The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-05-27
Sensational Arrest.

New Tlulti VI NN9 .
A tremendous sensation was caused |
here Yesterday when officers from /
Farmville assisted by citizens Of this !
county. arrested Mr.. f. G. Woodbridge ,
one Of the best known citizens Of Buck {
ingham county, charging him with the ,
burning of the dwelling and outouila-
inrs Of the late John : Forbes, ON the
night of March 5rd, a. outrage when
caused widespread indignation and
which subsequently resulted in the
de,th of this venerable @zeq 4he
arrest wa. ae~smAnshed ~ Officer
| FOCUS, Of 6poiic9 force. assisted by
Me.-rs. Hopkins <Giliam and Edloe
Spencer, Of Fafmvilie, aud Messrs
Richard and Reece Morgan Of this
county. The prisoner was taken inn
mediately to Farmville, which is out
side of this county, and placed IN the
p ince Edward jail for safe keeping.
Attbe same time, a warrant was Is
sued for the arrest Of Charlie Forbes a
son of the late John =. Forbes, who Is
charged with beiugan accompllce 10 the
robbery and burning. This was the oc-
casiou of another sensation here. As
has been published, this young man
disappeared from home on the day be-
fore the night Of the burning, ana up
. to Yesterday, had not been seen IN this
section. AT first some were ooiu
enough 10 suggest in a tacit manner
that this Young man was at thehottom
of the crime, but on account Of his So
, cial standing, his age and previous re-
lations toward the family, 1t was gener-
, ally considered preposterous to accuse
4 him of such a horrible crime as that oil
burning aud robbing in the dead OF
night the residence Of his father 30
persistent reports Dol spread through
ont this entire section TO the effect that
p Charlie Forbes was murdered on the
night Of the fire, and his body disposed
Latin some manner Some %contended
~ that there was the very best Of evidence
that his body was destroyed and the
- remains buried in the grave Of his aged
father. who died from exposure II eX-
element occasioned by the fire.
But many Of these rumors were sci al
rest when two young men, who were
standing a civil service examination at
1 West Appomattox on saturday saw
4, / Charlie Forbes alight from a Norfolk
and Western train, hire "a team and
drive of towards Buckingham. They
o followed upon his trail aud traced hin
~ to the road leading to the house Of MI
3D. T. C.. Woodbridge, who is one OF th'
nearest neighbors Of ihe late JONI
Forbes. This Immediately aroused th'
a., most intense excitement among al
those who were In any way concerned
with the case. For some time' IL D
Is said. Mr.. woodbridge, has been suspect
90 ei Of the crime. Shortly after Tn
burning. ne was one Of the prominen
- men i'm undertaking 10 ferret out th'
mystery. Large rewards were oilere'
100 for the capture Of the m%iscreants by I'D
on Governor of the State, the county d
he R-uckipgham and 10y private citizens
e. Mr. Woodbridge took al active part !
securing these offers Of reward. Nv
detectives. who were employed to wor
nm the case. had their headquarters
NJ his house. But finally the finger
at suspicion began to point toward hin
&C and there have been persistent rumol
that he would shortly be arrested
au accomplice. 80,
SITS The arrival of Charlie Forbes and Il
he visit i'm the night to Mr.. Woodbridge
on house. have caused the arrest Of bot
300 their respective warrants chargingea'
with fine commission of the crime.
Mr.. Woodbridge is, as stated, one
tine best known citizens of the count
He has always taken an active part
airy p~olitics. and has for a number OF yea
om been a Judge of elections at the NJ
ere Store Precinct. He is a school trust
e if for Francisco District of Buckingha
county, aud has made an excellent
cord for sound Judgment and comm.
S. sense i'm all school matters. lie has
acute mind. and is a fine conyersatloI
alist. and while he has many politl'
Re enemies. he has also many friends W
IAN expect him to be cleared of all susp
ion Of the crime.
20. Young Charlie Forbes is a man
J. J. splendld physiqueand good appearan
be He is Of a retiring disposition, and
IN. A. not well known outside OF his inn
lade diate neighborhood.
The robbery and burning OF
,ists Forpes home has been told repeate
i'm the press reports. 1t was one oil
most dastardly crimes ever commit
rnal i'm tbis section ofthe State. In the d
and Of night. on March Bird, the fine
~ dwelling and ten OF twelve outhot
were set ON fire simultaneously by
incendiaries. and the venerable ia'
Of the household, John Forbes ana
Young daughter, who were alone IN
how house, barely escaped with their il
g.. Before leaving the house, howe
,m,. they ascertained that the house
been Systematically robbed Of all
to money and valuable papers about
premises. Later, Nj. John Forbes
, no, from shock and exposure.
- oot The case has caused intense exc
ment all through this section, and
latest Developments with all the III
Aiiuht ooao ro.