory.
There is every reason 10 dscredit the
statement of the girl as 10 her never
having seen Mr.. Thomas in Columbia, as
he was well known TO all the colored
people Of that place.
Mr. Thomas was one Of the most prom
inent. influential and highly esteemed cit
liens Of his county, which he represented
i'm the lower house Of the Virginia Legis-
lature during the session Of 1912. Tie
had been for years an esteemed member
of the Fork Union Baptist church, hay-
ing at one time served as a deacon, from
which Office he recently resigned.
lie was at one time chairman Of the
Democratic party OF the county, and AT
the time of his death was chairman of
lie was a prominent Mason, a splendid
farmer, and was generally esteemed
fine man.
lie was a brave Confederate soldier
and lieutenant Of an artillery company
from Fluvanna county.
He was forty-seven years old, and
leaves a widow and five children-four
bows and one girl. The Oldest boy is
about twenty years of age.
Great sympathy is expressed for his
family, who are among the best people
In that section Of Virginia.
Mr.. Thomas reason for being In the
city was a summons to sit as a member
Of the grand jury of the United States
District Court. He was seen at o'clock
Wednesday afternoon in an intoxicated
condition by several friends. and It was
shortly after that he wandered in the
direction of the house where he died.