The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-10
Three Men in Jail Suspected Of
Murder of John Stokes.
ALL THREE TELL STORIES
Two Of Them Say DAVIS Killed the Me-
gro, While He Says They are Tell>ing
Lies On Him-Coroner's Jury
will Meet Again Monday.
Manchester Bureau, Richmond Times,
No. 1l02 Hull Street.

Stokes, coiored employe of the Virginia
Passenger and Power Company, were
brought out thick and fast yesterday,
both before the coroner's jury and by the
confession Of three negro men-M
Hatcher, w. Calais and Ernest Davis
| ali now confined IN The city Jail, and the
coDcensus Of opinion seems to be that
Manchester will in this case have the
INST hanging OF It's history.
BY confession OF the three men in Jail.
charged Win beng implicated with the
crime, Ernest Davis appears to be the
guilty party. He con1esses that he
struck Stokes with his left hand while
in his right he carried q long knife, but
denies that he struck a blow with this.
The other two say that Davis not only
ed the row, but killed the man. Their
started the row. but killed the man. They
a war OF words the men came to blows,
and Davis drew long knife in his right
hand. He then struck Stokes in the tace
with his left and when ne (Stokes) turn
ed partly around, that Davis stabbed him
in the back with the knife. Stokes then
as is shown by facts afterwards brought
out ran down Twentieth Street until
he came to an alley and dashing up this
a short way fell dead with his Nfe blood
SLOWLY oozing from the wound in his
back which hau penetrated his heart.
Davis in his confession apparently tries
to- shift the blame of the killing upon
one of the others by saying that they are
telling lies on him to clear themselves
That all three were near the scene of
the killing no one denies. That either
of the three could easily tell who is the
guilty party Of the Wilful murder is also
positive. yet to prove the guilt upon
either may be a hard matter. Anyway,
the coroner and the jury summoned VIII
have to hear the evidence of these men
Monday evening at seven O'Clock Alter
being in session nearly all Of yesterday
the jury ADJOURNED until this hour, when
they will continue the case. The Com
monwealth's Attorney, Mr.. c. l.. Page,
will be present and the confessions OIL
the three men will prove OF interest II
the case.
In the event that either of the three
negroes are convicted Of the murder ana
hanging occurs it will be the first Man.
hester ever witnessed
BASEBALL
Even the forming of trl-clty league
fo- the advancement of baseball mas not
orenched the spirit of the great Amer
icar came, instilled so deeply in the
hearts of Misunderstanding, and On Satur-
every vacant lot.
The most interesting played yes
tcrday was between the Blue
Jeans (reorganizeO and the Church
Hill Suggers, at Forest Hill Pafk.
Though the score is shrouded IL
maze of doubt and perpleSlty, YET the
game itself was clean and we'll played
10th sides doing excellent work. IN the
openine Of the ninth inning, with the
score standing to T. the Blue Jeans
went to bat and succeeded in making
four runs. Suddenly q terrific gale came
over the diamond. sending the aust IN
such pools that the game mad 10 ne
storfped The Manchester boys held the
diamond and claim they have won the
victory while the Church Hill aggrega-
ton went to Richmond. claiming a tie
game.
tcan, defeated the Twelfth-Street Slug
gers Yesterday afternoon in a game
PLAYED on a vacant lot in Manchester.
To the delight of their friends ana
svrnpathizers the Swansboro team. new
l.; organized. played and won their first
game yesterday afternoon. the -Alerts, OF
Manchester. being the defeated boys. The
score stood /. TO for the Swarsboro
boys.
considerable disappointment is felt In
Manchester over the poor showing OF
The, team representing this city IN the
Tri. CITY League The team known as
the Manchester Grays now occupies the
last place on the list
STREET COMMITTEE.
The Street Committee met yesterday
afternoon at o'clock at the corner OF
Sixth and Stockton Streets and decided
that a culyert was needed to drain tn
water from vacant lots and the sidewalk
To this end the Civ
Engineer was instructed to get estimates
on the, cost It was recommended to the
Council that such De done. The old ware
ho,pe or storage room formerly of the
standard Oil Company. or Southern Com
many. was inspected by the committee
and decided to be a fire trap. It was ac-
cordingly referred to the Fire Commits
sioners and the Board OF Health, who
will investigate it and if necessary pull
it down A chimney and we'll were or
dered to be pulled down and filled UP, as
being a menaco to the safety of the
public.
DELINQUENT TANEs.
In the Board OF Aldermen at its next
meeting there will be a resolution offered
providing for a committee to be appoint
ed, whose duty it shall be TO work III
con junction with the city collector of de-
Nnuuent taxes and make a report of all
the taxes delinquent by city officials.
There will be nine calendar months
taught in the public schools next ses-
sion." said prominent member OF the
City School board sp eaking on the ques-
ton last night. III a gathering the
were some of the most representative
citizens of the place. as well as being the
people in position to state decidedly
what will be done TO the public schools
PITTS BAILED.
Thomas Pitts who was on Friday
afternoon sent on to the grand jury from
the notice court on the charge of at
ttnntine criminal assault apo, Miss VII
Ii. Morris. OF No. 1919 Porter Street. was
hails,i Yesterday in the Corporation
Count IN the amount CT $500, Mr.. J. S.
Menteomery. of Richmond going his
tond.
pitts was unable to arrange his bond on
Eriday afternoon, consequently was
racomrnitted to Jail for the night. Pitts
case will be presented to the September
r. T, Webb, the young white man shot
:, ,be leg a few weeks ago by Mrs. Ida
Fareuson while trespassing upon her
nremises, was fined SIS in the Police Court
CHI IT,.