The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-10-07
SEEKING AUTO|STS
WHO KILLED MAN
Police Baffled as to Identity
OF Occupants OF
Car
LATTER PUT OUT
LIGHTS ON MACHINE
NJ .D..4.. AIri.a- S4a+s,11nnt }ta-
Mr. Britain Makes Statement Be
fore His Death Declaring
Himself Struck While
Walking in a Ditch.
Detective Sergeant Wiltshire is VS.

Detective Sergeant Wiltshire Is VS.
ting every automobile garage In the
city Friday In an attempt to gain
some knowledge which Will lead to
the arrest Of the occupants OF the
automobile which struck and killed
s. Is. Britain, an aged innate OF the
Soldiers Home, last Tuesday night.
Mr.. Britain was struck while on
his way home from the Fair Grounds.
Following the accident, he was pick
ed up by the occupants of the ma
chine and hurried to the Soldiers
Home where his unconscious form
was deposited ON the front porch of
one of the cottages. The AUTOMOBILE
lists then shouted for help. ana nur-
ried off In their machine before their
identity could be established, Be
fore entering the Soldiers Home
grounds the autois,s are declared To
have extinguished the lamps On the
machine. thereby making ii impossi-
bile to distinguish their number.
Mr. Britain died Wednesday at
ternoon. and was buried in Holly
wood Cemetery Thursday Coroner
Taylor viewed the body. but did not
hold an inquest, nor VIII ne 90 50,
he says.
Thus far the police have absolutely
no clue as to who the occupants Of
the death dealing auto were. Their
one hope. according to Major Wer-
ner. lies in the possibility that one
OF the occupants may mention the
occurrence to an acquaintance, and
the latter inform the police.
Found Lying on Porch.
According to the story told by
Robert Coleman. a veteran inmate Of
the soldiers Home, Mr., Britain was
dumped carelesSly on the front porch
OF Cook Cottage, directly in front Of
MIR. Coieman's door. The latter WAS
getting ready to retire for the might
when he hvbehtaa [ III qw shrdiu
he said, when he heard the noise.
opened his door and looked out. Brit
tain WAS lying With his head on the
flooring, with his feet hanging over
the edge of the porch and resting on
the ground. The automobile, he
says. vas about forty feet away. and
was backing out OF the grounds \
man and "a boy occupied the front
seat Of the machine. he says.
Mr.. Coleman says that at first ne
thought Britain WAS intoxicated and
SO called night Waterman. The late
ter responded with two deputies. and
carried Mr.. Britain INTO the hospital
Mrs William Deas. wife OF the resi-
dent physician at the Soldiers Home,
and herself the head nurse at that
institution. looked at the injured man,
and realizing that his condition was
desperate. called the city Home am
bulance and also teiephoned 10 the
William BYRD hospital. The physi-
clans from the latter place soon ar
rived at the Home. and II few mo-
ments later DR.. Harshberg arrived in
the ambulance. Mr.. Britain was I'M
conscious but finally regained his
senses. His right iawbone was frac-
tured and he could scarcely talk He
stated. however. that he had heen
struck while he was walking In n
ditch. He did not know who had done
ii. he said, and was not able to tell
on what road the accident occurred
Was Walking In Ditch.
Several times before his death, Mr.
Britain Is said to have repeated the
declaration that he was walking in
the ditch This being the case II
IL scarcely probable that he received
his injuries on the boulevard leading
from the fair grounds. there being
no ditch along that .thoroushfare
Up TO the present writing the POI
lice officials confess themselves baf-
fed as to the identity of the occn-
pants Of the car.
Night Watehman Craeke& of the
Soldiers' Home, told CoroneH Taylor
Thursdays night that tho autoistx
shcuee6 ~ him On leaSihg the grounds
1Aa1s mi I'M ltte