Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-13
FIVE MEN SOUGHT
TO SOLVE MURDER
OF JOHN A. MINSON
New Clues Point to Ex-
Soldiers and Wcarcr of \
Bloody Coat.
iNTERURBAN CONDUCTOR
HELPS DETECTIVES IN CASE
Tells Of Sunday Morning Pas
scnger, Who Was Bound
for Petersburg.
OTHERS SEEN NEAR SnhNTI
Chief sherry Believes Aged Night
Watchman Slain Enrly in
the Evening.
iNTERURBAN CONDUCTOR
HELPS DETECTIVES IN CASE
OTHERS SEEN NEAR snANTr
Chief Sherry Believes Aged Night
WatChman Slain Enrly in
The Evening.

IL their effort 20 solve III" mystery
az the murder u John y. Minson, the
aged night watchina'., who wAs slain
!n his shnuty at the sand wharf be-
low the Tr-dcEar Iron Works last
Saturday night. the Richmond police
arc following up every possible clue
which may lead TO tho arrest o. the
guilty onrs.
one clue was revealed yesterday
by =. T. rpchurch, a conductor on
tho Petersburg Car Line. which may
hr.nE about tho arrest az on" man.
Iic told Detect.ve-SorGeaut J. II. or
gan mat man boarded his car early
sunday morning aud that he wor.
- coat which was snlcared w!th bloou
Hc said the man was apparently uu-
der The influence OF liquor and tha,
hls actions were such that his at
t,nt.ou MAS attracted 10 him. An
other clue wh!ch the pole. are FOL
lowing Us the finding OF piece OF
cioth ON th- cuj OF the billiard cue,
which is playing such a prominent
part In the mystery. This piece of
cloth. although not much larger than
:, postage stamp. may lead 10 the ar
rest - urr of the muTder.rs. police
b'liey"
Two I.N-soidirrs Seen.
Information has bean given Ia. po-
Ice that tWg white men were seen in
the Vicinity al the shanjy last sat
ufday Night and Il search = being
mad, FOR the pair Detectives re-
fused 20 G.yu!sD auy information Ia
regard TO the matter. They nave
been informed however, tina, they
wrre former soldiers.
Following The murder the police are
tedou ,ling their Efforts t. locate two
j,uipr.d couv5c's who escaped from the
forces of ,hc STATE peu.tenttary =
sAprt time ago. one OF the couvicts
5cupeG from the force IN Capitol
.sutre and iAc other from the force
sn carj street Road. Hoth sucu wcre
try.ug terms im The State pru.tcn-
5ary Tor murder They were cell
mates ANA IL IS thought thai they
lnIuet after making their getaway
Tho piece Of cloth. which was
found On TIA. end Of tho billiard cue
does not match trousers ihat iir
Auuson wore. and ne h,l no coat
having worn a sweater the night Of
the murder II the bloody coat can
be found search Will be made FOR the
place taat the piece WAS torn from
Ecsidc being clue BY which 10 trace
the murderer IL is also All indication
ihat Mr. MiNson put up Il tight be-
ior. hc was finally subducd ana MUIR
dcrod by his assailant 1t is the be
lief OF the police that MIR. Minson
tried to ward OF! his slayer with the
cue and IN so doing. gouEed out a
piece OF his coat. The piece OF goods
found was described as being black
and apparently torn from q practi
cally new coat.
Relieves Crime Committed Early.
That the murder was committed
early in the evening is the dcduc-
,ion OF Major Charles y. Sherry
chief OF the Richmond Police Depart
mcnt. lie draws ,his conclusion from
the fact that there was no fire in
tile stove. and that no wood had been
brought In to build one. lie is OF
the opinion that the murder occurred
shortly after Mr.. MiusOn arrived at
work /, is the firm conviction Of
the police. however that robbery was
not the motive for the crime. Anger
or revenge is given as their theory
for the staying Of Mr.. Miuson.
Il is also believed by the police
used TO guard the door OF his shanty
must have been replaced after the
murder as it was in such position
that no one could possibly get out
OF the door without Knocking it over.
Captain Alexander $. Wright, o.;
the detective force, stated that the
ease against the murdcrcrs will. If
necessary. be based on circumstan-
tjal evidence. there being no witness
10 the fight in the shanty in which
Mr. Minson was killed.
The police are still Of the opinion
that Mr.. Minson was killed by men
who were known to him. Although
every possible clue is being fol-
lowed. in their minds they believe
this is true. AS the shanty is sit
/ mated in one of the most forlorn and
dismal looking plac in the vicinity
a.. oregon !iill. he was very cautious
about whom he let into the shanty
and had supplied himself with every
security To keep persons out. There
Us not a sign of habitation within n
haf mile OF the shanty. AS IL large
number OF persons are in the habit
OF going to the river to fish at night.
Mr.. Minson kept the hut well lock ed
mp. There arc two doors to the
fshanty. only one OF which is used.
The perpetrators OF the crime entered
by this door