The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-22

to get a gun, will kill myself so yon
will be rid of me for good" She Is
said to have given him the money.
THREATENED GIRL.
Putting the money in his pocket he
said, Now. damn you, l am going to
get a revolver and kill you and my
self both. II your mother interferes.
will get her, too
Several of the neighbors said that
they had heard Smith threaten both
her and the girls mother. They had
also seen him with the girl frequently.
Miss Clopton was a pretty young wo-
man. with dark hair and eyes. She
was wearing a blue hat and dark suit
when she met her death.
The victim Of the double tragedy was
the sole support OF her mother. Mrs
f. p. Clopton. who. with her daughter
and little grandson, lived in tho base
ment OF s67 West Cary street. The
family moved to this city short time
ago from New Kent county. va.
WAS TOO LATE.
There was no eye witness TO the
shooting, but Mr.. Frederick. who lived
upstairs. saw the couple standing on
the porch, and thinking there was go
ing to be trouble, ran down the steps
to interfere. He was Just few sec
o-1ds too late. As he was going down
a
after the other rang out. Miss Clop-
ton had already crunapled up in the
doorway. and Smith v-as lettering. He
heard the thud of the girls body as 1t
struck the floor
Mr. Frederick said that Smith had
been annoying Miss Ciopton and her
mother for several days Yesterday
he hung around the house all day. He
told Mrs. Clopton herself that he was
going to kill Bessie and her both II
the girl did not marry him, as he had
begged her. Mrs. clopton was very
much excited and worried over this
and decided Yesterday evening that
she would go and meet her daughter.
In the afternoon. Mr. Frederick said
Miss Clopton sent word to her mother
10 meet her at the Jefferson hotel and
they would go to a moving picture
show. Mrs. Clopton left home about :
o'clock to meet her, accompanied by
her grandchild, but in some way Just
missed her.
Her daughter had just left. and she
was met by Smith. Mr.. Frederick said
| at the corner nearest her home. He
| saw her approaching. from where he
was seated In an upper window of his
fiat on the second story. Smith fol-
lowed her to the house, talking and
gesturing excitedly. He could not hear
what was said. Just before reaching
the gate. the girl started to run. with
the man behind her. It was then that
Frederick started down the steps.
Mrs. Clopton reached the house Just
after the shooting occurred She was
prevented from seeing the body by her
friends. who feared the shock would be
too great for her to withstand. In
stead she was carried to 213 West Cary
street where she was put TO bed She
was not told OF her daughters death
but her neighhors told her she was i'll
When seen by a yirginian reporter
last night, Mrs, Clorton was lying on
a couch in her neighbours house, suffer
Ing from nervous prostration. with her
I! Erapdchtld. a .cllrl4.Aea-aed boy, .hnee
years old, whom she had adopted, its
parents being dead. The first question
, she asked was. is ny-daughter dead -
| She was assured by neighbors that the
! girl was living. but she continued ia
| question every one that came into the
| room.
| IT my child is dead. will kill my.
| self, too" she exclaimed "She was
the only thing in this world that ]
! lived for
! Mrs. Clopton, who Is a woman about
| forty-five years old. said that Smith
had been keeping company with her
daughter about two years, but she al
ways objected to him. This made him
hHEFF WIN neFs ana several times, she
said, he had threatened her and Bes-
sizes life.
Mrs. Clopton said she had no friends
or relatives In the city and did not
know how she would get along II her
daughter died
Smith lived with his brother. Keene
Smith. at his home. eo3 West Cary
street. He was a monotype operator,
but had not been employed for some
time. He seemed to be unpopular with
the neighbors. who said lrc was shift
less sort of a fellow. He has one other
brother living in Baltimore.
Coroner J. NJ. Whitfield was notified
OF tho shooting, and after viewing the
body, deemed an Inquest unnecessary.
Pending instructions from her mother.
he ordered the corpse turned over to
the Southerland undertaking establish
| ment at 1905 West Main street.
Upon being notified Of the death
Of Smith at the hospital. Dr. Whit
field ordered the body turned over
to the Nelson undertaking establish
ment
, Detective Sergeant waymack, and
Officer Bailey, who happened to be
within a few doors of the shooting
investigated the case, and were on the
scene few minutes after the affair
occurred. Several other policemen
were sent from the second station ia
assist In keeping the crowd back
from tho house. as the shots were
heard for several blocks, and attracted
considerable attention.
-
Expiates Crime In Chair.
nssiniu1 ~ March II Giovanni