Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-18
THE MURDERED WIFE.

The MI UIlpfsINI@l' w 1T T-'
the woods all night. with his hat in his
hand dodgng ghosts. She pacifed him
as best she could, and told him that no
one was going 10 hurt him. He renamed
about the house until Thursday, when
he went out with $50 and a pistol in
his pocket. and did not come back until
| the next day. He only came then when
persuaded by Mr. Bell, who had gone out
10 look for him, and had found him on
Brook avenue He said he spent the
night at "A clearinghouse on Main street
Aunt 'Dinda' said To- him. You must De
crazy NO, he replied. L am not crazy
but my mind is impaired at times
WENT TO THE ALMSHOUSE.
"He exhibited a permit on SATURDAY
afternoon TO enter the almshouse' ana
when we tried TO persuade him against
going there he cried and said that ne
hated to see his wife doing all or tnc
work and he doing nothing. The matter
was dropped there, ana on saturday hfsht
he went out, ostensibly to take walk,
but did not return that night. On sun
dav Mr. Bell, at Aunt 'Dinda s request,
went to look for him. lie found him at
the almshouse. where he had been entered
the night before. lie did not want to
come home and Mr. Carter. the super
intendent told Mr.. Bell that his wife
would have to come after him before he
could force him TO go. When Mr. Bel
reported this 10 Aunt 'Dinda' she sent
for Mr. Baytons sister. Mrs. f.. c.
Trower. who lives at No. 12n north
Twenty-eghth street While Mrs. Trower
was at the house Mr.. clayton came in.
He gave no excuse for his actions, and
none was asked Of him. He stayed
around home quietly from that time until
to-day, when he killed my poor aunt"
The Coroner's Inquest.
The Coroner's inquest was held in the
store at the scene of the murder yester-
day afternoon at o'clock.
Mr.. Mallett, the first witness examined.
told in detail everything he had stat ii in
the interview with the Dispatch man
held previous thereto, and in addition
said that after the shooting Blayton talk-
ed TO him very composedly, and after ask
ing for pan OF water with which 10
wash the blood off Of himself he told him
that he had looked for his pistol the
night before but could not find 1t. The
Coroner here interjected the statement
that the murderer had told him that he
had demonstrated with his wife as to
her improprieties and she had replied to
him that she would do as she chose.
Elmore Christian, n colored woman.
was next examined. She testified that she
had been reared by Mrs. Blayton, and
had worked for her for a number of
years. She is now employed at "a resi-
dence across the street from the Blay
tons. She said: Not quite month ago
| went to the well, and when | returned
! saw Mrs. clayton standing against the
wall and Mr.. Bell standing very close to
her. / saw him standing by a table hold
ing her hand after that" she continued,
adding that they were talking about their
troubles. she beat me over the head
with broOm-stick and washbOard." the
woman concluded. "and threatened me
with arrest If | told anything -on her"
Miss Crump came in, sobbing loudly.
and took the stand. She answered the
CorOner's questions carefully and fully
and showed no disposition to conceal
anything. She was loud in her protests
that her aunt's character was above re-
prOach.
DENIED ANY IMPROPER RELA-
TIONS.
Mr.. Bell took the stand at the conclu-
sion of her deposition. and told a straight
story. He appeared "A little nervous at
times
He said: Il never had any improper re-
lations with Mrs. Blayton. My custom
Is TO get up first every morning and open
the store. | never was exactly alone with
Mrs. Blayton. Yesterday | went TO my
fathers home 10 see my mother. who had
Just returned from Washington. When
/ returned at . o'clock. Mrs. Blayton and
Miss Lula were in the back room.
greeted them cheerily, and they asked me
for Washington news. Mrs. BlaytOn con-
tnued preparing dinner. and in few
minutes Mr.. BlaytOn came down stairs.
and we all had dinner together. We played
cards last night, and retired about 10
O'Clock. | was not alone with Mrs. Bay-
ton during the evening. When we closed
up last night, | went up first. and Miss
Lula and Mrs. Blayton came up right
after
DIDN'T WANT HER TO MARRY.
In explanation Of the occurrence in the
back room. described by the Christian
woman, he said that Mrs Blayton told
him of her husbands request to her that
she should not marry again. and they
were discussing his evident insanity. She
told Bell that her husband was jealous
of him. Then 1t was. he said that the
colored woman came In, and was told
that they were discussing their troubles.
He claimed that the time when the
Christian woman saw him standing face
to face with Mrs. Blayton. she was show
ing him paper which related to some
matter concerning n farm. He told of
the searches he had made for Blayton,
and corroborated in full what had been
said about the 'murderers two trips away.
from home by Miss Crump.
Bells testimony concluded the examina-
ton. and the jury brought in a verdict
that the deceased woman came to her
death from the effects Of pisto-shot
wounds inflicted by her husband. John
Henry Blayton.
The Post NJ ortem.
The post-mortem examination was
made In the back room. Immediately after
the inquest and DIR. Taylor was assisted
by Drs. Bosher and MCGUIRE
Il was discovered that four shots had