Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-22
HOPE FOR CLUE LIES
IN M|NSON'S MOVES
ON DAY OF MURDER
New Tack in Effort to
Find Aged Mans
Slayers.
NIGHT WATCHMAM LEAVES
ESTATE VALUED AT $4,000
Son-in-Law, r. r. Williams,
Qualities in Court as
Administrator.
POLICE WELCOME LETTERS
$500 Additional Reward l. Offered
for Capture of Muir
tlcrcrs.
NIGHT WATCHMAN LEAVES
ESTATE VALUED AT $4,000
POLICE WELCOME LETTERS
$500 Additional Reward l. Offered
for Capture of Muir
tlcrcrs.

a, least one ray OF light my be
thrown y the batting mystery eur
rounding tho murder OF John a. Min
ron. the aged night watchman who
was slain IN his shanty at the sand
wharf below the TrcdceM Iron
Works, January s. when the move
incnts or tho murdered man are
traced. So FAR nothing has been said
rs 10 where Mr. Miukon went on the
day prior 70 the murder or on tho day
al tho crime. Investigation along
w'il lead 10 ,hc arrest OF the MUIR
d'rer it IS believed.
Interviews with the police and
friends of the murder victim have 80
far failed to rcsoa! any movements
~ the murdered man on the day OF
he tragedy. Whev. he went or what
he had been doing has never been
established. II Is known that he left
his home in Fa!rmount to go 10
work. lie left some time In the
afternoon. {, Is said, Tha, liz the oni;,
movement Of the dead man which has
been revealed.
Left Estate of $1,000.
Mr.. Minson left an estate OF $500.
It's only heir is his daughter, Mra.
Muli.c r. Williams. lie left no will
and his estate consisted entirely az
cash aud personal effects. Robert Il.
Williams. his son-ir-iaw. qualified
before Judge Moncure in the Chan
Gerry Court. as administrators OF tho
estate. The greater part OF his money.
is said 10 have come from the snlc
: ~ Parcel OF real cstat. about six
months ago. In appointing Mr. VIII
iiams administrator or tho estate.
Judge Moncurc issued an order re-
Guiring Mr.. Williams to furnish boz
III $1,000 tor tho itithlul perform
ancc Of the duties which he lad a:i
sumcd.
Police have announced that Mr..
Williams had placed 5000 IN IN" hands
~ chief Shcrry TO hc used IA 4 re-
ward for Information leading To the
arrest and conviction Of tho murd. rcr
or murdcrcrs. II his fathcr-!n-la law.
The Junior order United American
Mechanics. Of which Mr.. Minson was
q member, have also offered reward
of $i00 for the arrest OF, or infoIna-
tion leading TO. the perpetrators OF
the crime. Governor Davis is also TO
be requested 10 offer a reward, which
viii bring the sum up in the neigh
borhood of $500. IL was declared yes
terday.
Many anonymous letters have been
received by the police. Detcctivc-Ser-
gcant Smith. who is handling the case
with Sergeant Gentry. said last night
that these letters are being welcomed
10y the department. Any one who has
any Information regarding the mur-
der, or thinks he has any plausible e
clue, may write IL to the police in an
unsigned letter and it will be gladly.
Investigated. he said.
The fact that MIR. Minson had but
one pocketbook seems now TO he
finally established, according to in
formation received from stores which
the murder victim visited. j. NJ.
Iiord, proprietor of a drug store in
which Ninson made purchases many
times. said that he never saw him
have but one pockctbook. lie kept
both bills and small change in this.
the druggist said. He also declared
that he never knew the murder vic
TINS name until he saw il in the
uapcrs after the murder. j. l.. Hard :
away. proprietor %! barber shop
where Mr.. Minson sometimes went Ia
get shaved. said that he never saw
him with more than one pocketbook,
and, near as he could recall, he kept
il in the left pocket OF his trousers.
When the body OF the aged wntchman
was found the pockcthook WAS found
in the right trousers pocket. The left
pants pocket was found turned inside
out.
Had No Intimate Friends.
Mr.. Minson. ii is said, was a man
who had no intimate friends. In
Paramount he never called on any
ono. In good weather he sat on the
front porch OF his daughters house
and in bad weather stayed indoors
He spent the greater part OF his
time At his shanty. Ills SON In la "
said that Mr.. Minson never com
plaincd. \ few days prior 10 the
murder he was i'll, Mr.. Williams said
lie would not go TO bed, however
although he was urged to do SO by
his family. Mr.. Williams said that
hc did not believe that his father
n-law had slept in his bed over half
the time since they had lived in that
house. He came from his work in
the morning about o'clock, ate
breakfast and sometimes took nan
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