The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-22
CLOSING in
0NILl|.CKL.IT.|.E|:,'R||.
The Killing Of lsbell IS Laid
Near to HIS Door.
THOs. RoPER's EVIDENCE d E,
LIcklter Did Not sup With Him as as was vas
Stated, but Went West In lsbelrs Car
Eminent Counsel Secured to
Defend the Accused. &
THOs. RoPER's EVIDENCE ID :;
,sn.o,o, = Tho rims 4. 3 spatch.)

w fspeoial to The Time . ispatch.)
tgE srAUNTON, VA, September 2l.--Mr.
Thomas Roper, who Is iii the watermelon
business at Hinton, w. Va, ID IN the
city now, and the statements made by
him form very Important link IN w
liter, of this city, who Is charged with
tho murder Of A. 8. 1sbell, who WAS
found murdered In his car at Charleston.
on tho 14th instant, and who IS now IN
Charleston awaiting trial on the charse'
1t will DO recalled that Lieklitcr when
arrested here few days ago said that
he had been working for Mr.. 1sbell, and
that he had been paid off by that gentle
man at Hinton, which ID about LOO fnlle 81
east Of Charleston, and that at tnls
polnt he and Mr.. 1sbel and Mr.. Thomas
Roper, all three, took supper at Hotel
Riverside. and after supper he lett Mr..
Ropor and Mr.. Isbell on the platform Al
Hinton, and he took the $40 train for
Clifton Forge, on his way to StauntotI.
THE SUPPER DENIED.
Mr.. Roper, who Is responsible. hard
working young man, anu formerly ~
Staunton states that he did not az
stated by Liclsliter, take supper as al
legged, but says that after Lickliter ana
Isbell had taken slipper at the hotel
he saw them. and says that LicKiltef
and Isbell both registered at the hotel.
and that they slept together there that
night. Mr.. Roper says tho last he saw OF
them was at, the time that he sold Mr..
Isboll his gold watch. He says that ne
has understood that Mr.. 1sbel and LICK.
litter left Hinton on local train ne1<
morning with their watermelon car. 60
Ing west.
According to Mr.. Roper. Messrs. Georke
and Albert Gillian, who live near Hinton,
and Mr.. j. "a. Burnett, OF Richmond, saw
Isbell and Llckllter together at Handley.
which Is about twenty miles east Of
Charleston, the next day. September ]lth.
Tho Isbell car left this station the same
afternoon, September 18th, and It ~ cer-
tain that Isbel was killed on the I'VE.
ming Of this day. and the body WASN'T
found until tho 18th.
LICKLIrER A COOL ONE.
The authorities who took Lickliter e.
Charleston Friday night say that Lick.
liter, who is only about nineteen years
old, is the coolest man they ever SAW
to be charged with such horrible crime
Of murder This boy left Staunton smok-
Ing cigarettes and laughing as II nothing
had happened
Lickllter though young, has been Ia
more than one difficulty in Staunton, be.
fore this occurrence,
Mr., Charles Curry, OF the Staun ton bar,
probably the most prominent criminal
, lawyer in the State. has been employed to
defend Licklter.
Lckltter has acknowledged that he
placed tho large bolt, with which the
crime was committed In 1sbell's car, but
claims that Isbell saw him when 1t was
done.
Mr.. Charles OBJ. Cowardin. at one time
connected with the Richmond Dispatch.
and who has been in Staunton some
\ ~ ! nS3tt nr a hn
Staunton Daily News, left this morning
for Newport News. where he has ac-
cepted position with the Times-Herald,
! OF that place.