Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-25

/ bad location.
| AS the result Of "too much Christmas"
| one negro named Willie Hill is dead from
| a pistol shot and two other negroes are
! imprisoned in the Henrico county jail sus-
pected of the murder of Hill.
The shooting occurred at the corner of
| st. James and Peg streets yesterday eve
| ming about s o'clock. Hill. together with
| the other two negroes. Willie Boiler alias
| Willie Jackson and Grant Vaughan, had
been to the home Of a negro woman
named Emma Green, and was coming
| reached Peg street the three stopped, and,
eye-witnesses say, all Of them began
shooting revolvers promscuously.
After several shots had been fired. Hill
| fell to the ground with a bullet hole
through MS right temple. The other two
negroes Immediately left the wounded
man, who died without knowing what had
happened. The fact Of their leaving Hill
as soon as he fell is considered by the
county authorities q very strong point
against the two men now In jail.
Arrest Made on Suspicion.
AS soon as the Henrico authorities
learned Of the death Of the man. Consta-
BILE James Eubank and Magistrate Lewis
went Immediately to the scene OF the
tragedy. After making several inquiries.
they were satisfied that the two negroes
above mentioned were connected with the
killing. The men could not be found any
where in the neighborhood. The officers
thereupon left the scene, but remained
close by, hoping that they would again
appear. In this expectation they were
not disappointed. Boiler and Vaughan
were taken in custody as soon as they
appeared. and were accused Of the crime.
Conflicting Statements.
Justice Lewis took the men, one at e,
time and questioned them. Their state
ments conficted in many material points,
and their accounts Of the shooting made
TO a Dispatch reporter at the jail last
night. were not only contradictory. but
likewise different from the statements
made to the magistrate q short time be-
fore.
Boiler Acknowledged having been with
Hill when he fell. but claimed that Hill
MED having been with Hill. saying that
he was fully ten yards IN front of him.
and was coming down the street. Boiler
stated that he and Vaughan ran into the
porch Of a grocery store across the street
to get out of the way Of the shots from
Hills revolver. as they claim.
Vaughan said that he continued his
journey homeward, but after having gone
a short distance. he heard some one say
r-I,o Ia ia {tny,
turned to the scene of the shooting, view
ed the body and went home. Boilers ac-
count of the matter was that as soon as
he reached the porch and had turned
around he saw Hill fall. He then went
home without returning to the spot where
the body was found
Both Unnrmed.
Both prisoners deny having had e re- !
volver with them at the time. though |
Boiler Acknowledges having had one In |
his possession during the afternoon. He |
says he bought the revolver from Vein
stein. a pawnbroker. but several hours |
prior to the shooting he had sold the |
revolver to another negro whose name
he did not know. for money with which |
to buy whiskey
Vaughan absolutely denied having
owned a gun, or having had one in his
possession at any time during the day. |
No weapon was found upon either Of the
suspected negroes when they were taken
into custody.
Position of Body.
Hills body was lying on the right side,
his right arm under him, and in that hand
was grasped 3S-calibre Ivor-Johnson re-
volver with three shells. one OF which
was loaded and the other two empty.
Those living in the neighborhood say there
were at least six shots fred The men
imprisoned will not say how many shots
were fired, though both of them were
asked separately. They would not even
venture an estimate or the nuInoer OF
shots.
MAGISTRATE Lewis, acting as cononer,
viewed the remains and then turned them
over to an undertaken, to be prepared by
him for burial. An examination or the
body showed that the bullet had entered
the right temple and emerged at point
just over the left eye.
The wound showed no signs Of powder,
as would have been visible had the man
been shot from close range. as the two
men in custody allege.
A Bad Locality.
The scene Of the killing is in one of the
worst localities around the city. It is IN
the ravine lying between the city and
Barton Heights, lust east Oh the fISt
street viaduct-
Owing to the fact that to-day is legal
holiday, the inquest will not be held until
tomorrow. A jury wiik be summoned and
but the examination OF wit
lesses will not begin until II O'Clock Fri
1ay. Meanwhile the officers are keeping
he prisoners separated. and are looking
10 evidence in connection with the case.
Eubank went to work on the
case with promptness and lnteil'sence,
md as a result OF his skilful work the
,rompt arrest of the two negroes followed
md some strong evidence has been Sc
:ured.
OnD CASE AT WASHINGTON.