The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-26
M'MAHON
IDENTIFIES BODY
Man Found in James River Some
Days Ago Was L. I. Bolton,
OF Charlottesville.
DETECTIVE WAS PERSISTENT
Was Unaided by County Au-
thorities, Who Had Dead
Mans Address.

After n long and G!ficult search,
hampered by many obstacles, Detec-
tive Sergeant Mcmahon yesterday af-
ternoon Identified the body of an un-
known white man found few days
ago in the James River as that of
L. t. Bolton, a Chesapeake and Ohio
Railroad conductor, OF Charlo ottesville.
Bolton had been missing for some
days. and Sergeant Mcmahon had been
searching for him, at the same time
he was looking for the missing boy
Cousins. son of Mrs. Groot, of 1il6
Grove Avenue. who disappeared from
home some time ago. Notwithstanding
the fact that his railroad time table,
In which was his address, his pocket
book and pocket-knife. bin to Mr..
Bunch. OF Charlottesville, his switch
keys and railroad keys Were in his
pockets, the Henrico county authori-
ties seemingly made no effort to ac-
quaint themselves with the identity
Of the man, and he was buried in Pot-
ter,s field, his coffin being an old
goods box.
It was not until he had assured him.
self that the body was that OF Mr.
Bolton that Sergeant McMahon knew
of the existence OF these possessions
tablishing his identity belongs solely
to Sergeant Mcmahon who. unaided.
followed up such clues as he could
find, and then assured tile family of
the dead man that he had been found.
McMnhon on Trail.
w. r. Bolton. of sis Buchanan
street, brother of the dead man, ask
ed Sergeant Mcmahon some days ago
to assist in the search for the missing
man, and Sergeant IcMahon went will
linSly to work. It seems that Bolton
came down on his run from Char
llottesvilIe to Richmond some days
ago, and then disappeared, leaving no
trace behind to help the alarmed rela-
tives OF the detective.
The detective read the newspaper ac-
count of the finding of body In the
James River and then telephoned to
Mrs. Groot, asking her to come to look
at the body. They met at the County
Courthouse, and then learned that the
body had been taken out into the
county. Mr.. Mcmahon telephoned to
Mr.. Crouch, OF the Henrico County
Almshouse, who received the message
before burying the body. to be on
hand in the morning. On seeing the
body. which was disinterred for him.
Sergeant Mcmahon was satisfied that
it was not that of Cousins, but or
Rolton. and he took an accurate de-
scription of the man as he lay IN MS
grave. He sent a message to w. 70.
Bolton. the mans brother, asking him
to meet him in the chiefs ot1lce.
Wife and Child Here.
In the meanwhile Mrs Bolton and
iher child had come down to Richmond
! from charlottesville, and Sergeant
| Mcmahon went to see her. lie asked
her for description of her husband
u and then. turning to his own descrip-
i.tion of the dead man, found that they
Tailed. Sergeant McMahon was satis-
ned that the dead man was Bolton,
and the body was disinterred for the
l'second time. and was taken to the
Bennett undertaking establishment
where it will be prepared for burial
and sent to-day to Carlyle, Va, for
linterment.
Some One Was Negligent.
Sergeant Mcmahon received no In
| formation whatever from the county
coroner until after he had established
| the identity of the dead man; then
| the articles found in Bolton's pockets
We're turned over to the detective, who
has them row In his possession. Had
1T not been for the energetic and per.
| StStent WOrk &OI tne ueleCllNe lne iail'
road conductor would have been lying
| in pauper's grave and his distressed
family would never have learned any.
thing Of his sad ending.
4 Why the county authorities tool
such a little part in the affair is un
explained. but, 1t seems that the only
information received from them cam'
when 1t was unnecessary, for Sergean
Mcmahon had then finished his work
Death Is Mystcry.
Mrs. Bolton and her child are stay
ling with her moth er-in-law and broth
|er-in- law, at No. 61s Buchanan Street
Three years ago another brother wa
killed in the Locomotive Works, being
horribly mangled by some machinery
/ Mr.. Bolton is survived by his mothe
and three brothers, and by his wifi
and ono child. EIe was a member o
the brotherhood of Railroad Conduct
4 ors. .s fli's
4 THE manner or his death has nevc
3|5been ascertained, but ~ seems certai,
Il that 1t WAS accidental, 6aSl there Wer