Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-01-22
ARREST EXPECTED
IN RIVER MYSTERY
Army Officer Formerly at West
hampton Suspected of Com
mitting Murder.
AUTHORITIES NOW ON TRAIL
Positive Identification of Victim
Is Claimed by Sheriff
Webb Sydnor.
AUTHORITIES NOW ON TRAIL

Arrest o; an army officer formerly
stationed at pebartation Hospital No.
% at Westhampton on a charge OF
numbering the youn. woman whose
/ body was recently found in the James
RIVER above the WcSthani Bridge. is
expected within a short time. Onlccr.
from :his city know OF his where
ahou;s. and armed with a warrant.
have left 10 take him into custody.
it is understood
Positive Identification Of the Young
woman was made several days ago bv
sheriff Webb Sydnor with the assis :
tancc Of members Of the detective
force of the Klchmond Police Dcpar;
lncnt it i said. This step taken. evi-
dehce pointed to an officer of the rnedi-
AT WesthaEpion until a short time
ago 1T is claimed by officers WORK
,nS III on NE case that the woman is his
~itc. and that she was muru.rcd and
then put ia the river
BODY FOUND IN RIVER
BY NEGRO TRhPpEIt
me body of the young woman was
,ound on December 30 on the north
nk oank oi the river, about five miles
from the city, by colored trappcr
VINO was max ing a tour OF the water
wa! In search OF game 1t lay cling
aiae ahs on n, me he r9gt GOT OF tree. The right
ana the theory was advanced that a
heavy blow had caused the death of
tnc woman before she was thrown into
the water.
Wrapped around the woman.s wois,
was wire, small in size. but very
StronE. Inc presence OF this wire
.fu ,i me hoiice TO work on the theory
mat the woman had been murdered
ana had not committed suicide What
purpose the wire served in causing
,he death Of the young woman at tho
n ha.s a..
be her husband is not known nov
ana may always remain one OF tho
many mysteries connected with the
noDr LIES on SLAB
IN NELSEN'S MORGUE.
Since December 81 the body hns lain
IN Nelson's undertaking establishment.
In Fulton. After the autopsy was per
formed by coroned Bright. embalminE
nuias were injected, and the body was
preserved with great care. Photo
graphs were taken by Bcrtillon Oper-
ator Toler, of the Police Department.
and We're, used in Identifying the
woman; also they furnished proof to
women whofsought Information after
me cnse became Statewide In scope
that she was not the ore sought.
Yesterday afternoon Coroner bright
OF Henrico and Coroner Whitfield. Of
Richmond. called at Nelson's morgue
ana removed the stomach of the woman n
Tor examination to determine IL death
resulted from poisoning. In the alb
sence Of conclusive proof. the supposi-
tion that she was poisoned seems
plausible. Due to the swollen condi-
tion of her neck from the action Of
the water. 1t could not he determined
If she was strangled TO death Bruises,
which otherwise might have shown
were ohscured by the decomposition
which had set in. The results OF the
examination NJ the stomach had not
been announced late last night.
SHERIFF. WORKS DAY
AND NIGHT ON CASE
II is known that Sheriff Webb sgd
nor has been working night and day
on the case since last Saturday. He
has not been at his home since that
time. Nothing could he learned of the
case from Henrico officers, or at the
Richmond Police Headquarters last
night. Captain of Detectives A. s.
Wright stated that nothing could be
given out until the army officer was
actually under arrest and on his way
back to this citv in charge OF special
men sent after him.
Commemorative Attorney w w
Heveriy. Of He1rico County. claims to
have sufficient evidence in his posses.
sion to convict the slayer when he is
brought before the bar of Justice.