Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-08
CHARGED WITH WIFE MURDER
Ex-Mayor McCue of Charlottesville
Under Arrest.

dispatch from Charlottesville, Va, last
night says: Ex-Mayor J. Samuel McCue was
arrested this afternoon on the charge of
wilfuIly and premeditatedly numbering his
wife on the night of Sunday, September 4.
The arrest was made while citizens general
ly were attending the public session of the
coroner's jury, which had returned no
verdict at midnight.
The warrant was sworn by Special Police
Justice A. D. Dabney and served by two
policemen of the city. Mr.. McCue made
no resistance and is now in the city hall JAIL
When McCue was arrested he submitted to
being searched by the officers and kissed
his four children goodbye.
He said to them: by the grace of God
will come out Of this trouble all right"
McCue stated that he was assaulted and
his wife murdered on last Sunday night.
His story Immediately aroused suspicion.
coroners jury strengthened the suspicion
against him, and the arrest followed.
Crowds are gathering in the city tonight,
but no mob violence is feared. The city
militia being absent from the city at the
army maneuvers, Manassas, a special jail
guard of thirty men was summoned.
Ernest B. Crawford youngest brother OF
Mrs. McCue. was the first witness of the
evening. and was easily the most dramatic.
His testimony as to the relations between
Mr.. and Mrs. McCue and to Mr.. McCue's
habits were startling. He had boarded
with his sister while he was student at
the university law school, and detailed his
observations and his sisters statements to
him. At times during his testimony wit
ness was so choked by emotion that his
voice broke and he had to pause. Said he
In his testimony:
"She went on to tell me how when she
was confined he was running to Richmond
to see woman there; how he had threaten
ed her and told her to keep her mouth out
n q nj q hnr ND
she told me that on more than one occa-
sion he had followed her and pointed re-
volver at her. Even when she was about to
be confined he threatened her, and at that
time was going to see another woman"
The witness said that when he boarded
at the McCue home she was splendid
housekeeper and did all she could to make
her home happy. She had told witness the
first years of her married life were very
happy, but the later years very unhappy.
When he, as law student, was board
ing there. he testified that she told him
that she believed it would give her hus-
band pleasure If she would commit sui
eide, but she did not intend to disgrace
her children. She further stated that she
would sue for divorce. but for the reason
that when woman was divorced people
generally blamed her. A further reason for
not asking for divorce was that she feared
her husband would In that event secure GUS
tody of her children.
Witness said he had urged her to get
a divorce, nevertheless but she would not
He referred with emotion to the death of
her mother. and at that time he had told
his brother that this sorrow was not the
worst they would have to face. The mother
had died natural death, but witness fear
ed and had predicted a tragic end for. his
sister. He was not the only one who had
predicted 1t.
He said that conditions in the McCue
household were ''about as bad as they could
be-
''She had not only applied to her own
brothers, but to his brothers, said Mr.
Crawford.