The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-24

student at college cluverius asso-
ciated with women under the name of
Merton.
Under q pretcnse that she had an in
vltation to pay a visit to Old Point !
Lillian Madison left Bath for this city
on March ~. 1886, arriving here early
the next morning. She went to the
American Hotel. now the Lexington. at
Twelfth and Main Streets, and regis
tered as F. L.. Merton. Cluverius was
here. stopping at the Davis Hotel
Finds Body.
Early the next morning the keeper
of the reservoir saw that a waikway
leading 10 the water was much tram
pied. This led to an investigation. and
woman's clothing was found floating
on the water. The recovery of Lillian
Madison's body was the result.
II was first Identified positively as
being that of Fannie May. Fannie May
was found and was informed. 10 her
horror. that She was dead which she
denied. Coroner william II Taylor
who still holds that position. made
some inquiries, and the identity of
the body was revealed. Relatives con-
nected the delicate condition of the
girl with Thomas j. Cluverius and
when it was found that he had been
in Richmond at the time of the MUIR
der he was arrested. brought to Rich
mond. and. waving a preliminary ex-
animation. was indicted
Hard to Get Jury.
One thousand possible jurymen were
examined. but only ten qualified as
talesmen- Thcreupon q venire was
summoned from Alexandria.
The final composition of the jury
was as follows: Henry Keppier w. Il
narker. John p. Heath. William D.
ur-n
Davis, OF Richmond. +. j. French, j y
Sherwood. w r. Herlock. L. A. How.
ell. c. r. French and W. II. P. BerlSe.
ley, Of Alexandria, Judge r S. at
kins, OF the Hastings Court, presided.
;. 3. Witt, then Commonwealth's AZ
torney, did not act Judge William II.
Crump and Beverly T Crump, of Rich.
inond; Henry r. Pollard, then Of King
ana Queen. and Judge a. Browne
Evans. Of Middlesex, appeared for The
defense. Colonel William r. Aylett of
King and Queen. and Charles V. Mere
attn. Of Richmond, were the attorneys
Tor the prosecution.
The States theory was that Cluve-
rus betrayed the girl during the sum
nler OF 1854; met her here as the re-
suit OF fictitious letter written 10
Bath, went with her to the Reservoir.
/ aealt her several blows and finally
Threw ner .nto the water, then calmly
returning to his home. The defense
WIS, of course, suicide. but the weak
point in the case of the man was tina,
he could not prove his Whereabouts
between ana II o'clock on the night
CT the murder He offered TO show
TO Governor Lee by young woman
! mat he had been with her TO the Mo-
Fart Theatre at the time. but the
Governor could never get the evil
dence.
The Watch Key.
watch key found near the scene
of the death, and which was shown,
evidently to the satisfaction OF the Jury
TO have belonged to Cluverius was tho
vital point in the case. The man in
his account of the AFFAIR denied that
It was his. or that he saw Lillian after
her FIRST journey to Bath county.
workman testified that he had
repaired the key ring for Cluverius,
and. although he was not allowed 10
take it apart for. examination during
the trial he afterwards assured Cow
| ernor Lee that 1t was the same arti-
Gle.
At the end Of trial lasting from
May to June 4. 1885. Cluverius was
found guilty OF murder in the first
degree and sentenced 70 die on No
Vemoer 20 of that year. The case was
appealed and was settled by the SUI
~ e"ie court on May s, 1856, In an
opinion written by Judge Fauntleroy.
IN winch Judge L. L. Lewis concurred
Judges Lacy and Richardson agreeing
IN the findings, but not in the opinion
ana Judge Hinton dissenting. A re-
nearing was refused in September. and
me execution was fixed for Decemhar
~ governor Lee was appealed TO
ana granted a respite 10 january -
go when the sentence of the law
was carried out -a"
thousands of people gathered
around the City Jail Rev. WtlIiam
Z. Hatcher. ID. D., was the prisoners
spiritual adviser. and Indicated AFTER
me death that possibly a sentence NJ
ire Imprisonment might have hear
the best Captain Frank w. Cunning.
nam sang good deal for Cluverius
IN ms last hours. The doomed mar
asserted his innocence to the last
even after Governor Lee refused anal,
~ 10 Interfere and went TO his death
WIN caimness. According 10 the Rich.
inond Dispatch OF the date woman
prisoners in the jail arranged mirrors
So that they might see the rruasome
scene in the jail yard
The body was taken to King and
queen and buried in the family grave
yard on the farm of the aunt near
Little Plymouth.
City Attorney Pollard, who assisted
IN the defense. said recently thai so
1ar as he knew. Cluverius never n,sda
a secret confession to any one AMI
mat he went to his death protesting
his innocence.