Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-11-18
KILLING OF SNYDER,
Further Details Of the Tragedy
in Princess Anne,
THE INQUEST UPON THE BODY
Testimony Of the Companion Of The
Dead Youth,
EXCITEMENT IN COUNTY INTENSE.
Fleming, the Magistrate, Bailed I'm
S1O,OO0-Open Threats of Lynching
Are Made-Then There Was an
OminOus Silence.

The kiillng yesterday III lIihcts9 +Ali"N
county Of young Clarence Snyder while
he was out hunting with a companion APP
pears to have been one OF the most bru-
tai and wanton crimes ever committed
hereabouts. The CorOner's inquest, COM
monced to-day and continued until to-
morrow, developed evidence that caused
strong suggestions OF lynchng. The man
suspected Of the crime, and for whom /
warrants had been secured by the dead
Doy's brother, is oscar Fleming jus |
tice Of the Peace Of Princess Anne coun- |
~. He was arrested at his home a few |
hours after the shooting, and a constable |
was left with him as a guard, but later |
Information from Princess Anne county
was TO the effect that both the prisoner
and the Constable were missing. Officers
were promptly dispatched, armed with
warrants for the rearrest of Fleming.
The inquest was held by Justice
Hawkes.. Of Norfolk county, because
Fleming himself would have been the
Princess Anne officer authorized to hold
| the inquest upon the body of the man he
stands accused OF numbering. The first
witness examined was Sidney j. sum
D
Snyder who barely escaped being killed
with his friend. His testimony was cir
cumstantial and detailed, and the only IN !
ference TO be drawn from IL is that the !
murder was calmly and deliberately done, |
and two victims instead of one was the !
intention of whoever did the shooting.
Summers deposed that he and Snyder TOOK
every precautiOn to inform themselves OF
the location OF Fleming's land, having
u
| thereon They had reached what they
supposed was the boundary of his land
and had started upon their return when
the tragedy occurred
STORY or THE KILLING.
The story Of the killing given by him un-
der oath was as follows: I'VE met
colored woman. whom We asked how far
we would have to 90 before we cleared
Mr. Fleming land. The woman Informed
us that by following the road we WOuld
come ~ a fence and also 10 pain, Wmcn
divided Mr.. Flemng's from nelghporS
land. We proceeded. and upon coming ~
the path and fence crossed th5 same, ieel-
ing confident that We were then not on
Fienine's property We noticed partlcu-
larlv Tor signs posted lands but saw
none We then proceeded 20 hunt Tor
cartridges until about ] o'clock. In re-
turning from our hunt we came about the
same route that we went, ana crossed the
eame fence mentioned before. After get
ting over the fence we We're then on NIX
Fleming's land. This fence divided CORN
field from a piece Of woods After cross
ing the fence we called our dogs. with me |
determination To shoot no more. W nie !
we were walking on the edge Of diicn /
crossing the corn-held, and when about |
200 wards from the fence we had crossed, /
wa heard the report of IL rifle. but ana ]
not hear the bullet II IL came IN our OIL
rection. Clarence asked me what KIND OF |
gun that man was shooting. 1 answered. /
III must be- a rifle Just as the last |
words escaped my lips we heard the le-
mort Of another shot and heard the buzz !
OF the bullet, which passed close TO Where |
SNYDER was standing. / think Clarence /
was standing stin. but am not sure. /
then looked I'm the direction from where |
the report of the rife sounded, and saw a |
man lust outside of Mr. Fieming's fence /
around that gentlemans house
SAW HIM FIRE.
"The man had n gun or rifle in his hand. |
4 very few seconds after ! saw the man |
when he fired at US OF this l am sure.
I heard the buzz Of the bullet and heard |
e. when IL hit Clarence Snyder. / looked |
around TO where Clarence was, little I'D /
the right and back OF me. saw MN /
falling. and hallooed loudly: Clarence |
d Cl,rencer RE never murmured or !
spoke a word. l started to run TO nm
Immediately. and another bullet struck
close TO me 1 then thought that the
man whoever he was. meant 10 XIII us
both l then turned and ran for my Ire.
There were TWO reports OF the rue WINE
I was running. and two more DulelS
passed very close 10 me. / was running
10 the woods out of which we hau just
come and / firmly believe that lnere wac
another bullet sent after me just as
reached the woods. ] kept running
through the woods until / came ont on a
road near where a railroad track crosses
E4ing I'm a strange road ] was directed
IN me main road. and then came nome
and reported the shooting
The Coroner decided TO postpone the
toking Of other evidence until tomorrow
afternoon at 2 o'clock.
OMNIBUS SIGNS.
Stm later information received IN ms
CITY from Princess Anne is 10 the erect
that Fleming has been examined ana sent
on 20 the grand jury In SlOVV pan. me-
tber he surrendered himself or was re-
captured is not known Intense excite
mont succeeded the announcement that
the accused murderer of Snyder had been
released on bail The friends and rela-
tlves Of the slain boy We're exceedingly
Indignant over the lenient measures eA-
tended the accused magistrate. The mat
ter within half an hour became topic Oh
obsorbing conversation throughout the
suburbs OF Huntersvile and PARK place
where the murdered boy resided. Inc
talk ebcame threatening. and propositions
10 lynch Fleming were openly MADE. sud
denly as though by concerted agreement
ali tax OF the kind died out. and nobody
knew ANYTHING regarding the matter
This ASPECT gave rise 10 the impression
mat the incipient lynching party whicn
r. became known tonight was coaXed out
NJ is intentions directly after the killing
bv the personal influence OF Sheriff CFomr
we'll. OF Norfolk county, was again FORM
ing Large numbers Of vehicles are re-
norted as passing out the Princess Anne
turnpike toward Flemins's farm near
Kempsyile. No killing IN this vicinity
for many years has created such pro-
found indignation as has this one.
The latest received from Princess Anne
which was at 1 o'clock this Saturday
morning is that no attack has yet been
made on the Fleming residence.
Meath of Dr. j. IL. Spicer.