Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-15
ON CHARGE OF MURDER
ARREST OF TWO MEN WANTED
IN VIRGINIA.

Bicycle Policeman Jackson of the fourth
precinct made two arrests yesterday, the
prisoners being colored men who are said
to be wanted in Virginia to answer a charge
of murder. Their names were given as
Peter Chamblain and John Wright, and the
name of their alleged victim as Samuel
Fortune. Wright declared to the police that
Peter Chamblain robbed and killed Samuel
Fortune aboard pungy belonging to Frank
Gibson. 1t is stated that the boat was in
Nomini creek about the middle of October,
when Chamblain is alleged to have COM
mitted the crime. The pungy was laden with
shingles and was on its way to this city
from Norfolk when a gale was encountered
off Nomini creek and the boat was blown
upon sand bar.
Samuel Fortune. whose home was at
Pedro, Essex county, Va, was acting as
captain of the pungy, and the others were
mate and deckhand. The pungy was aban-
doned by the crew. and the two colored
men, Wright and Chambiain, came to this
city. Wright remained aboard a boat be-
longing to Gibson and Chamblain put in
most of his time at 4th and Q streets. Dur
ing conversation with a son of Capt. Glib
son, it is alleged, Wright made statement
which aroused the suspicious of the captain
when it was repeated to him and he called
upon Policeman jackson to make an in
vestigation.
Wright was placed under arrest and
taken to the fourth precinct station, where
he related the story of the alleged robbery
and murder. His statement was that
while the boat was stranded Fortune sold
about $50 worth of shingles to people re-
siding about the vicinity of the creek and
that Chamblain wanted him to pay him
money, he said, that the owner of the boat
owed him. His demand according to
Wright. was followed by a quarrel. The
trouble commenced Sunday, he stated and
Fortune a a nd
knocked overheard Tuesday.
"You Talk Too Much"
You talk too much,' was the state
ment of Chamblain to Wright when the
former was arrested and placed in a cell
with him. You want to get my neck
stretched" he added.
Chamblain denied the statements made
by Wright, but later he admitted to Capt.
Mathews and others that he killed For
tune, but denied that he robbed him.
Il struck him with the handspike," he
stated. land knocked him overheard and
his body did not come up"
Wright and Chamblain are from Norfolk
After the latter had made a denial of the
charge last night he was put in the cell
with the former and the men were heard
discussing the affair. Inspector Board
man took an interest in the case and com
municated with the Virginia authorities in
forming the sheriff of Westmoreland county
of the arrests. He also communicated with
the authorities at Pedro, Va, telling them
of the death of Fortune.
Both prisoners stated that the body of
Fortune did not come to the surface of
the water after it was rolled overheard, and
the local authorities do not know if the
body. has been recovered. Capt. Mathews
has been informed that the bodies of two
men were found in Nomini creek during
the fall, but he has learned nothing to in
dictate that either body was that of For
tune. Usually in cases of the finding Of
unidentified bodies in the river the bodies
are inferred on the river shore