The evening times., 1898-09-07
THE HOFFMAN, TRAGEDY.
Funeral of the Murdered Men VIII
Take Place Today.

fIace IOuaf.
The funeral of John Holman and his
son Edward V. Holman, of 2l7 Ninth
Street southwest, who We're murdered in
Surry county, Va, last Monday morn
ing, will take place this afternoon at 8
o'clock
The bodies arrived In Washington yes
terday afternoon at 3:45 o'clock and were
sent to Lees undertaking establishment
and prepared for burial The remains
Will be removed to Congressional Gene
terry and there the services will be held
by Rev. John C. Bowers, pastor of st.
Marks Lutheran Church.
The dead men were largely interested
in the lumber business in Virginia and
owned a sawmill at Scotland, Surry
county. II was there that the tragedy
took place.
John Schmidt, the slayer, owned a
tract of land in the vicinity of the Hof-
man mill. Several days before the kill
ing, MIR. Holman concluded a contract
for the purchase of the property.
Schmidt got drunk and on Monday went
to the mill where he asked young Mr..
Holman where his father was Schmidt
carried Winchester repeating rifle, but
this was not considered unusual in that
locality. The landowner said he wanted
to discuss the sale of a few days pre-
vious. He met Mr. John Holman and
they had an animated discussion which
resulted in a remark by young Holman
that the law would protect them in their
possessions.
Schmidt, becoming enraged at this
statement turned his rifle upon Edward
Holman and fired. The bullet penetrated
the left breast and resulted in instant
death. The father started toward his son
but another shot from Schmidt's rifle
ended his life. BY this time a large
crowd of lumbermen was on the scene
and many of them witnessed the double
murder. Schmidt, though was in a des-
perate mood, and no one dared to inter
fere with him. Then he started after ].
w. Kinlock, Mr.. Hofman's foreman, but
he was not 10 be found. The murderer
next started after a young lumber in
spector from Baltimore, but he too, es-
capped. With fourteen shots in his rifle.
Schmidt walked leisurely out of the camp
and went TO his home in the forest.
Mr.. Kinlock on learning of the affair,
sent word Immediately to the sheriff of
the county, and that evening a possee
was organized and started after the muir
derer. He was known a most dan
gerous man 10 handle and had remarked
that he would not be taken alive. The
posse went fully armed On the road
they met number OF determined women,
who had become reveuEeful over the
murder OF the men who had treated them
and their families so well. The women
had announced their intention of lynch
ing the murderer, but were dissuaded by
the posse.
Schmidt was seen sitting on the door
step of his cabin. BY his side was the
loaded rife. The sheriff approached with
in hailing distance and demanded that
Schmidt surrender. For reply Schmidt
attempted to seize his rife. As he did
so, four rifles i'm the hands of the posse
spoke and the murderer fell to the
ground with four bullets in his body lie
died within half minute.
Mr.. Kinlock telegraphed the news Of
the tragedy 10 Mr. Hofman's wife who
lives here with her daughter, and ar
rangements We're made TO bring the bod
les TO the city where they arrived in
charge OF Mr.. EiEloCk.