Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-24
MURDER OF VIM. COPIES.
Accomack Authorities Think They
arc on the Criminals, Tracks.

are on the Criminals, Tracks.
ONANCOCK, VA, January 2S.-(Spe-
ciaL)-The Commonwealth, with the aid
of detective has gotten on the tracks
of the murderers of Mr.. William Copes,
who was killed near N1appsburg on Au-
gust %, 1902. i
Mr.. Copes was a respected citizen Of
this town, and was engaged in the photo
graph business at the time of his death
While on his way to Mappsburg, on the
night of August 2Sth. he was waylaid,
murderously beaten, and robbed by I'M
known persons. who crept up behind him.
He was found early Friday morning.
August 29th, by two colored boys, and
was carried to the village. DR.. James
Hysop was called, and he found the skull
fractured ard severe cuts and bruises
about the head and body. At that time
the wounded man VAS yet alive. A hick-
DRY club, bearing the marks Of Mr.. Cope,s
teeth, made when he was struck in the.
mouth, was found at the scene Of the
crime. His gold watch and all of his
money was stolen. At that time man
residing at Snow Hill and passing under
the name of Benjamin I. Mills, with
whom Mr.. Copes had ueen working, was
arrested by Consta BILE T.. G.. .Kellam, and
was tried at Accomack Courthouse on Au-
gust 30th for the murder. But he soon
proved an alibi. and was released Then
there were other arrests, and several
colored people were taken into custody,
but were able to clear themselves when
brought up Tor trial. Alter surviving the
1nurderous assault made upon him over
a week, Mr.. Copes Gied early Friday
morning. September 5th, at the house of
mr.. Wallace, near Mappsburg, to which
he had been carried Immediately after
the assault. It had been hoped that h
would regain consciousness and power Of
speech so that he might be able to give
"a clew to the perpetrators of the foul
crime, but in this all were disappointed
as he never recovered his senses from
the night he was struck.
The county officers left no stone un-.
turned in their effort; to find the guilty
ones. Search was made everywhere, and
all clews followed to the uttermost end,
but to no avail.
! An inquest was held upon the remains
Of Mr.. Copes at -Nappsb ,rg on the day
Of his death. The verdict of the jury
was that he had come to his death by
blows from clubs upon his head at the
hands of parties unknown" It was at
this inquest that two colored men said
they had passed Mr.. C.pes. and had af-z
forwards seen two negroes creeping after
him. Soon afterwards they heard blows
struck. The witnesses declared they were
afraid to go back and interfere.
The Town Council Of Onancocs unani-
mously petitioned Governor Montague to
take some suita Bile steps to discover the
murderer by offering a reward. The
Governor, in answering the leller, acknow-
lodged the receipt Of the petition. and
said that he was ready to cooperate at
once with the local authorities in any
way that might be agreed upon to attain
the desired end. He Sc smed to take
great interest in the matter at that time
and suggested several plans py which
the local authorities might be able to fol-
low it up. But all to no avail It seem
ed that the n1urderers az made good
their escape Then Things quieted down
and the crime was recoraeu in the list
Of mysteries.
1t was never known that Mr.. Copes had
an enemy in the world. The authorities
are positive that ley Ire now on the
track CT the right men. It is understood
that tney are two negro gamblers from
Richmond.