Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-07
JAMES N. GORDON
SHOT THROUGH HEAD
Police Search for Stepson. Who
Had Before Threatened
His Life.
NO EYEWITNESS OF TRAGEDY
Mrs. Gordon Finds Body Still
Seated in Chair on Porch
of Her Home.
mo EYEWITNESS OF TRAGEDY

sun upright In his chair. though a
.3s-calibcr bullet had plowcd its way
through his head. James Nathaniel
Gordon. supposedly tho victim OF
George Wade. II cranky stcpson. Was
found dead on his wife's porch. near
Wistar station. in HcnrIco County car
iy yesterday afternoon Mrs Gordon
horsclf. accompanied by A. Il. shelton
to whose home she had fed TO escape
threatened injury AT the hands OF her
son. made tho discovery
Death must have been instantaneous
Gordon. evidently dead for more thnn
an hour. was sitting bold upright His
legs were still crossed His pipe Law
in his lap. The hands hung loosely
At hts side. Beginning in the back Of
III" head. the bulle, had crashed on
through the forehead
The assassin did his work from
room back Of Tn. porch Gordon's
chair had been placed just outside this
room. The window back Of him had
been raised. but tho blinds were closed,
with the shutters up. No trace OF the
revolver could be found
C0UNTY AND CITY POLICE:
on LOOKOUT FOH WADE
Wade. between whom and his step
father there has always existed
deadly feud was left alone in the
house. after Mrs. Gordon had taken
refuge in that OF n neighbor With one
Of his periodical cranky spells on. hc
was in 81 tcrrtbl" humot lie was seen
once after TIA. tragedy NJ that time
hc was going in tho direction or tho
Lakeside car limo. Police believe hc is
in Richmond. and both tho county and
city authorities arc making 81 diiiCcn;
search. Railroad stations have been
given description OF him with in
structions To arrest on sight
Because Of Wade. Gordon had not
lived with his wife for years Ten
years ago the stepson. in 1T Of anger,
struck tn. ola man IN the head with
an AK. for which h" served six months
in Iaii I'm fear cf his life, Gordon
moved out. and left tho house to Wade
aud his mother. Since then he has
been staying around with the neigh
bors
Gordon was told Yesterday not 10
90 20 tho house Mr. Shelton. seeing
the old man headed in the direction of
the Wade home sent boy with tho
message TO Gordon that his s,epson
had already driven his mother away.
and WAS in dangerous mood But
Gordon persisted. Thai was early in
the morning.
CHILD TELLS OF HEARING
SHOT At WADE HOME
Later. about II O'Clock. a child
asked Mr.. shelton If he had heard n
shot over toward the Wade premises
He paid htti. attention To IL, however,
thinking II was either the shot of
hunter an automobile blowout.
Soon afterwards Mrs Gordon an
nounced her intention OF going back
home and Mr.. shelton decided to ac-
company her. Gordon was dead when
they reached him
Police arrived within "a few minutes.
Mrs Gordon had called Policeman
Charles Smith. OF Glen Allen, on
reaching the Shelton home, and told
him how her son had driven her away.
He had. in turn. communicated with
Sheriff w. Webb Sydnor. who directed
him and Policeman Jones To proceed
at once 10 the Wade home They had
no inklinE OF the murder until they
arrived on tho scene. The police Of
Soth the county and city We're nosfcd
~ once.
,sGordon. who was tho second husband
oi Wades mother, was a native Of
Baltimore. and was about seventy years
OF age. He had the reputation OF be-
ing pcaceable sort OF man. Tho
body, after an inquest by DR.. S. B.
Moon. acting coroner for Hcnrico
County. was turned over To Rlilcy's
undertaking establishment for burial.
Wade is described as Il man OF about
thirty-siX years Of age. FIVE feet nine
inches in height, Weighs about $40
pounds. is slightly stoop- -shUudcrcd.
and wears a scowl upon the face. He
wore a pair of old tan lace shoes. half
soles, with rubber heels: khaki trous-
ers, no coat. Il light-colored shirt.
black nappy cap. and is supposed TO
have revolver.