The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-26
MURDER THEORY
MOST TENABLE
Scottsvillc Railway Operators
Body Shipped to Richmond
for Autopsy.
RESULT NOT MADE KNOWN
Burial Delayed, While Close
Search Is Being Made to
Find Slayer.

An autopsy was performed here yes
terday on the body of Richard w Har-
rison, the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail-
way operator who was shot and Killed
in his office ut Scottsvillo between 2:30
and o'clock Sunday morning, and.
though the result was not announced,
all the circumstances surrounding the
case point to murder. News from
Scottsville says that tho murder theory
| there is. growing stronger every hour
Two distinct revolver reports were
heard at the hour of the tragedy by
more than half dozen persons, and
| Immediately after the reports freight
| train was heard nearing the station.
| The unexpected arrival of the train
when the murder must have been dis
covered, would have frightened the
murderer away. and IT would have been
easy for him to escape under cover of
| its noise.
The shell which must have fallen
/ from the pistol in the dead mans hand
has never been found. y short time
ago, 1T is said. Harrison told mem
Der of his family that his pistol had
five cartridges in it, and that he was
going to leave that number in the pis-
toll.
Got SALARY on Saturday.
Five cartridges were found in his
pistol after he was killed. Another
rison had been paid his salary on Sat
urday by the Chesapeake and Ohio
! Railway Company's pay car. Again.
| those who were the first TO arrive at
the office after the shooting state that
| the ticket window over the table upon
which Harrison is supposed to have
been lying was open. This being the
case. he could easily have been shot
through the open window when he
raised himself to fire his own revolver.
The body was shipped here for an
autopsy and X-ray examination In
order to determine whether 1t was a
/ case of suicide or murder The au-
! topsy was performed privately. and
| whatever the result the conclusion to
which the physicians came was not
! divulgcd. The murder theory is being
| generally accepted in Scottsville. how
! ever, and men are now at work in an
effort to clear up the mystery. and.
! If it be a case OF murder. to fasten the
crime on the guilty person or per-
sons.
Found Dcnd I'm Onlcc.
Harrison went on duty at midnight.
| He copied his last train order at $50
! o'clock. About 3 o'clock Conductor
! Calvin. of a Chesa peakc and Ohio Rail
! way westbound freight, entered the
| Office to get his orders. Harrison was
| lying on the floor dead. with bullet
| mole through the lett sac or the neck.
The bullet was DETECTED in its course,
/ and came out through the right
! breast Drs Stmson and billiard. who
! were summoned Immediately, stated
| that death was instantaneous. but that
! Harrison had been dead only Il few
/ minutes. Some inclined to the acct
dent theory, but the more general
/ opinion is against this. owing to the
peculiar position of tho wound and
! the fact that the pistol was found in
/ Harrisons right hand These latter
/ circumstances would seem also, II Is
believed, to make the suicide theory
/ equally untcnable.
| SO far as is known Harrison had no
| enemies so, II murder was committed
the motive Is thought to have been
/ robbery. Nothing in the Office was
missing, but this could be accounted
| FOR by the probability that the muir
| dercr was frightened away by fear
/ OF discovery by the crew OF the APP
/ preaching freight train.
The authorities are bending their
! energies toward finding n clue They
/ had little to work upon, however and
! the trail was already cold by the time
| bloodhounds from the State farm
| reached the scene.
! The burial was postponed until the
body could be shipped back to SCOTS
| willie from Richmond.