The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-11
STABBED
TO DEATH.
.Flaqman Nelson Almost In
stantly Kills Whiteman.
BEGAN IN A CARD GAME
Nelson, a One Arm Man, Then Threw
Whiteman In Friendly Wrestling
Match; Fight FolIowed-Hap-
pencd on Nine- Mile Road

Beginning as friendly bout wresr-
ling match between two men IN Heprlco
county Sunday afternoon ended In
tragedy, as a result Of which one OF them
lies stiff and cold in death, and the other
is confined in felon's cell awaiting trial
for murder.
The two men are Thomas Whlteman.
who was killed. and ]. w. Nelson. flas-
man OF the Chesapeake and Ohio, who did
the killing. The latter has but one arm,
but In that one arm was strength suitl-
cie7t to drive knife to the htlt In the
neck OF Whiteman. The carotid artery
was severed and death came to the IN
jurec man within five minutes after the
wound was inflicted. Nelson was taken
from his home and carried to the county
Jail, where he was locked up. A pre-
liminary hearing will be given him to-
day by Squire James r. Lewis The
prisoner claims self-defense in justtfica-
ton Of his action. He will be represented
by Mr.. James r. Russell.
At the Jail yesterday the stricken WIFE
and his two children visited the prisoner
The scene was q pathetic one. One OF the
children is an infant 1t clung TO It's
father with desperation when the door OF
the jail was about to be closed between
them. The mother was weeping ard tears
stood In the eyes Of many Of those in tho
office.
How'll Happened.
The ragedy occurred about noon on the
farm of r. II. Dyson. at Thirty-first
Street and the Nine Mile road White
man was a Iaborer on the place in the
employ OF Mr.. Dyson. He was about
'twenty-seven years of age, and unmar.
ried. Nelson lived in the second story Of
the Dyson house. He is watchnan for
the Chesapeake and Ohio; has wife and
two children.
Sunday, about the time mentioned. the
two men, 1t is said, engaged In game
of cards In the yard They had jug
of whiskey or beer with them After
little they began to match their strength.
and wrestling match ensued. Whtteman
threw Nelson heavily to the ground, and
as soon as he got.,np wanted to go at 1t
again Hot words followed, and Nelson
started to the house with Whiteman close
behind him. T.. y. Dyson. a brother of
the proprietor of the place. demonstrated
with the two men. but they persisted that
they were not mad, and that they had
no idea of becoming so.
The cutting occurred in the hall. Nelson
claims that Whiteman hit him with
brick and chased him into the house.
He exhibits bruise on his face to bear
out the statement. He had gotten on the
second step OF the stairway, when White
man came up to him furiollsly. Nelson
says he had to defend himself He pulled
out his knife and by some device of his
one hand opened 1t on his trousers leg.
Then he slashed away at the other man.
When he got through he went on upstairs
with the knife.
The injured man staggered to the out
side, calling out that he was cut to death.
A short distance from the house he
drnnnad tn tho ground. l., T. Dyson start
ed for the doctor, but met his brother, r,
H. Dyson, at the gate, running home from
church. When the two went up to White
man. he was still alive but unconscious.
One went hurriedly for a physician. and
the other rushed to Hardin's shop. where
they got Whtemansl brother, n man
named Stewart and Officer Rainey. When
they returned Whiteman was dead. He
was cut In several places; the wound
which killed him was e stab In the neck
which severed the carotid artery
When he was questioned Nelson repeat
ed the story Of the brick, and showed his
hat, which had been mashed and broken
The knife. half-open and bloody, was
found In his room. He was put In a buggy
and taken to the county jail.
Account by Dyson.
Before the coroner's jury yesterday, L.
T. Dyson. who seems to know more about
the affair than anybody except Nelson
himself, gave the following account of
the tragedy;
~ was In the house and heard some one
talking out in the yard, and got up to
look out the window, ! seen them togeth-
or in n tussle, and went out In the yard
where they were at. told them to stop
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