Richmond planet., 1900-01-13

field, visited the scene Of the lynchiug
and decided TO turn the body over co
the city authorities, although it was
theu iu the county.
The whole thing happened In the
city" said Justice Robinson, land 1
thought the city authorities ought to
be responsible for the Tquest, so /
turned the body over to- DR.. Gray"
Coroner Gary had u jury summoned
thorsties would not act. and immedi-
asely proceeded 20 she spot.
TBS USUAL VERDICT.
The jurors were as follows: Fred J.
Palmer, w. s. Mudgius, j. W. hughes,
simon Nachman. g. A. Lenz, Jr., al d
j. r. Gillian,
After an examination o. the body
was made the jury rend cred the fol-
lowing verdict:
"Decessed, w. W. Watt, came Co his
death on the 9th day OF January, 1910.
from pistol shot wounds in the body
the pistol or pistols being in the hand
or hands of person or pc rsons unknown
to Ehe jury"
rhe body was then turned over to
the Oversaer of the Poor, who wilt
keep it until tonight, and then, il DO
word comes from Watts relatives, it
will probably be sent 20 Richmond for
the use Of one OF the medical colleges
there.
1t is believed that the body will be
claimed.
SCORE OF BULLET
DR.. Gray seated this afternoon that
he thought there were something like a
score OF bullets in the body. frein the
observations he msde. Several buIle g
entered the head, end one bullet had
passed through the chest, and was az,
forwards found by the coroner between
the coat and vest
In the coat and trousers there were
holes which were made by bullets, and
it is expected that when disseeted the
body will be found riddled with bull
let's.
ESe-witnes to the visit made to
the Jail by armed men who secured the
prisoner differ in their statements re-
gsrding the number OF persons in the
party.
Ststienkeeper Booker says that there
was n mob outside or the court house
lined up from the gate to the avenue.
WORE MASKS.
One man who says he was an eve
witness TO the affair, and wSs able 60
count the men who were at the gate.
says that only seven men were there.
All carried pistols, and each wore a
mask over his face. -Four men, he
said, went iSside of the yard land three
remained at the gase. He did not see
any one else
Other reports say thst there was
quite q crowd gathered a short distance
a. nn tafa g.
the leaders to secure the prisoner. II
was evidently arranged that these men
wers to 60 the station, get the prison
or and then rejoin the mob.
Certainly there was q crowd when
the home OF the Simpsons was reached
and there was q crowd when the prison
er was hustled past the railroad june
tion, about 4:20 o'clock, for men on
duty there saw it. There is no doubt
IL at the mob Has well organised.
ORGANIZED IN RoCKErrr.
1t is stated that she leaders orsanix-
ed the PARTY in Rockests and started
from there when all was in readiness
for the advance on the ststion-house.
o. course, no one knows who were in
the party, and as one man stated this
morning, "no one wants to know"
When the news of the lynching leak
ed out number Of persons visited the
woods in an eff 0rt to locate the body,
but it was nos antil S o'clock that 1t
was fouud tied to the sappling where
the mob left it. During the sntire
morning there WAS a stream of people
going and coming, and around the
body the crowd was so thick that new
csmers had TO literally fight their way
to get view OF the ghastly spectacle.
w, w. Watts lived in Lynchburg,
where his father new resides. The
father, as previously stated, is on the
Hill City police force.
MORE ABOUT HIN.
There are people in this city who
knew Billy" Watts and know his
father. The victim of lynch law was a
professional gambler, and made lis
living as best he could. Watts was q
morphine fiend at one time Ia his life.
From his pockets was taken, among
other letters, one from a woman who
was evidently Q close friend of the
man. She warned him against resort
ing again to the morphine habit, and
reminded him Of the six years Of
wretchedness through which he had
passed when he was q victim OF the
drug. Other letters were from per-
sons living in every part of the s9un-
try. When taken from the station
house Watts wore black coat black
vest, and striped blue trousers. He
wore q standing collar and O blue
necktie, and on his feet was q pair of
new tan shoes.
When Watts father learned OF the
crime with which his son stood chsrx-
ed and the tragic manner of his death,
he declined to received the body and
it has been sent to medic al college
in this city for dissection.
WANTED-A woman to cook and do