The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-12
ON HIS DEATHBED, NEGRO
ASSERTS HIS INNOCENCE
Man, Shot whuo RcsistIp9 Arrest,
Diea mt the City
Hospital.
DETECTIVE Kr,ENaEL is DArLED
Miss ChennuIt Views Body, md rs
Positive II In Not That of Her Ar
hnilnnt-Other Susn.cfs RclcnneI.

nniinnt-Other SUSPECTS Released.
Samuel Thompson. colorcd, ono of
the eleven suspects held In conncc-
ton with the brutal attack on Miss
Fannie r. Chcnault, OF lienrico
County. on Saturday night. died at
3:i5 o'clock yesterday afternoon at
the city Hospital from wounds In
nicted by Detective Sergeant Fred
Nrcnsel on sunday morning. when
the negro was shot three times
while resisting arrest. Although at
t"inrts were made 10 get a statement
fror: tho dying man, no light was
thrown by him upon the crime Ser
geant krenGci Is technically under
arrest, and has been suspended by
MAYOR Ainslic, pending an invesi-
cation into the shooting. Miss Che
inult viewed the body yesterday af-
tcrnoon ana was positive that II was
not that of the man who had at
tackled her.
Two more arrests in tho case wore
made yesterday, and several more
negroes arc under surveillance by the
city police. The description of tho
'tsSailant. which was givan by Miss
chcnault. Is that OF a type, and prac-
tichlly every one OF the suspects lit
II. Attempts late yesterday after
noon to identify the assatlnnt were
Ruthless. although Miss Chcnault
carefully examined them all. The six
men held in the Hcnrico County Jail
VIII hang on TO their man, against
whom charges ot disordcrly conduct
and carrying concealed weapons were
lodged.
NEGRO REITERATED HIS
INNOCENCE on DE:ATnBT.D
thompson for several hours prior
10 his death was partially unconscious
and was under the influence of drugs
During the forenoon some lit.lc cy
citcHent was occasi )ncd by tho report
that William Patterson, colorcd, a pa
ticnt in tho same ward, had received
confession Tho negro told OF Ger
tain remarks made BY the dying man.
but the police place little credcnce II
them. Patterson Is = patient suffering
Win fractured skull. and his talk
was rambling and contradictory Iio
gave several versions Of the alleged
conversation, all OF which, II true.
were apparently mere brnggadocio
thompson wns shot IN three places,
and an operation was performed on
him la,n Sunday afternoon Abou,
that nc was dying. and every enor,
was made to get an ante-mortc,n
statement. Detective Gordon Smith
and Patrolman Walsh. as we'll rs the
pnvH'cihns. were unable TO get the
negro TO make any statement at all.
beyond reiterating his Innocence.
POLICE SERGI.AN VT EtENCEI
SUSPENDED BI MAYOR
Sergeant Krcngcl, who was injured
b. rock thrown by Thompson while
resisting arrest, was not OH duty yes
terday, having notified Captain Me-
Mahon that he was incapacitatcd. He
was arrested az hts home and was
admitted To bail pending the inquest.
which Will be conducted by Coroner
Taylor. Following the usual custom.
krcngel Was suspended by Mayor
Anslic until AFTER the Inquiry.
Miss Chenault was accompanied to
Richmond by her father, Wallace w.
Chenault and two women neighb6rs.
She was calm and collected and showed
few signs Of the ordeal through which
She had recently passed. The FIRST
stop was made at the First Police
Station where 4. y. Duke was con-
fronted by her. She appeared In doubt,
and could neither Identify the man.
nor positively state that he was not
her assailant
From the station. the party went
TO the Henrico County Jail where ten
negroes. among whom were the six ar
rested on suspicion. were brought be-
fore her. After questioning ANA pos
ing them In various positions. she
stated that she was unable positively
10 identify either OF the men as her
assailant.
Most OF tho negroes werc dressed in
blue ovcralls which the brute Is said
a
was committed. and they ranged in
height from five feet three inches to
nearly SIX feet. They were released
from custody Immediately after Miss
Chonaul, had declared that she did
not believe the guilty man was among
them.
Duo TO the uncertainty which Miss
Chcnault manifested while examining
the men. county officers expressed
doubts az to whether she would be
able to recognize the negro should he
be apprehended.
STILL THINKS SHE WOULD
RECOGNIZE ASSAlI.AN'r
Miss Chenault showed doubt through
out the entire time she was before
the ten negroes yesterday afternoon.
Her eyes ran rapidly over their forms
and countenanccs. and She had Com
monwealth's Attorney sutton ask
questions OF first tall. smooth
shaven negro, then light-colored
man and next negro whose skin was
almost ebony in hue. Finally a small.
black man was brought In from the
cells and upon him Miss Chcnauit
turned tho lire OF her questions.
she slowly shook her head as she
moved from place 10 place In her ef-
fort TO get a different view OF the
mans appraised and grnniny fnceI
Turning to Attorney sutton she said
that she did not thinl, lie Wis her AS
saiiant. She retired to the inner Of
flee with her fnthc", and the negroes
we're taken back 10 the Jail. where
those who had been arrested as sus-
piclous characters were at once re-
leased.
County officers Impressed upon both
Miss Chenault and her father that
Identification must be positive ana
conclusive before Il man could be held
Tor trial 4 capital charge. She
again reiterated her belief that she
would be able to recognize her assail-
ant should no be brought before her.
Negroes who had been arrested by