The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-11-26

the body from its watery grave.
When Coroner Taylor reached the
he ordered the body % be carried 70 'i'-
Bli!ey undertaking Embellishments y"
Marshall street where ne made an eNaiii-
nation and declared that an inquest "@5
unnecessary. az II was clear case VI
suicide The body was then prepared ioi
burial and turned over 10 the FANNY
M . o'clock yesterday afternoon.
The body was In A fairly good state OF
presorvation. and the features were easiy
recognizable as those OF Mr.. Alvey. There
was a thick coat OF mud over inc heau
and shoulders. which indicated that MI
Alvey had diyed head frst into the wa
ter and I'm all probability stuck IN that
position In the mud at the bottom NJ the
canal
When Mr. Alvey's pockets were eNamlh-
ed by the coroner the following artlcies
were found: pocket-knife, eyeglasses
and case. store key match box, card case
a bill for shoes from Taylor * Brown,
S317 in silver and copper handkerchief
and a portion Of an envelope with TWO
one-cent stamps and portion Of the ad-
dress OF ALVEY Brothers, Richmond, Va
STORY OF THE CASE.
Tho story OF the case is quite familiar
Alvey. whose actions for several days
had been noticed by his close friends as
being somewhat peculiar, on Wednesday
afternoon. November sth. dictated his viii
TO his confidential clerk, and then left his
Office about o'clock.
lie was seen By one or two acqualnt-
ances during the evening. and about $3.50
o'clock he was seen on the canal bank,
about a mile and a half west OF the city.
He borrowed a pencil from a man pass
Ing. and wrote a note. which has never
been found and then proceeded on UP
the canal bank.
Still later I'm the evening workman. on
returning from his work up near Hanaus'
found a derby hat on the bank or tho
canal lie picked it up. and, believing
1t TO have been dropped from passing
train, carried IL home.
The casewa given TO the Richmond "a
tional Detective Agency Of which Nr. A
NJ. Brownell is general manager, and
reward of 500 was offered Tor the re-
covery Of the missing man. dead or alive
The detectives traced. quite clev@ly, the
missing man TO the banks NJ the oanal
but there an traces Of him we're lost.
The water VAS drawn of tn ranal. and
a search made for the body without sue
cess. All sorts Of clues we're run down
Various reports were receh II from dt-
ferent sections OF the country. stating
that man answering the description or
the missing man had been seen. All ol
these were faithfully worked by the de-
tectives. but nothing gave them enco'-r-
agcment.
Detective Brownell felt that Mr.. Alvey
had committed suicide, and he frequently
expressed the opinion that the noay
would eventually be found either IN the
canal or the river.
IL was believed by Mr.. Alveys brother'
too that the body would be found IN tne
wate-. and with this thought upon ms
mind. he was On a large degree prepared
for the worst
ABOUT THE REWARD.
on Thursday the case was given to the
Chief-of-Pollce to work, and IL was
Thought that with the increased facilities
something definite would result Inc
family had practically determined to IN
crease the reward o. 500. and this Wouia
have been officially announced Yesterday
morning. as the circulars had been pre-
parod for circulation. had not the body
boen found carly I'm the morning. Inc
amount of the reward. therefore, was not
increased beyond the 500 that was origi-
nally offered.
Acting under the mislnformation con-
oerru,.. tho amount Of the reward Mt
Miller applied 10 Major Howard yesterday
morning for $500. the amount he under
stood had been offered. He was Informed
bv tbe Major that no official announce
mont hod been made Of an increase and
that he was entitled to no more than the
ORIGINAL 500. Mr.. Miller Immediately
sought tho aid OF an attorney, ana de-
cia~od that he would enter suit Tor the
$500 ,.s .
Mr. Charles Houchins was promised a
norton of the reward by Mr. Miller TOT
HIS services IN taking the body out OF the
water
WORK or THE DETECTIVES.
The finding OF Mr.. Alvey's BODY in the
canal was the natural result Of the inves-
trotions and clues worked by the hleh-
mord Nationa. Detective Agency.
7rr hIvov'e movements had been close
IT, followed by the detectives. and he mad
boen located on the canal bank by them
and his hat was found there. Then ms
movements came 10 an end.
AN other clues were run to earth with
no encouraging results ana the agency
and family had always contended that
Mr. Alvey had committed suicide wniie
mentally unbalanced. and that his body
would eventually be found either IN the
canal or river.
There are many deep holes I'm the ca
nal. into one Of which the body undouot-
edlv fell The canal proper was thor
ouehlv searched. but the holes. or some
~ them. were overlooked. In this matter
Detective Brownel was never SATISFIED
he never felt sure that the body was not
IN the canal.
on Thursday night the water pipe 20
the Chesapesge and Ohio tank az the Sec
opd-street yards refused 20 work prop
erly There was something AZ the mouth
Of the pipe that kept the water back. An
ampolye Friday morning used lons
nole IN pushing the object away and
there seems little doubt that the object
was AIr. Alvey's body