Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-03
THE m1TChELL-LEE TRAGEDY.
Mr.. a. B. Bate Gives Details OF the
AFFAIR.

Mr.. 4. B. Bate Gives Details of the.
AFFAIR.
EMPoRIA. VA, october 2.-{special.D
Mr.. "A. B. Bate desires your correspon-
dent to hand you the following COM
munication regarding the Mitcheil-Lee
tragedy, with the request tnat you pun
lish the same in your paper.
Having seen so many reports III olller-
ent Richmond papers. none OF "Alcn a a.
accurate. I have decided to give you .ns
real facts of the murder OF MISS Maost
Lee by r. B. Mitchell. and the suicide
of himself.
On Tuesday morning. September ..
1902. about II o'clock, Mitchell started
from Stony Creek with Miss Mabel Lee,
on a buggy, travelling the county road
from Stony Creek to the Double Bridges
in this county (Greenesville). thence to
the place of the murder, about four mics
from Double Bridges, making In all
distance Of about twenty-five miles traV-
elled from II o'clock to about O'CLOCK.
the time he arrived at the place OF the
murder. They were seen on the road
by several parties. who say the young
girl seemed to be in great mental agony.
It is certain that Mitchell killed Miss
Lee. as we'll as himself. on Tuesday eve
ming some time between 3 and o'clock.
The place where this horrible deed was
committed is back of my farm. dis
lance of three-quarters of mile from
my home, where the woods are quite
thick. On Wednesday evening. Septem-
Der Gath, about 1 o'clock. I started from
my house to look for some hands. When
near the place of the murder, directly
in the path I was travelling. I came
across a buggy and morse hitched and
mt Thic M ctr
in this community, as a large lumber
business is being conducted. and often
the parties conducting this business drive
into tie woods and allow their teams to
remain where they enter the woods. I
went on, leaving the horse and buggy
where I found them.
Upon arriving at a negro's house close
by, the negro told me he had seen the
horse and buggy early that morning when
going to work. then thought it was
strange that any one should leave a
horse hooked to buggy and united for
SO long time. I took the negro with
me and returned to the horse. and made
something of an investigation by exam
Ing the contents of the buggy, which
were black overcoat. a halter rein, and
whip. There was nothing in the pock-
cts of the coat by which I could learn
anything. Seeing the horse was thirsty
and hungry. took him to my house. be-
lieving at the time it was stolen property
and had been deserted by the thief. The
negro, referred to above is curing to-
bacco In one Of my barns. and Friday,
September 18th, about O'Clock P NJ.
he started a chap of his to the barn to
look after the tobacco. Getting near the
place of the murder. the boys attention
was attracted to the place by a horrible
odor, and by going few steps from the
path and in about forty yards of the
dead bodies. he saw what he took to be
two persons lying on the ground. He
was of course, badly frightened. He
came for his father, and the two came
to look for me.
I at once went with them to where the
bodies were, and was the first person to
go near them. It was then getting dark.
had to use lantern to see the bodies.
I returned home. notified the justice of
the peace and early next morning the
inquest was held. at the inquest it was
found Miss Lee was shot twice once in
the breast. which was only flesh wound.
and once in the head. Mitchell was shot
only once, the shot taking effect in the
head.
The bodies were not touched by any
one until the morning on which the in
quest was held, Saturday, September
9th. Two of the jurors made the search
OF the bodies in the presence of the jury
and many witnesses. Six hundred and
thirty-four dollars and thirty cents was
found upon the person OF Mitchell to-
gether with diamond ring. gold watch,
bunch of keys. and knife pistol was
lying by his left side and under his left
hand. Another pistol was found in his
hip pocket. and under him as he Law on
his back. Letters were In his pocket
showing that Miss Lee had discarded
him several months before. Miss Lee was
evidently murdered. and then placed upon
buggy robe. She was lying upon her
side. with her handkerchief in her hand.
as If weeping when killed Mitchell was
not upon the robe, but some four feet
from it.
Believing all the while that Miss Lee
was not upon the robe until after death.
I. this evening. together with the acting
coroner. went to the place of the murder
for the purpose of satisfying myself as
to my first opinion. Upon our arrival.
we carefully examined the ground and
to our entire satisfaction. we found posi-
tive proof that Miss Lee fell some twelve,
feet from where she was living on the
robe. there being a pool Of blood at this
point, where no blood could have other
wise been eXcept from her wound II
could not have been MitchelTs blood. as
he was shot through the temple and
death must have been almost instanta-
neous. and besides. there were no signs
of struggle whatever
hone you will see fit to publish this
statement as it sets forth the facts as
they Ire. The letters from Miss Lee
found in Mitche1l's pocket go to prove in
every particular that she was woman OF
the purest character. and ever mindful
of her fathers wishes
A. r. BATE.
Acting Constable at Inquest.
Rural Bower. Va. October 1, 1902