The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-06-29
inquest ISro KrLLING OF FRIDAY
NIGHT IN PETERSBURG THIS
AFTERNOON.
SUICIDE IS CLAIMED
wAvERLY BLANKS, BADLY WOUND
ED, SAYS NUNNALLY SHOT
HIM AND THEN COMMITTED
SUICIDE.
Virginia Bureau,
Mechanics Building. Room 31s.


Nunnally will be held tomorrow at
the courthouse, who was shot and
killed Friday night at the home of
Mrs Lawrence Haden, on Grove ave-
nue., after hot words between him
and waverly E. Blanks Blanks was
expected tc die.
Both had rooms in Mrs. Haden's
home. Ncnnally and Blanks were
both employees OF the Norfolk and
Western railway company, the form
er being an engineer and the later.
aged about thirty years, fireman and
substitute engineer. The two were
fast friends until a day or two ago.
Last nighs while Mrs. Blanks with
two of her children. was attending
performance at local vaudeville
show. Blanks entered the house and
went to Nunnally's room. Soon after
Blanks entered the room angry words
were heard between the two and in
few minutes two. pistol shots were
fired.
Says 1t Was Suicide.
Blanks left the room telling Mrs.
Haden that Nunnally had shot him
and commmitted suicide. He then
left the house by the back door and
was found a short time afterwards
by Detective Hellan and Sergeant
Payne on the sidewalk in front OF the
house lie told the officers he had
been shot and DR.. Hoy was sum
moned and had him removed to the
hospital In the room in which the
tragedy occurred Nunnally's body
clad in his night clothes. was found
lying on the bed. A 80 calibre Smith
81 Wesson revolver with two empty
chambers were found on the bed
near the body. The bullet, which
killed Cunnally. passed through his
heart. came out at the back and
was found in the mattress on which
the body was lying. Upon examina-
ton at the hospital 1t was found that
the ball. which struck Blanks. enter
ed the left side, struck his hip bone
and was detected around the body
coming out near the spine. This bull
let was found this morning on the
ash stand In the room at the Haden
house. 1t had struck the wall and
fallen back on the washstand and
had been fiattened by striking Blanks
hip bone. The bullet that passed
through Nunnally's body was almost
perfect. When Blanks left the house
after the tragedy. he was seen to go
through the rear yard and throw
something toward the river.
Pistol is Found.
A search by the officers resulted
in the finding of a pistol-a short
common weapon Of thirty-two cali
bre-on the railroad tracks in the
rear of the lot. Three chambers of
the weapon were loaded. but the other
two were empty of both balls and
shells. Blanks claimed that he threw
the old pistol from the window of
his room about 4 o'clock yesterday
afternoon. Developments today seem
TO bear out Blanks statement. Both
the bullets. the one that killed Nun
nally and the one that wounded
Blanks. were fred from Nunnally' s
pistol The police. however. from
evidence gathered today, expressed
the opinion that Blanks did the shoot
ing with Nunnally's pistol. which he
had secured In some way from be-
meath the pillow on Nunnally's bed.
DR.. II. G. Leigh, the coroner, expresses
the opinion that the wound in Nun
nally's body indicates that he did not
fire 1t himself. and also that Blanks
wound. the course of the bullet, etc,
looks as II 1t was self-inficted. How
ever, this u all theory.
Family Affairs Cause.
Family affairs caused the trouble.
1t was learned today that Nunnally
had informed Mrs. Blanks that her
husband was visiting places that he
should not, whereupon Mrs. Blanks
upbraided her husband. When he
entered Nunnaily's room last night
Blanks told Nunnally that he had at
tempted to break up his family. and,
that he had to face Mrs. Blanks with
him and make 1t right. Hot words
passed between the two and imme-
diately after the shots were heard.
Nunnally's wife died about q year
ago. His seven children, all boys
reside with Nunnally's sister In Din
widdie county. He Is said to have
been a kind hearted man and was
highly regarded by the Norfolk and
Western ohicials. Blanks Is well
known young man. a native Of Pc
tersburg. Besides a wife and three
children. his mother, a brother and
several sisters are highly respected
residents OF this city. Young Blanks
wound Is not considered dangerous
by the attending physicians.
Mrs. Rosetta p. Lvesay.
Mrs. Rosetta r. Livesay. aged sew
enty four years, died at 9:45 o'clock
last night at the residence OF her
daughter. Mrs. David Belcher. SIS
Mckenzie street. Mrs. Lvesay had
been i'll for nine weeks and her death
was nat unexpected. She IL survived
by Ave children, viz: Mrs. William
Coyle, of Prince George county: Ben
jamin j. Marks. Walter L. Marks. Mrs.
Emmett Collier and Mrs David Bel
cher, al LOT Petersburg; also three sis
tiers: Mrs. Annie j. Munford. of
Zuni, Va; Mrs Elizabeth Marks and
Mrs. Virginia G. Rainey. Of this city.
Tho funeral will be conducted from
the residence at o'clock tomorrow
afternoon. Interment in Blandford
cemetery.
Disappears From Home.
Joe Smith. aged fourteen years, son
OF Alexander Smith, who resides near
the Crater farm. disappeared from his
home on Wednesday last. since which
time he has not been heard from.
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