The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-07

IN ll6 WORDS given ABOVE us CoIoAeA .
jury summoned In an Inquest over the
remains OF the late William H. Beve.
ridge, the well-known attorney of this
city. yesterday conveyed the result of a
careful enquiry into all tho circum-
stances surrounding the death and there's
with gave final and authoritative state
ment which utterly removes tho suspi-
cions of foul play and murder which have
been whispered around the bier OF the
deceased man..
Whether or not there was an assault
Is n matter with which the jury was not
concerned. Tho Apolicc are looking after
this end, and the police stated positively
yesterday that their investigation had
developed not the slightest indication OF
foul play. So far as the jury Is con-
cerned Its function was that which It full
fllcd-to declare emphatlcally that any
injuries upon the person Of Mr.. Bcve-
ridge had absolutely no effect In bringing
about his death This 1t did and this
pronouncemcnt coupled with that OF the
detectives, practically settles the case
THE INQUEST.
Quite number of witnesses were ex-
amlned at the inquest which was held
at noon at tho county courthouse. Among
them We're Detective Sergeant Wren and
Detective Sergeant Hall. DR.. J. Allison
Hodges, DR.. L.isW. Station, Deputy Sher-
if John Voegler, DIR. A. y. Leech, Mr.
William Thomas Meanly, Mr.. Hugh l..
Davis and Mr.. James Botto.
The ground was thoroughly gone over,
and the course Of the dead man upon the
day when the assault was supposed to
have been committed. was more or less
completely traced. It was shown that
Mr.. Bcveridge appeared at the county
courthouse on the morning of Sunday.
April 10th, some time between 10 and Il
o'clock that after while he went TO
Shea's to get dinner, but finding 1t too
early. engaged in conversation for some
time with his friend, Mr.. Hugh l.. Davis,
in the office or Gums lumber yard. just
beyond Twenty-second Street, on Main.
From there he went back to Shea's and
got dinner, after which he stood on the
curbstone for some moments talking to
n man named Stowe about some divorce
or other. Between Q or 3 o'clock IN the
afternoon he appeared at Botto's saloon,
No. 1923 East Main Street. but being re-
fused admittance, left there almost I'M
mediately At o'clock at night he was
again seen in front of the courthouse,
from which point he started to Twenty
first and MAN, there to take the Clay
Street car to his home in Barton Heights.
Later still he was seen at Nineteenth
and Main Streets, but the man who Wis
tied the Methodist Institute was not the
lawyer.
That night Mr.. Bcvertdge. said Deteo-
tive Wren, was found In his office on
| Eleventh Street by his son. and was taken
home. The next night-Monday-Dr
| Station paid the call to the office. and
treated Mr.. Beverdge. He was ther In a
very nervous condition, and was suffer-
| Ing from lick over the heart. There
was slight abrasion on the breast.
hardly discernahle to the eye. 1t might
| easily have come from fall. The law
| yer was taken home and from that time
| his last Illness dated.
THOUGHT SOMEBODY AFTER HIM.
After a short confinement to his resi-
! dence. the Ill man was taken to a hospi-
| tai and was there subjected to n course
of treatment, The patient slept but lit
| Ito at first and refused medicine and
| nourishment Whenever disturbed he
| grew violent and these attacks were al
| ways characterized by an apparent fear
| that he was going to be kllyd. He would
shield himself with the bedclothes and
struggle to protect himself from imagi-
| nary assailants, whom he declared were
! trying to murder him. Such an hallu-
! cination. however, is not an uncommon
| one under tho circumstances. The patient
| gradually grew quieter, but after n few
| days he became violent again. This OK
! traordinary change was taken by DR.
| Leech to mean that 1t was not dellriun
| after all with which he was suffering
| but that there was some other cause
hitherto undiscovered. 1T was mt THIS
point that DR., Hodges was called in ant
| that MIR. Bevoridge was removed HON.
again. He died there last Sunday morn
| Ing,
Careful examination by DR. Hodge!