Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-11
M|NSON MURDERED
AF TER A QUARREL,
BELIEF OF POLICE:
Theory Is That Aged Night
Watchlnan Was Struck
i'm Anger.
FACTS IN CASE INDICATE HE
ALLOWED SLAYER ENTRANCE
Robbery Not Thought to Have
Been Motive for Brutal
Crime.
LITTLE MONEY ON PERSON
70 only 81 Missing Ont of PAY En-
'clopc, Containing SD-Iiad
No Sworn i'.ncInics.
LITTLE MONEY on PERSON
p only 81 Missing Ont of PAY En-
'clop", Containing SD-Iiad
No Sworn ;,ncImics.

Tha' John Minson. the aged night
"a,chman a; the sand wharf below
'he Tr"degar Iron Works. was unur-
drrcd by some one who was vel,
acquainted with him is the firm be-
it' oil the police and members OF IN.
"'hd mans family. Evidence which
VIZ Pp'!ce nave gathered from cxarnI-
""''on OF the shanty and from what
haa been learned OF the murdered
mans habits led the police 10 make
TINS decision.
description OF The condition OF,
IN" Nhdo,% after III" crime. given bv
~" police last night. Indicate INA,
Mt Mias9n had been talking win &,
visitor. e1'' Shat the man was we'll
"h'wn 10 him. That the iron crow
gar with which tho watchinan used
I" pHr the door was not pr!ca from
Ks place, but MAS merely taken down
ana placed in the corner. where ne
"hA Always accustomed TO piac. II.
- t"n"n as an Indication that the
v!istor was well known to Mr.. Min.
son, and that he was allowed en-
france. II Was his custom. accord
ihs 10 ,ae police. 10 bar the door
With the crowbar. and any one who
raped VAS required to tell his name
before being admitted, II" also had
p"cphole which ne used TO look
through To see who was calling.
iiriirrc Thry lind Argument.
Another bi, OF evidence which led
the police To believe that we'll
known man had been calling was an
empty nail kcs in the middle OF the
floor near Mr.. Minson's cha,r The
billiard cue also plays a big par, In
the mystery. This cue was dug ou,
OF the river many months ago and
was used by Mr.. Minson TO stir the
IRE In tho stove. and was always
placed in corner whore IL could
hardly bc seen. police say. |, is
th"!r belief that when the watchman
told his visitor 10 go an argument
cnsVcd and he grabbed up the bill
Hard cue 20 hasten his visitor. 1t
Was at this time. they believe. that
his assa.lant picked up the AK. which
Mas Kept in corner, and struck Mr..
Minson After striking ;hc watch
man with the aN 1t was placed back
IN The same corner where IT was
taken from.
That tncrc was some other motive
behind the murder other than rob
berry is also the firm belief OF the
police and members Of the family
Mr. M!nson's son-in-law. X. Il. VIII
Hams. said last nigh: that when the
body was found and search OF the
clothing made. apparently nothing
was removed. The gold watch which
Mr.. Minson carried was not taken.
and money was also found. That Mr.
Minson was in the habit Of carrying
large sums Of money his son-in-law
denied. lie said that MIR. Minson was
an ambitious man and could not stand
to he idle. He worked ~ the sand
wharf as watchman and was paid
50 "A week The day before the muir
der he received his weekly pay from
Mr.. Scay and was given a ve-dollar
bill and four onc-dol!ar notes. These
he carried in n bill folder. and when
his clothing was searched the i've
dollar bill and three ones were found.
but one dollar was missing. Where
he could have spent the other dollar
is a mystery TO MIR. Williams. About
50 in silver was also found. This
leads the police and Mr.. Williams 10
believe that some other motive was
behind the brutal crime.
pcrhnp Feared His Hecorcry.
Detcctivc-Scrgcants Smith and Cen
Try. who are In charge of the invcs-
,i.aiion. assisted by every member
cf the detective force. last night
said it is their opinion that the muir
Ger happened after Il heated discus
Son over some subject After the
Continued on Second page)