The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-07
HORRIBLE
MURDER
Old Lady in Madison County
Beaten toDedth.
ROBBERY WAS THE CAUSE
She Lived Alone and Kept a Consider
able Sum of Money in Bureau
Drawer, WhichWas Broken
Open and Rifled.
ROBBERY WAS THE CAUSE
Especial to the Times.plspatch.l

tSp6Cldl TO lQe eflllueS-DlSpdtCIl.)
MADISON. VA. July 6.--AIrs. Benja-
min Lowry. well known and highly
respected old lady. living alono near
Good Hope Church, in Madison county.
was murdered in the most horrible man
ner at some recent date not definitely
known. and her house robbed of large
sum of money kept In her bureau drawer.
All the Indications point to brave
struggle on the part OF the aged lady
and the most brutal manner of her KILL
ing.
A telephone message came to this
place about 2 o'clock yesterday to the
county coroner, stating that murder
had been committed, and for the coroner
to como to the scene Mt once. DR.. Nc
Rae Banks. county coroner, Common,
wealth's Attorney James =. Thrift, Dep
uty Sheriff Marvin PATHS and John 7.
Hall left ut once for the place of tbs
murder, which Is about eight miles south
east of this place, and about a mile to the
right OF Good Hope Church.
STORY OF THE MURDER,
Tho party returned to this place last
night and reported the worst murder In
the history of the county.
Mrs. benjamin Lowry, n lady seventy
years old, who lived entirely alone, her
nearest neghbor being her married
daughter, living about one and half
miles from her house, was last seen alive
by her friends Thursday morning, when
she visited the daughter referred to.
Yesterday morning the daughter sent
her some bread by her little child The
child returned to her home. saying that
she had opened the door of her grand
mothers house, and that such bad smell
came from the room within that she had
| returned without entering the room
fat
| to investigate and found the body OF the
old lady lying on the floor of her room
| almost IN a nude condition. blood scat
| tered over the floor and all about the
room.
Tie coroner's investigation developed
the fact that her skull had been frac-
tured in two places, and her body other
wise aWfully butchered up,
BRUTAL. WORK
A chair In the room had much blood
on 1t. and 1t was thought by some of
the party present that II had been used
to crush the victims head. The pur-
rose of the murder. so far as the nvesti-
cation developed, appeared 10 be solely
robbery, and the murderer seemed TO
know Just where to find the money he
was looking for, nothing being disturbed
In his search for valuahles except ono
bureau drawer in the room where the
body was found, This had heen broken
open with an axe found in the room,
and which the old lady kept In the room.
and 1t was estimated that about 5000 or
500 In cash was taken,
In another drawer OF the same bureau
about Sl2O was not disturbed
1t is believed by those making the In
vestisation that the murder occurred last
Thursday right
Sheriff d NJ. Pattie will visit the scene
of the murder tomorrow and nothing
will be left undone by our officials 10
discover the author OF this awful crime.
The county supervisors meet tomorrow.
and they will probably offer a reward,
and 1t is likely that the Governor will
also be asked to offer an additional re-
ward.