Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-09-22
A MURDER RECALLED.

'uiii y-touT years ego, duu the IdcC tDAt
the deceased played an important part
in bringing the murderers to Justice.
Col. William Lyles, an elderly and
much respecIe ed gentleman, who was as
fami lar on our streets as in his native
neighborhood, was murdered and his
house robbed by five negroes on Friday
| night, August IL, 1866 Mr.. Lyles
at the time of his murder had a con-
tract for furnishing the government
with wood and had several negroes 10
his employ. On the night of the MUIR
der he and HE wife were occupying a
smell house on the farm, their residence
having previously been burned. About
midnight VIM. Platter, alias Butcher
Bill" VIM. Jones, formerly owned by
Col. Lyles, Nimrod Richards and two
others named respectively Luckett and
Jenkins, knocked at the door where
the elderly couple were sleeping, pre-
tending that they desired information
concerning cutting wood the next day.
Col. Lyles told them to 60 to the negro
quarters aud remain until morning and
be would then make arrangements
with them. The negroes went away
but soon returned and proceeded to
break In the door. The noise they
made aroused the old couple and by
the time they entered Mr.. Lyles had
gotten out of bed and procured his pis
toll. Before he could use it, however,
one of the negroes sent ball crashing
into his head and he fell to the floor
with his pistol ia his hand. There was
no light 10 the room and one Of the
murderers took hold of Mrs. Lvles and
demanded that she produce one. She
promised to procure light if allowed
to 90 into an adjoining house, and the
negro started with her. When they
had got few feet from the house the
negro heard the jingliDg OF money,
his companions in crime having 10 the
meantime broken open the bookcase,
and leaving Mrs. Lyles rushed into the
house in order to get his share of the
plumber. Mrs. Lyles proceeded some
distance away and hid behind tree
until next morning.
Much excitement was produced in
this city when the news OF the murder
reached here, the deceased having
been so well known in Alexan-
dria, where be did most of his purchas-
ing. 10 the meantime the authorities
OF this city, Washington and Baltimore
had been notified to look out for the
murderers, and large reward was of
| fered for their apprehension. Among
| Mr.. Lyles's effects Was a sum of money
| in notes on the Bank of the Old Domin-
ion of this city, and the murderers in
ransacking bis money drawers had car
red of most of said notes. The next
day Saturday MIR. Marbury happened
| 10 be in the Bank OF the Old Dominion
(now the Cit.zenso when negro enter
ed, and approached the counter, exhi.
biting ten dollar bill Of the bank and
asked Mr.. VIM. II. Lambert the amount
of its market value. He was given the
information, and disposed Of the note,
saving be had more which he would
bring 10 on Monday. Mr.. Marbury had
been listening to the conversation be-
tween the negro and Mr.. Lambert, and
after the former had left he remarked
that the late Mr.. Lyles had at one time
in his possession notes on the Bank OF
the Old Dominion, and that it would
| % wei 10 WdACu hlb BCktO WIN hOO
| Just LETT, as il was probable he did not
get the notes by honest means. Ia
short, ne suggested that his arrest might
lead to the apprehension of MIR. Lyles's
murderers, Acting on this belief he
nad an interview with the late Hugh
Latham, who was Mayor of Alexan-
iria ut the time, and impart-
ed his CONVICTION to hip. Mr.. Latham
was fully persuaded that Mr.. Mar bury
uad struck an important trail, and
communicated the matter to Chief Jas.
F. Webster. The latter, aware that
the negro would reappear at the bank
on Monday, stationed himself 10 the
ueigh borhood and awaited his coming.
In short time the negro-who proved
20 be Wm. Plater-sppeared and en-
tered the bank. He produced one
hundred dollars in notes on the Bank
of the Old Dominion and had placed
them on the counter when Chief Web
ster, who was then behind him, grab
bed the money and took the negro into
custody, the latter pretending he Yves
greatly surprised at the procedure and
protested his innocence of any crime.
The chief subsequently, ascertsined
that Platter had been stopping with a
colored woman named Ellen Monroe,
aud he procured search warrant and
proceeded to her house. The woman
at first pretended ignorance of the
crime which had been committed or
, that she was privy to it, but the CHIEF
started on his search and upon raising
the sheets from bed found 81 ,O39 in
treasury and bank notes. The woman
|. became very much alarmed at this and
in An excited manner told the officer
that she had protested against the
, money being placed in her house. a
uegro named Jenkins, who was losnne
around, was also taken into custody
and he proved to have been one OF The
murderers. The Monroe woman
]. imagined that she, too, would Dt
: hanged and was nearly scared GU
of seven years. growth. Chief Web
: ster soon learned of the whereabouts
= Jones and Luckett and soon had then
Q in custody. Later 10 searching places
@ where the negroes had been stoppins
y he found nine twenty-dollar gold pieces
t s1S in notes and some articles VIII cl
'- had been taken from Mr.. Lyles's house
Q Jones, Luckett, Jenkins aud Plate
l. were subse queptly hanged at Uppee
t Marlboro, they having previously mad
d a confession, but Nimrod Richard
Q made his escape. going to Boston ID
Is va, arrested four years later, conylcte'
q and hanged.
q RAILROAD MISSION Rev. K. K