Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-17
THE nIToHELE-LEE TRAGEDY.
ea~-~ection of Some Alleged Erro-
neous Statements.

To the Editor of the Dispatch:
In the published accounts OF the de-
plc~ahle Nitchell-Lee ira gedv. there have
been so many inaccurate statements thSt
! ask YOU 20 permit me. as matter OF
justice both to the living and to the dead.
To correct some OF these risstatements
SO that the mind of the public may be
disabUsed 50 far as is possible, Of any
erroneous IDEAS. which have resulted in
unkindlv and understandable criticism
J. In Tire first instance. / wish to say
that the circumstances under which MISS
Lee ard hfr. r. 3. Mitchell left Stony
Creek on that fateful Tuesday morning
were such as to preclude the idea that
Miss Lee had any thought of clipping
at all The engagement which had ex-
listed between the two. as her letters TO
Mitchell plainly show had been broken.
and some of Mitchells letters which have
been brought TO light give evidence that
he had about abandoned all hope of per-
suading her to renew the engagement
Under date of August eSth. he wrote her
that he had determined to leave stony
Creek Il am going he says, Ito leave
home. friends. property.-my all eyerv.
thing and everybody. Those who know
me now will see me no more can
wait later than September I'D Letters
which passed between them show also
that he had been urging Miss Lee TO grant
him a final interview. so that he mlgn1
unfold to her his plans concerning ms
future life. She agreed to do SO, and II
drive she consented to take with nm on
the day they We're last seen alive was, so
far as she at least was concerned. IN
Tended to furnish that opportunity. IN
support of the statement that she had no
thought of elopeInent in her mind, ad-
duce the following facts: On SEPTEMBER
22d and sd Mitchell had fast horse
hitched up. and kept during the MORT
irr in readiness near his store. On the
latter date. meeting Miss Lee on the WI
lage street and after some converse lon,
he handed her into the buggy. got IN
himself and then drove off. But an eye
witness declares that before getting INTO
the buggy Miss Lee remained in what
Seemed to be a state OF lndeclSion lo'
even turning away from the buggy. and
starting off as though to return nome.
Again the dress Miss Lee wore at 'ne
time was an old one. which she was IN
could have attired herself in better
clothes without exciting comment OF
curiosity. had she wished TO 90 SO. az
IN a few hours after meeting Mi1cheu
she was expected TO be ready to start 10
the wathnev- Peters wedding, at 20
mans Well. Finally. had she wished 70
elope with Mitchell. there was no oosta-
Gle in the way OF her dong SO. NO o,.e
started in pursuit when it became known
that they had Jeff Stony Creek togethssr'
and no difficulty. SO far as known. IT.
tesposed itself after their departure; 90
then. we have these facts esta blishsu:
~ That Miss Lee had discarded Mitchell:
20 that Mitchell sought what he termed sd
final interview with her; CD that "hen
she started driving with him on the
morning OF the 2sd of September. II Was
With some degree Of reluctance; (4) that
she was not dressed suitably for any
kind of trip among strangers; to) that
had both had the desire TO go away 10
get married. they could haye done So q
go that Mitchell certainly did expect 70
leave homo for come kind of trip. as he
was carefully dressed. and had upon ms
person large SUN Of money, which had
been made up by taking all his availa BE
cash from the store and some from the
bark
MIR. LEES OBJECTIONS.
MIR. e l.. Lees objections 10 ms
daughters marriage with Mitchell We're
;hot due TO the causes which the, papers
have stated. nor We're they urged In the
manner IN which the papers have moi
Gated They had absolutely nothing TO 90
with either Mitcheli's social or business
Standing. and the statement that he Re
fused To regard Mitchell as an eligible
sutton for his daugher's hand. because
testify absurd Miss Mabel Lee. after she
ne had once been his clerk. is mani
had learned what her fathers objections
10 her marriage with Mitchell were, re-
gafGed fheyr, I'D ard sufficient, In a