The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-04
Engineer Thinks Mans
Body Was Placed
on Track.
CORONER WILL
HOLD INQUEST
Is Not Inclined to the Murder
Theory, But Declares Nature
Of Injuries Makes It Al
most Impossible to
Decidc-Many
Witnesses.

Witnesses.
Mangled almost BEYOND recognition
by his most intimate friends, the body
OF William A. Vass,5 a high grade young
machinist at the Richmond Locomotive
Works, was found beside the tracks
Of the Che esapeake and Ohio. Ra ilroad
Ia Henrico county YESTERDAY afternoon.
The spot where the remains We're dis
covered is beyond the main entrance
to the Loco motive Works, near the SID
Ing which enters Fonrqurean and Ruff
fms coal yard. Nass Us struck by
chesapeake and Ohio pr senger train
No. 20. but whether he h#iii been placed
or the tracks after belrS murdered or
whether the train vas r sponsible for
the killing, has not Se; been deter
mined. i3f
f Engineer Suspects Murder.
1t was Just about 6 O'Clock when
the train. In charge Of Engineer Cox,
of the Chesapeake and Ohio carrying
the long string of Pullrr$n ms from the
West. and running as IN. second sec
tion Of No. 20. the through passenger.
tra:p due IN Richmond at 4:4b p. NJ.
passed the scene Of the accident.
Engineer Cox noticed the body lying
on the track, hut in the gloom Of the
rainy afternoon. and with his long.
heavy train, il was too late to slack
the headway. and the figure was struck
and horribly cut to. pieces, The cngi-
neer leans to the theory that the man
was murdered and the body placed
upon the track In the gathering dusk
of a stormy evening, and; by a lone-
some siding. where few 5people We're
llikely to pass. From anEeSamination
of the body last night. ifswas itnpos-
sible to ascertain %dsfinltelY whether
or not this was a fact. Certainly the
throat of the bod ssea' badly Eashed,
| the Head Icing sliIost ss..sssEed from
1.-THE body. 5lgS.
County Coroner EDeas eXa mined the
body last night. and does not hold to
the murder theory, although he says
that from the nature of the injuries it
Els altogethera possible, and the facts
will III all pro bability never be def
nitcly determined.
AM inquest will be held this morning
at 10 o'clock at Bliley's undertaking
tTrooms, where the body of the unfortu-
nate man was carried late last night
under the direction Of Coroner Deas,
care being taken not to disturb the re-
mains in nysyway which might inter-
fere with the examination of4the coro-
ner's jury.
County Policeman Rogers was anoti-
fed of the supposed accident yester-
day evening and hurried to the place.
taking charge of the body until the
coroner arrived. Policeman Rogers
could not give any definite opinion on
the murder theory.
He IS inclined to the idea that the
man had been drinking. and possibly
fell across the tracks. Mr.. Rogers said
| that on examination, by direction of
the coroner, he found ninety cents In
the pockets of the man, all in nickels.
Vass, who was widely known at the
Locomotive Works as Buck" Vass,
was a young nlachinist OF good reputa-
tion, and is said to have risen rapidly
since he had been in the employ of the
works. 5.9 Those present at the coroner's
Investigation last night were not pos
itive as to whether or not the shop in
which the man worked paid off It's
hands yesterday afternoon or not Sat
urday Is the regular payday, but some
of the shops pay every two weeks.
terday an envelope containing his
wages for the past two weeks. possibly
| a good round sum. If this can be SUBJ
.stantiated at the coroners inquest to-
day it will serve to strengthen the
murder theory. since the dead man
| had but q little small change IN his
pockets after the accident.
It was reported to DR., Deas by one
of the workmen in the Locomotive
Works that Vass has a wife and two
Ichildren, and made his home on North
Fourth Street but t, the number could
appear in the City Directory.
Many Witnesses Summoned.
A large number Of witnesses have
been summoned for the inquest this
morning, including the crew OF the
passenger train, who WIN be kept IN
onlcials until the responsibility for the
tragedy is fixed.
Coroner. Deas said last night that 1t
lhas been almost impossible to recog-
nize Nass. SO badly had the body been
lnangled by the swiftly-moving train.
Papers We're found in the mans pock-
cts. however, and later some Of his
lfeliow-workmen We're. able positively
| to Identify the body, Some of those
present Volunteered to hunt UP the
mans family and notify them Of their
|loss.