Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-14
M|NSON MURDERED
BY YMADDENED DRUG
F|ENDS, IS THEORY
Police Round Up Many
Addicts in Effort to
Solve Mystery.
STATE IS BEING COMBED
FOR AGED MANS SLAYER
Migrants Are Being Held by
Officials as Far Away
as Roanoke.
NEGRO GIVEN HIS FREEDOM
j. w. Erb, Chief Of PinkcrtOn De-
tcctivcs, Believes There Was
Terrific Struggle.
STATE is BEING COMBED
FOR AGED MANS SLAYER
NEGRO GIVEN HIS FREEDOM
j. w. Erb, Chief Of Pinkcrton De
tcctircs. Believes There Was
Terrific Struggle.

That the murder of John a. Minson.
the aged night watchmar AT the sand
wharf below tho Trcdcgar Iron
Works. was cousnittcd By persons
who were maddcncd by the effects
OF cocaine or som. other powerful
narcotic. is the belief OF the police.
according to Il statement made yes
terday. Detectives have made Il
clean sweep OF the underworld in an
effort 10 round up all addicts and al
legged fences. Several hayr been
hauled to Police Headquarters and
subjected TO much questioning.
In their almos. ,!rclcss cnor, to
bring tho criminals who committed
the crime into the hands Of the Law
ho clue that has any seeming pos.
sihility Of leading To AN arrest Is be-
ing overlooked. II is known that as
hirh as eighteen persons from tn.
vicinity OF oregon Hill have b."
brought 10 headquarters and qucs-
toned. Most az these are hnbi,u,
of that section oi tho city.
so Gar no warrant ma. been issued
b. the police charging any one with
murder Captain Alexander 5. Wright.
captain OF detectives. sa!h yesterday
,hat AZ soon as conclusive evidence
had been produced aga.ns, any sus-
r"ctcd Individual 4 warrant would
hc issued one middlc-agcd negro.
who was arrested on the night Of the
murder. has been turned loose. the
pole. hclnE satisfied that he had
sf,I. 80,
Are Held ~ Nnrrnnt-.
/, Was reported that four men had
been arrested Ia Petersburg and held
Ny she authorities there Th"y were
held on charge Of being vagrants.
b.; no tcchnca! charrc o.. murder
mas been preferred against them.
VINCE aIikcd about tho ease last
night, the police refused to state
what further action had been taken
and when asked about the arrcs; Of
tn. four men In Petersburg. refused
10 dlvulse anything regarding ;hc ar
rests All they said was that they
are uS!ng every effort 70 apprchcud
tho criminal and that every man in
lis department; was following up
every clue possible
II has been reported that :. man
wearing blood-staincd Goa, was
seen boarding Petersburg car early
Sunday morning and the police have
been searching Cor him. II was said
last .ht tina; the man had not been
located and that search was being
mad. for him. The conductor OF the
interurban car said that the man was
under the :n;!ucncc OF liquor at the
kline.
Search is still being conducted for
two negro conyicis who escaped. and
whose prison records would indicate
that they wcre competent of com
mitting such a deed
OF the rcpor, made to the police
that two men. said to have been cx-
soldiers. were seen in the vicinity
where the crime was committed late
Saturday night. nothing has been said
further, when asked about what they
had learned about the report they
said they could find no trace OF any
such persons having been seen in that
vicinity on the night OF the murder.
Migrants are being held far
away as Roanoke in regard to tho
crime. Due to the great crime wave
which IS sweeping broadcast over the
country, any person picked up who
cannot give n good account of him
self is closely questioned.
Discnrds Theory of Kobbcry.
Superintendent j. w. Erb, head of
the local P!nkcrton Detective Agency
\ who has had experience in solving
la great many murder mysteries
stated yesterday IL was his opinion
that q terrific struggle cnsucd before
Mr.. Minson was finally subdued He
is Of the opinion that the aged man
was not killed FOR tho purpose Of
robbery. but that pcnt-up anger was
the motive for the brutal crime Nor
does he believe that the murder was
| prcmcd!tatcd. His theory is identical
with that of the police. that the pcr-
uctrators OF the crime were acuuaint-
anccs Of Mr. Minson's AID that they
|; went there and. after having an argu-
mcnt and being ordered from the
shanty. after Il violen: threat By the
watchman. "a battle cnsucd. lie said
I that il robbery was the motive he
could have been easily shot through
a window.