Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-23
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Death of Willis A. Beavers
Investigated.
THE TESTIMONY GIVEN
WIDOW TELLS OF HER UNHAPPY
EXPERIENCE.
Brakeman Killed by Cars Being operat-
ed Near Brick Haven-Gen-
eral Matters.
THE TESTIMONY GIVEN
Special Correspondence of The Star.


| ALEXANDRIA. Va. June %. 1908.
The circumstances connected with the
| death of Willis a Beavers. whose lfeless
| body was found yesterday morning IN an
| upper room in his house, three miles south
| of this city. in Fairfax county. were inves-
! tigated yesterday afternoon at 1 O'Clock by
! a coroner's jury, summoned by Acting Cor
| oner Richard Triplett of Mount Vernon dts
| trict. which met at the late home of the
| dead man. William Simpson. a near neigh
| Dor of Beavers. who had signfed 10 the
| local authorities his willingness to Surren-
| der himself for an investigation of the af-
|. fair, told the jury of the trouble that had
| occurred between him and Beavers last Sat
| urday night Mr.. Simpson stated, that
Beavers had fred on him with a shotgun
and had attempted to discharge second
load at him at close range.
Believing his life to be in imminent daa-
ger, Mr. Simpson stated. ne sprung upon
his neighbor, forced the weapon from his
grasp and dealt him stunning blow over
the head with the stock OF the gIin. Tho
stroke felled Beavers to the ground. but he
was rising In a menacing attituda when
Simpson struck him again. Mr.. simpson
stated that his relations with Beavers be-
fore had been friendly. He attribute the
latter's strange actions to has tntoxicatioh.
As stated in The Star, Beavers came homie
that night in a drunken frenzy AMI chased
his wife and five little children TO the woods
This occurrence Immediately preceded the
trouble between him and Simpson
DR.. s. B. Moore of this city, VINO nahe
| the post-mortem examination, told the jury
that Beavers skull had been fractured at
the base and that he had suffered from
extensive cerebral hemorrhage. which YVES
the cause of death. There was a severe
scalp wound on the back of his head not
far from the line of fracture The jerry
found that Beavers came to ms death as
result of this injury. but eXonerateu olhp-
son on the ground that he had acted in
self-defense.
Story Told by Mrs. Beavers.
Mrs. Beavers. a fraiI little woman, told
| pitifuI story of the sufferngs and danger to
which she and the five little children had
been subjected while the husband ana
| father was in his frequent periods or ma
| niacal intoxication. She stated that she
then bore marks of a severe beating by her
| husband and declared that she had sood
reason to believe that the man had plotted
to kill her and their children and then com
| nit suicide. She and her children were left
destitute although It was stated that Beav-
| ers sometimes made as much as - day
| Mrs Beavers said he spent the most OF his
| substance in saloons.
| The remains were forwarded this morning
| to the former home of the deceased IN
Prince William county for interment from
| the underta king establishment of B. Wheat
| ley. on King street.
| It is understood Simpson has obligated
| himself to appear il wanted at any subse-
| quent hearing.
/ Head Crushed Between Cars.
| Charles Richardson twenty-three years
| of age. a brakeman in the employ of Rel
| ter Curtis & HILL railroad contractors, was
| killed almost instantly yesterday afternoon
| about o'clock in an accident on train of
| cars hauled by dfnkey engine near Brick
| Haven, Alexandria county. Richardson was
| engaged in coupling the cars when they
| came together with a heavy Jar. which
| caused one of the trucks to fly from the
rails. The young man was caught in the
| collision and his head was badly crushed.
| Several of his fellow-employes ran to his
assistance. but he died In a few minutes.
| The remains were brought to the under
| taking establishment of B. Wheatley In
| this city. DR.. Ashton. the county coroner.
| was notified but an inquest was deemed
| unnecessary. The body will be forwarded
this evening to Strasburg for interment.
| The deceased was son OF Edward 7.
| Richardson. He resided with his uncle. Mr..
| Albert Richardson. on Duke street, and was
unmarried He was a member Of the Ju-
| nior Order United American Mechanics,
| which organization will ltake part In the flu
| neral services
General Matters.
The ladies in charge of the garden party,
which commenced Monday on st. Mary's
| Academy grounds. have decided to con-
| tinue the entertainment this evening and
/ also tomorrow evening. the Indictment
| weather prevented the closing last night as
| was announced. Saturday being children'S
| day the grounds will be open to the chill
| dren without any admission charge from
| 4 until I pm.
| Mayor Pairs suggestions for the reorgani-
| cation of the police office by the appoint
| ment of captain and three SrgeantS In
| stead of captain and lieutenant
| the department is now constituted, will be
| considered by the board of police commits
| sioners in special session this evening
| Joseph Adams and James Tuts, both col
| ored. were in the dock before Justice Cation
| in the police court this morning to answer
| the charge of disorderly conduct and fight
ing. A fine of $40, with the alternative of
thirty days in Jail imposed in each
case.
Joseph Russell. a resident. was taken to
| the Alexandria Hospital yesterday after
noon suffering from heat exhaustion. His