Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-10
.CORONER'S JURY HOLDS
WATKINS FOR SHOOTING
Intentionally Killed His Sweetheart.
Miss Hester Dodson. mt
Her Home.
WATKINS KEPT IN CITY JAIL
Begs In Vain to BE Taken to Funeral
OF Murdered Girl-Her Brother
and Policeman Bosquett Tell Of
Shooting.

John c. Watkins. nineteen years old,
Intentionally shot and killed his sweet
Z heart, Miss Hester Dodson. in her home.
( 2320 y Street, last Friday night. ac-
ccrdinE to verdict brought in by a
! coroner's jury yesterday. Watkins did
no. attend the inquest, as had been eS-
pected. but remained in Jail He will be
; held there until February 90. on which
/ date the preliminary hearing OF the
case will be called in the Police Cour..
The man made every effort TO have
/ Deputy City Sergeant Wilton Atkinson
! take him TO the funeral OF the girl
whom he had killed. The deputy re-
fused, and Watkins is said to have In
sisted. even AT the cost of going hand
! cuNed 10 the officer. still the request
was refused. and Watkins is said TO
have spert the hours during which the
funeral and burial were taking place, in
pacing the floor of his small cell in the
City Jail. At intervals he threw him
self upon the cot and often he pro-
tested that he loved the slip OF a girl
whom he had sho' down.
BROTHER OF CIuL. AND
POLICEMAN ONLY WITNESSES
Ben Dodson and Policeman Bosquett
were the only witnesses before the
coroner's jury yesterday. Dodson was
one of the first persons to reach his
sisters side after she had been shot
When she ran away to her mothers
and Watkins staggered into Ben
Dodsons room and threw himself on
the bed, the girls brother followed the
man. thinking he had shot himself. He
remained there while his sister breat hed
her last.
The young man testified that his
mother had informed him OF a quarrel
between the young people which had
taken place during the early part Of the
week He did not know the cause. lie
described the actual shooting, and his
actions afterward Dodson said that he
went 10 Watkins, who seemed to be
sinking TO the floor. and took the pistol
which the man had pointed toward his
own breast. He did not see the muir
derer make any attempt to pull the
trigger while the muzzle was against
his own body. Dodson was unwilling
10 say that Watkins was feigning faint
ing.
WATKINS WAS NOT IN
HABIT OF CARRYING PISTOL.
Policeman Bosquett, who arrested
watkins shortly after the shooting
ana who took him TO the First Pre-
cinct Station. testified that the man
realized what he had done after he had
reached the station house. He testified
that the man had said Miss Dodson ha Il
uDbraidcd him for paying attentions 70
o'her girls. and that he turned and fired
AZ her as they were about to separate
/ In the narrow hallway The policeman
testified that Watkins had said he in
tended Killing himself. but WAS prevent
ca d! the failure of the pistol to fire
II was said after the inquest that the
police had learned that watkins wa,
not IN the habit of carrying a revolver
and that he had possessed the pistol
| with which he killed his sweetheart
ohI! ABOUT Two days prior to the shoot
ing. II is not known. however wbere
ne obtained the weapon Detective
sergeant Willy, Ben Dodson and Police.
man Bosquett held Il long conferenc.
win common wealth's ATTORNEY Nine
tree Fo!kes Immediately after the YER
Diet had becp hrnpubt T.,