Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-04-05
THERE is MYSTERY
in THOMPSON CASE.
Suspicious circumstances Lead
Many to Suspect That There
Was Foul Play.
IT'S ANOTHER mccUe EpIsoDtf]
womar's tIcsd Fouad Eight Feet
From charrcd Ran.ins-s,n Dc.
eIarcd That His Mother ard step
father Fought Like Cats and Dogs;
Always Expected Trouble,
Especial to the Daily rroa..,

Especial to the Daily Proas.)
charlottesville. VA. April t..
The terrible tragedy which occurred
at Shadwell. eight mites east of .hiS
city. Friday night, in which Mrs w
j. Thompson and her two little sons
were consumed in The flames Of their
burning homo. is still Shrcuded in mys-
terry. Great excitement prevails
anon. the people in tho ne;ghhorhooI
of Shadwel. and every effort is being
made by officers Of the county To catch
the supposed incenGary.
Al the coronar's inquest. which was
held Saturday. 10 decision WIS reach
ed 1t is understood here that another
inquest will he held. before which new
testimony will hc introduced.
Making an Investigation.
r. l.. Smith. brother of Mrs.
Thompson. from Richmond. is here in.
vcstigating AMI is doing everything he
can in connection with the officers of
the law to iini and bring The 5perpc-
traitors OF the crime In Justice for it
is generally believed hat hc woman
was murdered. as her head was found
eight feet from her body in The doh.
ris. - f377t-7 sS--.Atr
At the inquest Saturday among the
Witnesses was the 1l-ycar-nd son nr
the'fiead woman. who testified that his
stepfather Aad not been living with
his mother fer several months hat he
had left her. ana that while lie came
to her home sometimes. he always
treated her cruelty.
Threatened t, Elk" Her.
The boy stuffed that Mr.. Thompson
saw his family last OIL Wednesday CT
last week, AMI that at that time The
man and his wiz. who WAS a frail wo-
man. fought cncll ntlc: like cats ami
dogs. Before: The man returned 10 his
work, one and ON, half miles distant.
he told his wife he intended To FIX
her
The young MIN who gave this evil
dencc at the tim" Of tic tragedy was
working on tho farm of l. g. PriHdy,
two miles from his mothers hGmc. lie
did not know IF tho mishap until late
Saturday morning. Many runIors Iii
reference to tbs terrible affair are
aiioat, hut there are no facts as yet.
Family opposcd Marriage.
When Mrs. Thompson married Mr..
WI. Thompson she WIS tie widow IF
q cousin of his and had II son. who
is now il years ol.l. Ter husband
also had been married. before. He mad
q daughter, wn) is now about ili years
| old. The marriage was not to the lili-
ing Of The family.
According TO mcmbers Of the fam
lily, Mr.. Thompson would net let mis-
wifc's son live with him. The boy was
taken 10 the .ioma of his grandparent
fer two years
Sisters OF tho t:ra'l woman, who re-
| sidciiH Richmond. mad not seen idrs.
Thompson 10: about fifteen months he
fore she met her ,lcatl. Tile last time
they saw her was Christmas before
last, when .:na and her husband visit.
cd ItlchmonL
The couples domestic ;,fe was by no
means llleasr,l will, rae utility. accord
ing 10 what is said. .'lTc treated her
awfuly," Sd: one sis.,I "Iie was
very brutal 10 her. We always ex-
pccted trouble"
EARTHQUAKE ADORE