Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-02

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ceaseds brother-in-law, in company with
Commonwealth's Attorney Richardson
called upon Chief Howard. he AT once
started the detectives attached 10 his de-
partment to work on the cass.
or course, they have not yet been apie
10 ferret out the murderer, II Il be true
that Donnela was murdered, but they are
diligently at work on tho various cir
cumstances OF the case, and these may
lead them on to clews.
NO WATER IN HIS LUNGS.
There seems 70 be no doubt that young
Donnella was murdered before his body
went into the water, and he must have
been dead before no sank. as he had not
swallowed any water, as Is always the
case with drowned persons The post-mor-
tenn held in Warwick county failed 70 re-
veal any indications that the deceased had
come TO his death by drowning. and there
wasn't the slightest yestige OF water IN
his lungs
This. coupled with the fact that the
body has a wound In the chest probably
or inches deep, certainly tends 70 show
that the young man did not die an acci-
dental death. He certainly fell over ths
side Of the ship. though, and no one push
ed him over as some had been inclined 70
think Probably the closest man 20 him
Wntl ne went ONcIbOAll WAY Ut titth'f
a young salesman for Mr.. g. g Kaiy. who
was sitting on the rail OF the vessel On
the lower deck In front of the saloon.
He said to a Dispatch man yesterday
that he saw Donnella after the fght
which occurred on the second deck. and
that some little time after quiet had been
restored. Donnella descended TO the lower
deck and lay down on the floor and
went TO sleep. About daylight the de-
,.,cod ovyotra nd rosa n hfa feat Ha
then began to staaer as though weak
and sick. and reeling back against the
rail he lost his balance and went head
long into the water. Mr.. Clarke sass
that no one was near enough 10 Donnelia
TO push him over nor to save him, AID
that no one was with him for some tine
before he went overheard.
WHERE HE GOT THE WOUND.
II he sustained q wound sufficiently
dangerous TO have produced death, Mr..
Clarke says II must have been given him
in the fight or very shortly thereafter,
for he certainly didn't get It while he my
on the floor or after he rosa 10 his fest
and staggered TO the side of the ship
Mr.. Clarke told the Dispatch man that
he heard a pistol shot shortly after the
boat passed through Dutch Gap, but
thought then and thinks now. that II
emanated from little row-boat which the
Pocahontas passed.
DonnelIa was accompanied on the ex-
curslon by Messrs. George TimLerlake
and Harry c. ThurstOn. both OF whom
were very good friends OF his. When
his body was found Donnella had In one
OF his pockets the return tickets OF both
these young gentlemen.
Young Donnellas funeral took place
from his brothcr-in-law's residence yes-
terday morning, and his remains were
Inferred IN Hollywood. Rev. Preston
Nash conducted the services and the fli-
neral was very largely attended. Another
examination was made OF the body be-
fore II was finally placed beneath the
ground, and those VINO examined the
wound are now inclined TO the belief
that II was made by knife instead of
bullet, and they account for its size and
shape by the fact that the body remained
IN the water 50 long that the hole puck
cred up and almost closed.
DON'T THINK IT WAS MURDER.
The officers Of the Virginia Navigation
Company are 10th 10 believe that Dom
nelIa was murdered but rather think
that the hole In his breast was made by
fishes or by a stake which he might
have come in contact with when falling
overheard. This may probably be
solution OF the whole matter. but the
case certainly has a serious aspect and
there are many suspicious circumstances
surrounding Il, and the murder theory
IS by no means an untenable one. IA
yet the detectives have been unable 10
ascertain positively who participated IN
the fight on board ship.