The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-06
Maurice Broaddus Ends His
Life Mysteriously.
MISSING SINCE MONDAY
His Body Discovered by Two
Boys in Sutton's Woods.
TWO EMPTY Walls BESIDE HIM
Neither the Young Mans Father Nor
Any of His Friends Can Explain
Why He Should Wish to
End His Life-Mys-
terry Surrounds
the Case
TWO EMPTY Walls BESIDE HIM

The dead body Of Maurice e BroadduS,
Jr.. son OF Rev. NJ. e. Broaddus. D. D.,
a Baptist minister of Isle Of Wight coun-
ty and a student OF Richmond College.
was found by two boys in sutton's woods,
a remote spot above the new pump
house, yesterday morning.
Two empty bottles lying nearby are
considered by the city coroner, DR.. Will
liam H Taylor. well-nigh conclusive evi-
dence that the young man committed
suicide.
Though chloroform is believed by him
TO be the fatal drug, in his certificate
DR.. Taylor states that death was due
10 unknown causes. He believes firmly
in the suicide theory, but IS perple1eG
BY number OF circumstances which
so far are Unexplained
For While many circumstances point
TO self-murder, yet few unnatural
deaths have occurred in Richmond in
recent years about which center 50 many
unanswered questions and into which
the element Of the unknown and un-
ko9abie eter so largely
Maurice Broa6dus, In his second year
active Christian. the son Of 3 prominent
minister, and the representative of one
cT the most eStimable and widely known
fauiles in the State. was last seen by
sdr Daniel, the gentleman he boarded
with last Monday morning. lie was
then at the intersection of oGrove Avenue
and the Boulevard. He had several
books in a strap and was on his way
to Richmond College TO attend the days
Ila, wall in hanDV
spirits. the picture OF health, light
heartedness. youthful enthusiasm and
hope yesterday morning. Seventy-two
hours later he was found a corpse, two
miles and more from the spot where ne
was last seen.
WHERE MYSTERY LIES.
Dr. Taylor asserts as positive that he
did not die till Wednesday evening or
night 1t IS absolutely unknown, and ap-
parently unfathomable, where he was
from Monday morning until Wednesday
night when he solved life's great
mystery. Dr. TAYLOR has asked many
questions about this, but little satlsfac-
ton has he obtained.
The position in which the body was
living would suggest suicide the Coro-
ner thinks II was easily, not carefully
laid out, and yet not hurriedly deposited,
IS il by murderers. whose first wish
would be 20 sc. away from their victim.
Yet his coat was off ana spread smoothly
over the small part of the back. Could
he have placed it easily thus? Would
he have done SO? And as the night was
chilly. why should he haze his coat off
at all? These questions have not been
answered.
Or. Taylor is deeply puzzled also about
the bottles. Two were found. one in a
few feet OF the body. the other twenty
feet away Neither bottle had q label.
neither had g vestfge OF its former con-
tents It was impossible to tell where
the most distant bottle came from. That
nearer has the name OF w. S. Thompson.
druggist. No. l521 West Main Street,
blown" in it
POSITION OF THE BODY.
When the Coroner reached the lonely
downward. The arms were bowed above
the head. tho right leg stretched out. ana
-he !est slightly bended ct the knee
The general direction OF the body was
saet and wost TIE head to tho west.
AS stated above, the coat lay neatly and
gracefully over he back as if spread
there The books were lying by his
side. They were not in the strap. but
-hat was lying near by. Dr.. TaFlor
says il is possible that the boys who
tourd yi1e body pulled the volumes from
+F7e strap. for they knew the dead man s
name. ana must have learned it from
= title page. They say they did not
touch z Thing Is II reasonable TO
-l7ias he should have carried the books
from Monday until Wednesday night?
The coraner is asain puzzled. The face
Tas buried IN his hat and pillowed on
Two handkerchiefs.
= student of the college made to DR..
Taylor The intin1ation that the young
man haa relations with woman in
the city, but was reluctant 10 say yi,o,e.
Al these are perpleXing circumstances,
ard probably Will never be unraveled.
The remains were taken 10 the home
Of the parents in Isle of Wight last
!niFht. accompanied by the heart-broken
father and Professor S. c. Mitchell. who
IS q relative OF the family by marriage.
MISSING MORE THAN ONCE.
young Broaddus has been missing at
least once before last Monday.
He bearded with Mr. and Mrs w E
Daniel at Home Place. near the SOL
dters' Homo. Last week Mr.. Daniel
asked Detective Gibson to look out for
Mr. Broaddus. as he had not roen home
for a day or so 3e came bcuk and
was at home Sunday. Monday morn
ing be left for the college as usual.
yesterday morning Fred. Hegamyer. Of
No. l0o1 Randolph Street. and Eugene
perkins OF No. 1905 Randolph Street.
each about twelve years OF age found
re body in Sutton.s wods. They came
ba
,o,a the story to one Of the park. en-
rIoyes. who in turn phoned TO Coroner
Tavlor. The city owns Sutton's woods.
so Dr.. Taylor had jurisdiction. The
officer went at once and reached the
r,ace about 1890. After examining the
,a,na.ns as best he could there. and
+akinc a most careful inventory of the
SURROUNDINGS. the coroner notified Mr..
bennett, the funeral director. who re-
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