The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-21
Attack Possibly Began in Alley Back
of the Club,
THE ksSAlLANT LAY IN WAlT
New Theory Seems 10 Meet All Facts Gathered
Better Tban Any oiher-ar. Scott Had
Fight Not Long Ago in Front
OF Major Myers Home.
The Inquest Says
Murder.

der verdict by the Coroners jury in the
John w Scott mystery, there came yes
terday two startling revelations, either
OF which may serve not only to eiucidate
several hazy points, but to clear UP 'he
case One OF these is the suggestion 'tiat
Air. Scott was first attacked IN the aiaes
behind the Commonwealth Club by
man who held an alleged grievance
against him; that he was pursued aloLis
iris allev 10 Henry. turned north Oh
Henry to West Franklin. then ran down
West Franklin until overtakch ut'ecus
in from; OF the Myers home whefc ne re-
ceived the fatal bows. ne "tileI ili
t,,ortsnt fact developed was that ht- So
and another man. possibly a ciup-inaie,
haS a fight directly in front OF ,he s ~ -.
l,ee;dcrcn one night Two weeks before .ie
rnyr,er This might have furnlsheo a
motive for the crime. r,
This first theory presupposes - ~
Scott was to pass by or throusli M
ll,y hack of the Commonwealth Iinp ia
t.. -. i,-o,n the side entrance and that
4.s man or men who attacked nm hlis"
~ this. trst in order. therefore. 10 ne
certain Of catching him he was waNlaia'
and when he appeared IN 'ne alteS -.
;passed by, he was set upon. !, lds ~.
shown that Mr. Scott was ehIlltis aSie
10 take care of himself when ne lell li We
club: therefore. he might have oesl 10, <.D,e
49, stirsi 10 alude his puTs,ers. hnalt! TAU
linc victim beneath continued blows.
Possibly the last and fatal blow was ne- ,
l.;,ere6 inside or at the entrance 10 'nF
yard IF tie Major Myers nome at
serc and Nest Franklin Street.
,-oRRoBORATINGE ENlDEN : T.
.r,,is .,,eo-,. has more substantiatins CIR
ci1mstanccs than any other yet s az 2 -
p,,rti(allv every detail in the chain o.
ex.ifencs. mus far will fitfit and. the fae'
a. .hst ;his is the theory which is no"
receiving the undivided attention oi l 'IltN
.rton Detective krtwson, ahe' ~ y
1inr.a ar ono or two other Pinherton men
who arc supposed to be here helpins
Him With the investigation. ne iishe n'S @
heen reported to Detective Nreh VI 'ite
local police department ana II
suncd has been Investigated by that ON
Ger with what result is as yet unknown
In The first place a, messenger poE, irs
0deil e1nployed BY the r.. f. ana T.
railroad shops. who passed the Common
wealth Club about one O'Clock on the
night Of the crime. saw' two men sta1n-
:ng in the alley directly behind the ciuo'
apparently waiting for some one. flese
Two men SO startled him that he vent
out into the middle of the street Next
comes the statement OF Mr.. Charles Lacy
that when he first heard the cries ap-
t1parentIy at the moment when the blows
cd to be moving ZIP West Franklin Street.
Before The coroner's jury he sWorc that
he believed the fight was q trss> from
IIenry Street to Beiriderc. where the final
blows were delivered II is possible, and.
apparently probable that there Mr. Ccott 8
sssailsnts saw Lacy riding along on his
wheel and fed.
To these facts may be added the ct'i-
dence brought out a. yesterdays ses-
L. Royal and Mrs. John EIders, both OF
whom live at No 30. West Franklin
Street. Both these ladies heard violent
sud stormy alteration. apparently ne
tween Mr.. Scott and ono or two other
men, and this, ii is supposed. Immediate
ly preceded the actual assault on AIR.
Scott. To H. 3. Renney's story of a man
iu 4 light ovcrcoat. who walked hurried
ly down Henry Street toward Main, stop
ping there at the corner, is given q new
significance. 1t is believed that after this
assault OF Mr.. Scott this man turned ,nto
Belvidere Street toward Main, walked
along to tho alley and out through there
TO Henry Street. where he turned as Mr.
Renney saw him. Seeing Mr.. Renney. ne
walked on down 10 The corner and stopped
long enough TO let Mr. RenneH 90 into
his home.
WHERE Is THE. WATCH?
Only two essential points of all the
facts developed by the inquest are left
out Of the consideration by This theory.
These are the statements that Mr. Scott
carried his watch at the time of the
murder and was relieved of it. and the
story told BY Minnie Booker of having
heard two men run up Belvioere Street
howard Broad Immediately after the cries.
This latter story is discredited by the po-
lice. who say that in all probability he
men tho woman heard Were the officers; {;
and the general opinion among the oi!l-
cials that Mr.. Scott had no watch AT
the time OF the murder will, if proved
true, remove the former from all consid-
Grafton
With the awakening OF thic theory OF
the crime the detectives are now keeping
watch on one man particularly, and in
ciGentally two or three others. II one
man committed the crime in this man
,rr. Detective Krewson has reason TO be-
}ieVe that he knows who it is; if more
than one. he has reason TO believe that he
Knows one OF them. At any rate this is
possibly the first time that suspicion has
settieo definitely about one person, and il
Hfl arrest is made thc man arrested will
he this one.
For reasons which have not appeared.
Nh Scott. il is stated. frequently went
through the alley back of the club on
leaAane there. and knowing this. il the
new theory proves correct, The murderer.
or nlurderers waitc6 there. feeling GER
tain that he wepld pass through that
siight Tf1e motive is mace public in this
hes. theory ANY development in this
kine may be preripiiated at any moment
MR.. SCOTT IN FIGHT
file fact that Mr.: Scott had a ;ight
shout Two weeks before his death and
that at the same piaca he received his
Aeatt, blow. directly in front OF Ma ior
ye-o