Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-20
IN HANDS OF LAW.
TWO MEN CHARGED WITH MUIR
DER IN LEE COUNTY JAIL.
WALTER WILCOX AND NAT SUTTON.
The Former Brought from Missouri
History OF the Crimes They Are
Charged with-shot from Ambush
strong Feeling.

k,lled Mr. James Gibson. a prominent
Young man OF Lee county. a son OF Mr.
\ $ Gibson. one Of Lee county's best
citizens, was lodged Tuesday IN the jail
of Lee county. After the killing Wilcox
fed from the State and went to Sedalia,
No. and there engaged TO work in a
dairy about two miles from the city. I'M
der the name OF Walter Jones. The Gov
ernor OF Virginia had offered a reward for
Wilcox in the sum Of $780, and Mr.. Il. s.
Gibson added TO it $780, The advertise
uent Of the reward was circulated and
sent TO Missouri. where Wilcox had some
relatives, and Mr.. Robert Ramsey. of
No. Ilm Ohio street. Sedalia. learning OF
the reward, began to lay plans for VIII
cox's capture on the 18th day of No
yember he found him employed as afore-
said, and asked the manager of the dairy
10 let him have talk with Wilcox, which
was done
on approaching Wilcox, Mr.. Ramsey
asked him his name, and he said that II
was Walter Jones.
Mr. Ramsey said: Stranger. your name
IS not Jones; your name is Wilcox, and
you are wanted in Virginia for the killing
Of Thomas Gibson. and l have come to
Wilcox replied: "You are right; my
name IS Walter Wilcox"
Mr. Ramsey asked him II he would go
10 Virginia without Il requisition, and
Wilcox said that he would. and on the
evening Of the 18th Ramsey and his
prisoner boarded the train for Virginia
and arrived here Tuesday. Quite large
crowd was assembled at the county jail
when the prisoner arrived and he was
delivered over TO the Sheriff. Mr.. w. +.
Weston. who lodged him in jail County
Court was In session, and the case was
called Wilcox having been indicted at
the october term Of the court. The pri-
sOner was brought forward. and the
Commonwealth announced that it would
BE- ready for trial to-day.
BITTER FEELING.
The prosecution will be carried on to
the bitter end. The family OF the de-
ceased are able TO pay the best counsel.
and they are much wrought up over the
killing. 1t is "a trial that will be watched
with much interest. When the killing oc-
CURED it created great excitement and
great indignation. Wilcox is Ten
nesseean, and was passing through the
county on his way 10 Kentucky. He
came upon young Gibson, whom ne had
never seen before, and after some words
with Gibson attempted to shoot him.
Gibson seized the gun in the hands of
Wilcox but was too late-the gun fired
and Gibson received the load, and died
I'm a few hours. Soon as the shooting
occurred Wilcox Immediately fed to the
mountains, and, though closely pursued.
was not caught. Wilcox when arrested
al gA 40 hut IN,
the scufIle over the gun he shot Gibson
accidentally. That, 1t is supposed, will
be his only defence. unless it is that he
will claim intoxication to a state Of in
sanity. Wilcox has some very good rela-
tives. He Is a granddaughter of old Gov
ernor Lafayette McMullen. who once rep
resented this district in Congress 1t is
said that his father is not a man of much
means.
ANOTHER MURDER.
Another prisoner was lodged in jail
Tuesday. and for a more wicked murder
than the above detailed and IL the party
whom Deputy Sheriff Jennings brought
% town committed the crime a certain
death doubtless awaits him. on the 4th
day Of November a. j. Sutton, a very
respectable citizen OF Lee county, a man
OF about 10 years. with wife and seve-
vile as a witness for one Nelson, who
was accused before the United States
Commissioner. He was making his way
TO Nelson's 10 spend the night. going to
Jonesvile on the next day. Before he
reached Nelson's house he was shot and
killed. The family of Nelson heard the
shot and heard some one cry for Squire
Brooks, who lived near by, but the voice
and the shot died away and no thought
was again taken of the matter. This was
Thursday evening. Suttons family
thought him TO be in Jonesville, and on
Tuesday became uneasy and thought |
they would go up to the Nelson's and see
n they knew where he was. When Mr.. !
Nelson was told that Mr.. Sutton had |
started on his way TO his house he re-
membered the cries and the shot, and |
said that he would go and see what was |
meant by it. Only a little way from the |
road in n field lay the dead body of a. J. |
Sutton, his face all torn and eaten by |
the buzzards and his body disigured. A |
bullet-hole was found through his body /
ranging from the right side Of the back |
through the heart to the left nipple.
A COUSIN SUSPECTED.
An inquest was held, but no one ac-
cused until on Saturday. 1t was sus-
pected that Mat. sutton was the guilty
party. He Is a second cousin of the de
ceased. and between them there were |
very unfriendly relations. Circumstances
point TO the guilt of the accused. on
Friday night after the killing there was
little party Of young people at Squire
Hrookss. and Mat Sutton was there. lie
and his father were aiding in the prose
ostion Of Nelson before the Commissioner
on a liquor case. and. as stated, A. j.
Sutton was a witness for Nelson At the |
party Mat. Sutton was talking about the
case 10 a girl. Miss Rachel Combs, and
asked her. IL Is said, II she knew If ali
the Witnesses appeared for Nelson that
day at Jonesville. and she told him that
she had heard that all bat Andie sutton
was there He replied, II is alleged, that
ne knew he was not. and said that was
not an he never would be. 1t is also
stated By several parties that Mat. SUIT
ton had frequently threatened TO Kill A.
J. sutton, and had said that If the latter
went as a witness to Jonesville on Fri
cay be would Kill him. on Sunday after
the killing Mat Sutton took one OF the
small boys of Granville Estep and went
into the field where Sutton lay, and came
within twenty steps OF the murdered
man, and observed TO the young boy that
there lay a dead hog or sheep The COY
wanted 70 so up and investigate. but Sui
ton would not 90 and would not let the
boy 50. ON the evening Of the killing Mat,
Sutton borrowed from Granville Estep
Winchester rife, and said that he
wanted 10 90 squirrel hunting. He took
the gun and went In the direction OF
where A. j. Sutton's body was found.
He was seen In that vicinity that evening.
The grand jury found an indictment