The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-04
GARDNER SK|PS
RICHMOND COPS
Given Tip He Leaves Without
His Baggage.
HE MAY NOW BE IN TEXAS
Police Ct Entire South are on Outlook for the
Man Wanted in Williamson, N, c.
Charged With Seduction
and Murder.
Especial to News and Observer.)

Especial to News and Observer
Richmond, Va, Jan. 3.-The detectives
of this city are much chagrined over their
failure to catch r. L. Gardner, the young
man who is wanted in Williamson, N.
c.. on the charge of betraying and after
wards causing the death of Miss Victoria
Barnhill of that city They had the man
in their hands, and but for tip given
him over the phone about ten minutes
before the police appeared, he would
now be in Jail.
A message was received here Monday
morning that Gardner was wanted In
North Carolina on the charge indicated
above, and the detectives went to the
place of business of Jeffress & Shelton
to look for him. He was out at the
time, but the detectives explained why
they wanted Gardner and exacted a prom
Use from a gentleman connected with the
company to phone them if he came in and
say nothing about it. Hardly had they
gotten out of the office when the gen.
tleman called up Gardner over the phone
and told him to get out of town. Gard
ner had time to skip, and he has so sue
cessfully covered his tracks that the eff
forts of the police all over the country
have been unsuccessful in locating him.
Descriptions have been sent throughout
the South. he is supposed to have gone
to Texas, and the police of all the cities
are on the lookout. A telegram has been
received from w. H. Robertson, chief
of-police of Williamson, announcing that
a reward of six or seven hundred dollars
has been offered for his capture.
r. L. Gardner registered at Murphy S
hotel on Sunday morning, shortly after
II o'clock, from which circumstance, 1t
is believed that he came here from some
city between Norfolk and Richmond.
His name appears written in free hand
on the register and he was assigned to
room 80. The fact that he had not
slept in his room since Sunday was not
discovered until yesterday afternoon
when the chamber maid reported the
room for change and stated that the
baggage was there, but that there had
been no necessity for her to make the
bed since the room was assigned. In
vestigation showed the baggage had beer
packed ready for removal. 1t consist OF
a dress suit case and another bag. Or
the former Gardner's name and initials
are written in black ink. with his adj
dress ag Kinston, N. C.
Gardnlk is we'll known in Richmond
where FIJI had been for some time con-
nected %ath Jeffress & Shelton, whole
sale merchants, as travelling salesman
For the past year he has been work
ing North Carolina, making his head
quarters at Kinston. 1t is charged thai
he met Miss Barnhill, betrayed her, ant
then persuaded her to use drugs which
caused her death. The young lady dice
on December Dist. The discovery Of cor
respondence between Miss Barnhill ant
Gardner convinced the police that hi
was implicated. The warrant for his ar
rest was the result.
A News and Observer man called or
Secretary Pearsall last night to find ou
if the Governor had offered reward foi
Gardner's arrest. Col. Pearsall said thai
no reward had been offered and that the
Governor had received no application re.
questing him to offer a reward.