The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-12
Highly Esteemed Woman Is
Killed by Telegraph Ope-
rator
MURDERER THEN
TURNS GUN ON SELF
Victim Was Daughter of Com
missioner of Revenue Fray
ser Of Henrico-Husband at
Catawba Sanatorium


Especial to The Richmond Virginian.)
Norge, Va, May 11.-Mrs. Thurs
ton A. Marston was shot and killed
here yesterday shortly before noon
by s. c. Beatty. a telegraph operator.
who afterwards turned the revolver
on himself, firing two shots through
the back Of his head. The double
tragedy took place in the home of
Mrs. Marston, a short distance from
the Norge railroad station, where
Beatty had been boarding for several
months. Mrs. Marston was a daugh-
Ter OF W b ErayseFr commissioner
of revenue for Henrico County. who
lives near ktchmond, and her hus-
band is a patient at the Catawoa
Sanatorium. 1t is reported that Beat
" was infatuated with Mrs Marston,
and that she rejected his advances.
:. c, Beatty is a former resident
of Richmond. at which place his wife
and four children now i've, his young
est child being an infant three weeks
old He has been employed here
since Christmas. when he took the
place of Marston as telegraph OPP
orator for the Chesapeake and oaio
Railway. Since then ne has been
y note hastily written was left by
beatty. in which he gave directions
for his burial. Nc statement that
would throw any light on the ira geuy
was contained in the message. Al
the time OF the crime only the three
month"; old hahy of Mrs Marston. and
. Coiored servant were In the house.
Th, uegre~s VAS engaged IN house
h1lQ "a erI whiie the crime was enact
sd
Husband In Catawha.
Mr. Ma:Ston, who was twenty seven
Years old was a daughter OF w b
Fra ser commissioner of revenue for
Her rico County. who lives on the Os-
borne Turnpike near Richmond
-TtE0Uv rfvp7 yTTrrE Il go sire married
TuIrston \. M1rston. and leaves two
r04l.Ireu. oae about three years old,
The other We; baby. Last Christ
mas Marston's health became SO bad
he was removed TO Ca,awba for treat
nent For some time he had beer
a telegraph operator al Norge. and
Oh leaving. MS place VAS taken by
l,t..'fr
Both MIR and Mrs, Marston were
..aa ID have had perfect confidence IN
Iraity. and ln order to aid Mrs. Mars
ION to keep up tine insurance on Mr.,
Marston's life. it was decided 70 per-
nit him TO board at the house a
friend OF Mrs Marston. a lady living
in the neigh borhood. at Mrs. Mars
TOMS request. came TO stay with her
rs a companion. This lady continued
her residence there until about three
weeks ago, when she found that IL
would be inconvenient for her to stay
longer.
when she left. Mrs Marston and
her TWO children came TO Richmond
to live with her father. leaving the
house at Norge in the entire charge
r. ;@alty. who lived there alone, pre-
pairing his own meals. Two weeks
ago Mrs Marston went to Catawha TO
~isit her husband, returning 10 Rich
atond ard .hcre remaining until yes
.erday morning
A few days age Mrs Marston wrote
a note to a negro woman In the neigh
borhood. asking that she come to
her home yesterday morning to do
,,.."4 S,H~rvssrs. Mrs. Marston left
Richmond on the o'clock train. with
her b..rY. attending 10 return in the
aftn9rcon. She met the woman at
her house and directed her in the work
she Was to so.
Yesterday afternoon when Beatty
aid net come TO relieve him from duty.
Henry X. Graves. agent at Norge,
went to tho house to see what the
trouble vas, and discovered the
tragedy III an adjoining room the
three-months- old daughter OF tho
dead woman lay asleep. unconscious
of the double tragedy.
According to the colored woman,
atty came to the house about IL
o'clock. She paid no attention 10
him. not knowing who he was. and
vent about her work. 1t is said that
DR. H. w. Stephenson. who was called
by Mrs. Marston to attend her child
yesterday morning for some minor all
ment, saw Beatty at the house. and
hat he appeared morose.
As soon as the tragedy was discover
I'd number of people who were near
the station at the time. awaiting the
arrival OF a train. rushed to the house
Mrs. Marston was found lying. crum-
pied up, her hair tattered and clothes
torn, against the farther side of the
room. surrounded by a pool of blood.
beatty was lying fiat on his face, to-
ward the front OF the house nearest
the railroad station. The neeros wo-
man was running about, and In an
excited manner told what she knew
of the crime A physician was i'm
mediatsly summoned and DIR. j. e.
,ime Both Mrs. Marston and Beatty
were pronounced dead.
Had Been q Struggle.
Mrs Marston had been shot twice,
one bullet going through the heart
ana ono entering the forehead. Beatty
had fired two shots through the back
Of his head. All four of the .38-cali-
bre bullets passed through the bodies
and were found lying on the floor.
The revolver. vof the Smith & Wesson
type with chambers empty. was found
t., NO ~ Of Raaftv
va There was every, sign. OF q. struggle
In tho room. Chairs had been over
turned and food on small table In
the dining room had been thrown 70
ffsnnfananA N nonond 2nrA.S