The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-22
FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED.
WOMdN ARREsTED FOB THE MUIR
DER or nER STEP UGHTEk.
6aid tn Have Cruelty Beaten the Child. who
was Quite Iii-A Life Insurance Pol
Icy Figures In the Case.

Another sensational feature OF life in
New Town, hot. dusty, woe-begone
settlement populated chiefly by negroes.
about half mile outside Of the western
limits OF the city, budded into a. theme
for an indefinite number OF cosby theo-
ries yesterday when Sallie Holmes. a
negro woman living at No. 2020 Moore
street. was arrested by Constable Branch
and lodged In the Henrico county jail,
upon warrant charging her with the
murder OF her step-daugnter.
The woman was taken into custody
about lO o'clock in the morning and was
soon confined behind the bars OF the prison
which has been the abode OF several
murderers and other VIGOROUSLY vicious
CRIMINALS. she protests her innocence,
and the facts I'm the alleged crime VIII not
be satisfactorily brought out until Monday
next. When a COrOners jury Will slIt
the charges and render a verdict In ac-
c0rdance herewith
Whether the case is one OF genuine
murder remains TO be seen. According to
the information gathered yesterday, me
woman Is alleged 20 have been In the
habit of beating the child cruelty by way
Of routine. Some Of the negroes living In
the neighborhood are authority for this
statement. Friday afternoon the girl,
whose name Is IsadOra Irene Holmes,
was suffering with the whOoping cough
and few other physical ailments. she
Is about five years old. During the day
she complained considerably, and about
noon II is said the irate Step-mother
lost control OF her temper. administered
q severe chastlsement upon the child, and
then kicked her all the way down flight
Of steps. Not satisfied with tnis brutal
treatment, 30 the reports say the step
mother emptied a pail of cold water
upon the object OF her anger, and other
wise treated her with a pronounced form
of cruelty.
During all these proceedings the father
OF the child, one Frank III. Holmes, n
middle-aged man. who spends the day In
the employment of Peter Paul, and sleeps
at the house In New Town, was not on
the premises, and consequently could
not give any Information on the subject.
The people in the nelghbOrhood, however,
noised 1t around that Sally had again
beaten her stepdaughter cruelty, and
about o'clock In the afternoon the child
died.
At 1 O'Clock yesterday afternoon a
corOner's jury went to the house with a
view Of holding an inquest over the re-
mains OF the child. The mercury regis
tered about % degrees in the shade, and
for fifty yards around the frame struc-
ture two feet of shade space could not
be found; Consequently the CORPSE,
hot air for nearly twenty-four hours.
rendered the room altogether disagree
able by reason OF the odor DIT Charles
H. NhdlKlcN, the loNlcolOtlCtl expert
whose examinations I'm this line have
been skillful and accurate, was on hand
for the purpose of making a scientific
test of the case. Several witnesses
were examined, and IT was learned that
the step-mother was In the habit OF beat
ing the child cruelty. The jury, however,
decided 10 postpone the inquest until To-
morrow, when Or. Chaikiey VIII complete
his work and submit a report setting
forth the result of his Investigations
When l saw the corpse yesterday a
number OF marks were conspicuous on
the body, as though the child had been
severely chastised. Taking into. consid-
Grafton that the child was at the time
quite ~. and that, as ] was told, there
is an insurance policy on the chiid's
Nfe made payable To its parents. suS-
picions Of foul play are naturally enough
suggested, to say the least
New Town is gaining n reputation as
the scene Of sensations 1t viii be re
membered that not long since street
car conductor on the Decatur-street line
was mysteriously assaulted and drugged
bv unknown parties. of whom no sails
factory account has ever been secured.