Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-06
HE WAS NOT KILLED.
Mr.. THOMAS'S DEATH RESul ~
FROM CONGESTION or tuN0s.
Had Both Consumption and Heart DIS
ease-Resuit OF the Inquest-""'
n Well. Known Man.

ton kept by colorcd women, ~ hot W
lIeyed TO have been murdered.
Although the circumstances attehu'"s
bis demise were. as shown by tht~ac-
count published in yesterdays Dispa's"'
very suspicious, the Investigation hia''
by the Coroner shows that there was ~
foul play and that death resulted ironi
congestion Of the lungs.
The verdict OF the Coroner's jury thal
Mr.. Thomas died from natural CAUSES
exonerates Lee Andrews alias May
johnson. in whose room his corpse war
found. from the charge OF murder, whioh
It seemed at one time might be prelerIed
against her, but she is still In jail !"
await trial as suspicious chardc'e''
having been arrested when Trying
pawn a gold watch that belonged 10 ,ne
deceased. Her case comes up III INV
Police Court this morning. ,..,,
POST MOKTEM AND lN0O no ~
Coroner Taylor made post-mor'ein
yesterday morning and decided To nov
an inquest in the afternoon. lie got NE
Jury together and conducted the ih4"''
at the Medical College OF Virginia.
Mollle whites statement was 10 the
effect that she lived at the corner oi
Tobacco ard Locust alleys. she hfSt
saw MIR. Thomas at her house between
and O'Clock yesterday morning. he Wa
In the room occupied by a girl called
Lee Andrews whose real name Is Mary
Johnson. Mary was at that time III 'he
statlon-house. having been arrested about
: o'clock the evening before pit
Thomas's body. when she discovered H.
was lying under the edge OF the oed'
with the face downward. There was n
good deal Of blood on his clothes anu
on the floor under his nose. There was
also blood on the bed. The door was
locked and the witness entered the room
with a false key. The accused must
have locked the door. as she had th'
key in her pocket when arrested. Nome
heard no noises or scutllng In the room
during the day. She went TO the apart
ment. as published in yesterdays DIS
patch. to look for IL .whisk-broom.
KNEW BUT LITTLE.
Mamie webb one Of the inmates OF
Mollie Whites house. was placed on the
stand, but she knew very little about the
affair. She saw Mr.. Thomas wednesday
between T. AMI o'clock standing in the
Johnson's room. The witness saw the
deceased 20 back into Mary Johnson 3
apartments. The last time Mamie saw
Mary was in the supper-room about
O'Clock Wednesday afternoon before she
was arrested
Coroner Taylor here explained that h
had seen a friend OF Mr.. Thomas on tbs
street, who had been with him on Ncdnes-
day afternoon. The two had taken a
drink together. but Thomas was not
drunk.
no FOUL PLAY.
The Doctor went on to say that from
his examination. including the post-mor'
tenn, there were no sort OF indications
that the man had been dealt foully with.
Or. Taylor explained the condition ia
which he found the body, and then gave
the result of his pOst-mortem. He said he
found that the man had been suffering
from a number OF troubles. He had heart
trouble. his lungs were terribly coneested
and full II blood. there was a large mole
I'm the right lung from consumption, and
this. too. was filled with blood. as was
the throat. The Coroner continued by
saying that h. found that Mr.. Thomas
had received a blow over the left eye
which had bruised the muscles to some
extent. This was Of no effect however
Dr. Taylor, said. and was probably caused
by "a fall Death was unquestionably tn,
result OF congestion Of the lungs, accom-
panied by the hemorrhage. This conges
ton was very likely started, Or. Taylor re-
marked ~ drinking.
The jury brought in a verdict Of death
from congestion. &c. which exonerates
the woman and saves her from trial for
murder. though she may have some less
serious charges to meet.
HIS FRIENDS MORTIFIED.
MIR. Thomas was prominent man in
his county, and had many friends in
Richmond. who were shocked 70 read In
the Dispatch Of his untimely death. \
number OF these latter FASTENED TO the
place Of his demise to satisfy themselves
that the newspapers were not mistaken
In the matter Of Identity. but they found
the dead man 10 he their friend. Among
those who called were several Masons
and as soon ~ practicable the body was
sent 10 Christians undertaking rooms 10
be prepared for burial
The apartment in which Mr. Thomas
breathed his last was IN a disordered
condition, and there was blood all about
the wall floor, and bed. One suspicious
circumstance was the finding Of blood
on the outside OF the window. II Is sup
posed that when the hemOrrhage came
on and h. found the door locked so that
he could not get out he raised the window
either to get fresh air or 10 try and
attract attention. Death must have oc-
CURED during the early part OF the
night, "A Coroner Taylor found the body
stiff. and was Of the opinion that life had
been extinct several hours.
HIS FATAL VISIT.
Mr.. Thomas came To Richmond Tues
day morning. having, it Is understood
been summoned as a juror in the United
States District Court He spent part Of
that day with Mr.. j. Samuel Parrish. al
old acquaintance, in whose hands he
placed some legal matters: went through
the City Hall with Mr.. Parrish. and at
tended Mr.. Moody's meetings. both ir
the afternoon and at night He was or
Main street Wednesday about II o'clock
I'm company with Messrs. George Stokes
and Il. y. Turner Of Goochland. He anc
Mr. Turner. having to be present at tn,
calling Of the jury. left Mr.. Stokes al
Randolph Il English's soon after th'
hour named. Mr.. Stokes said last nigh
that he did not see the deceased after they
then separated. and that he was theT
sober, having only taken two drinks. 81
far as he knew. II has been said tina
Mr.. Thomas was I'm Evensen's saloon a:
late as o'clock Wednesday afternoon
but this seems 10 be a mistake, and it /!
not believed that he ever left tn
house OF Molie White after goint
there between l and o'clock.
\ WELL-KNOWN MAN.
Mr. Thomas was a highly-esteemed anC
influential citizen OF his county, and wa:
a prosperous farmer. He was well con
nected, and leaves what, until yesterday
was a happy family. consisting OF hi!
wife and five or six children. some of then
nearly grown. He was about Il years
old, and "a son OF Mr.. James Thomas, ont
of the most successful farmers in tina
section of the State, who died a few
years ago. The deceased represented hi
county in the House Of Delegates SEES
sion of lS9l'92: was president of tn
Fluvanna Board OF Supervisors, and 10
several years the Democratic county
chairman; had been member of Forl
Union Baptist church for number o
years, was an officer in Fork Cnioi
Lodge OF Masons. and an honorary mem
Der OF Columbia Lodge. No. 2l2.
Mary Johnson's former home was In Co
lumbia, where she lived with the family
Of Mr.. Chastain Atkisson. with whom sh
moved to Richmond about two years ago
and while she denies ever having seen Mr.
Thomas before. II Is believed that sh
knew him. as he was a frequent visito
10 Columbia. Several gentlemen VIII,
knew Mr.. Thomas intimately say that h
was a moral man. They believe tina
while he was in state OF intoxication h
wandered past the house. and the girl
fr,t. III I'D 10.
pulled him In for the purpose OF robbin,
him. He had a good deal of mone)