Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-12
Boydton. Va, January 5. 1897
On the Waiter

povdton, Va, January 3, 1897.
~, Che Editor Of tho Dispatch:
,- Che issue OF January /. 1897. Of the
,..smond Dispatch appeared letter
..ssj Norfolk. Va. but not signed by
o-e which states that Dr. Riggan
murdered in Mocklcnburg about two
-. aeo. and that two OF the persons
.r,, of This murder Joe and Mary VIII
,.,re arrested near Norfolk the lat
MART OF October. 1896. and placed in
o., .rerc and the Mecklcnburg authori-
81. notified Of the same; that Constable
,f.Ks5vn went 20 see the Common
-.rn.s Attorney for Mecklenburg and
.,. nieo Of the County Court in refer
ami. f5 said prisoners. with the view OF
saving the prisoners removed to Meek
,...gr- for trial; that said prisoners
r.-e held in custody till December 81,
VIXEN they were discharged by Jus
... Hawks Of Norfolk. because Of the
.,tny OF the Mecklenburg authorities in
. having said prisoners removed to
ys.klcnhurg for trial.
ASS .l newspaper articles refer TO me
..l mr action as Judge OF the County
r.r. az Mecklcnburg. | deem IL proper
,..r.ke statement Of the facts Of the
.. which win show the falsity Of the
.....m.nts and charges made. The facts
.t.r.tase are as follows: In December,
e.. DR. Riccan was murdered In Neck
-.tur- The Commonwealth Attorney
CD fr.t time for this county Hon. r. T.
rt.--U Immediately went 10 the scene Of
,r.-..r and caused a justice of the peace
fr of "a ?
rs I'D whom any suspicion Of guilt
attached. a number of persons were
arrested. among them Joe and Mary
Wilson, and the Justice Of the Peace. as
sisted by the Commonwealth Attorney
Investigated said case murder. heard
cid OLD. evidence that could be produced.
and upon due deiberatOn, discharged
sid DOE and Mary Wilson. CMr. ThOrp.
r0mm0nwcalth's Attorney frankly
stating Co Justices that there were no
evidence connecting said parties with
Oh. commission Of said murder. 1t was
.- chat time rumored that one Of the
persons arrested. "Phn Mabry," who was
BELIEVED 90 be the guilty party, was
ln.hel but no effort was made to lynch
M and Mary Wilson. IL seems that
after This. Joe and Mary Wilson moved
-1 some place near Norfolk and some
months after said removal Mr. Thorp.
Attorney for the Commonwealth, was
notified that Joe and Mary Wilson were
r.lr Norfolk, and could be arrested and
brought back to this county IL desired,
ilt as Doe had. or knew of no evidence
a-in inst them he took no steps to have
uem arrested and brought back to this
county. Thus matters continued for some
years. when. about November. 1896.
lr T.. G.. Goode, the present
Attorney for the Commonwealth,
informed me that man claim
i.- to- be q detective by name of Nc
K.own. Of Norfolk had just arrived and
claimed that he had arrested TWO persons
nl had them i'm Jail i'm Norfolk, who
ware guilty of murder Of Or. Riggan,
and requested that / so with him to his
office and hear MckeOwns statement.
accompanied Air. GOode, as requested.
f0his Office and there met the man who
stated 10 us that he had arrested Joe and
Nary Wilson near Norfolk for the muir
der Of Dr. Riggau, and he had them con-
fnad I'm Norfolk county jail and that he
desired the Mcckenburg authorities 10
...I Tor said parties and bring them
h.re lIccklcnburg) for trial Mr.. Gooue
and myself stated TO the man that there
was ro evidence I'm this county so far
as known TO us duplicating Joe wilson
and Aarv Wilson with the murder OF
Ur Rieeau. We also stated TO him that
tho matter had been investigated by
Justices here at time Of murder, assisted
lr Nr Thorp. Fhe Attorney for the Com
rr0rwealth. and that said parties had been
DISCHARGED hy said Justice that there
va- ro prospect OF any conviction or
evidence 10 base a prosecution upon
AGAINST said Wilson's unless 1t could De
600 from somewhere else. lie at once
Stated that he was in possession of evil
ffrn and conclusive
their Guilt. We then asked him TO tell
r. what the evidence was that he was ID
possession of. and the names of the Wit
r.-.es This he did, and far from IL being
sufficient 20 warrant conviction OF sald
r.r.ia- IL was not sufficient TO convict
....r-klllirg dog upon Most Of II was
l.lrsay and therefore Illegal and the
r-t wholly insufficient even to base an
Indictment upon, and so we told Nc
kt0Un. He seemed greatly disappointed
Iut stated that said Wilson's had con-
>t--el their Gilt. and that he could get
.- much more testimony as needed, and
dion asked the Attorney for Common
wealth TO state TO him what was neces-
.ay t0 prove fin order TO convict SAID
i--.ios The Attorney for Commonwealth
urg properly replied TO McKeown that
le would DO no such thing, that 1t was
Dot proper for him TO indicate what the
testimony should be that was TO be pro-
c.r-I hv the said McKeown against the
I PARTIES We stated TO Mckeown
rst & Dice could get any additional testi-
uny AGAINST said parties that he would
tfmoc forward affidavit Of said witness
On 1r Goode which McKeown promised
to lo and that If il was sufficient, even
o base prosecution upon, with
re least hope OF conviction, that
jury would at once be en-
Ireled here. and said witnesses
smmOucl before the same, and an in
oe.mut obtained. and that an oihcer
would "A once be sent for said wilson's
arl brought TO Mecklenburg for trial
L.k0oWn promised 10 send such afhda-
N's t) Nr GOoae, but never did so.
also suggested TO McKoown that as said
Wilson's were in jail I'm Norfolk, In order
% t. trouble ard expense 20 the State
0 Virginia. that ne get the Norfolk jus
'.f Wks who committed the wilson's
o . t0 summon the witnesses, who
We're na.r Norfolk. but $50 miles from
- ablrg. before him. and If there
appeared reasonable cause Of belisf on
JAM ot said Justice after hearing said
testimony that said Wilson's were guilty
l. the offence that IL would be the duty
or SAID Justice Hawks, under section
Code Of Virginia. 1857 10 have the
"I.. brought TO Meckenburg by an
OFT lor Trial. McKeown left us, pro-
missing t1 pursue the course marked out
so,. In "a few days j received letter
Iom him. saying he had, after leaving me,
tl POI fte neiehbOrhOod wnere DR.. Rig
GAN Dad been murdered (he had first gone
Wore before coming 10 see u.s., and seen
several parties who ought 20 feel an in
't n said prosecution, but that said
parties had failed ana declined TO pay him
N4.' h- thought he was entitled TO about
NN n... In "a faus laws a ffer this | re-