Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-07-24
MURDER MYSTERY
OF ROBERT FORD
Martinsburg Case Involves Third De-
gree and Sherlock Holmes De-
Observation-Disclosures Arrested

l MartinSburg, w. Va, authorize
= are confident the mysterious deaf
, of Robert Ford, II, from near Way
nesboro. Va, whose body was foun
> lying in pool of blood near tn
Bunker Hill crossing of the Pennsyl
vania Railroad about II O'Clock OF
the night of June 3, is about to b
/ cleared up, if a confession can be Sc
cured from his alleged companion
Clarence Lawson, aged "a, now il
Jail in Martinsburg. Lawton, who re
sides near Waynesboro, was arreste,
there by local officers, assisted b,
Sheriff ]. C. MeKeown of Martins
burg and taken to that city.
Although everything points t.
Lawson having been the companion
i of Ford on the latter's fatal hike.
Lawson denies being away from home
any distance during his lifetime
However, it is believed sufficient eyi
dence can be procured from the Way
nesboro vicinity to disprove these as.
sertions. He was frankly told by
the officers that it would be best to
make clean breast of all he knew
about the tragedy, thus clearing him.
self; otherwise, he would be held re-
sponsible for the boys death.
Think He Is Holding Back
While the Martinsburg authorities
are willing to give Lawson the bene-
fit of doubt, they are of the opin-
ion he has an excellent idea as to
how Ford came to his death, either
by being struck by an automobile, or
killed by falling from car he may
have attempted to board while in
physically and mentally weak, but
not vicious enough to do murder, and
it is possible, officers say, that he
was so frightened by the occurrence
that flight appeared as the best solu-
ton, to his limited mental faculties.
He will be given careful treatment
by the sheriff and Prosecuting Attor-
ney H. E. Hannis, it is stated, who
think the unfortunate youth will re-
spond most quickly to kindness.
Lawson was positively identified in
Waynesboro by G. C. Stratton, trav-
cling representative of the Garlock
Packing Company, of Philadelphia,
who travels along the pike in an au-
tomobile, and who gave Lawson and
the dead boy ride in his car on
the same day they came toward Mar
tinsburg. Lawson talked so much
that Stratton put them out when he
reached Strasburg He afterward
identified the dead youth at Coles
morgue, Martinsburg, and last Satur-
day. after hearing Lawson speak,
Stratton declared he could not be
mistaken, easily recognizing the
mans voice and manner.
Another important witness yet to
be heard is Harrison Mauzy, residing
a short distance south of Winchester.
Mauzy, who was on a southern trip,
picked up the man supposed to be
Lawson the morning after the death
of Ford, and gave him ride as far
as New Market, where MauZy had
occasion to stop because of car trou-
Bile. AT that point Lawson disap-
naarad and traaa IF hin, For Some
time is lost. Mauzy, prior to this.
stated that the fellow was voluble
talker and that the man had asked
him (Mauzy) several times if the
latter had seen the pnddles of blood
at the crossing. presumably meaning
the Bunker Hill crossing. 1t is also
believed several other witnesses can
be procured and that Lawson will
make statement once h is confront
ed with all of this damaging evil
dence.
Looking For Work
1t is well known that the Ford boy
left his home with the intention of
making his way to Pittsburgh to Sc
cure employment, and that an adj
dress found on the body was one
given him by his mother. His dead
body was first sighted by a man driv-
ing the truck of Jackson's laundry,
Winchester, and an examination
made the next day disclosed a frac-
ture above the left eye, ugly cuts on
the lip and chin, collar bone broken
and the torso much bruised. This
induced some to believe he had been
beaten to death, while others took
the view that he had been struck by
heavy automobile or truck.
Lawson was more or less unmoved
when the sheriff suddenly stopped
his car at the Bunker Hill crossing,
as he brought the suspected man back
from Waynesboro. He told Lawson
to get out and look at the blood
stains, which the latter did His only
query was: Whose tracks are
these?" meaning what railroad, and
subsidized into reflective mood when
Sheriff McKown advised him to make
clean breast of the affair on the
assumption he was not guilty of kill
ing young Ford, only witness to
his death by some other agency.
HIS ADD AMPUTATIoN, HE SMILES
Frank syken Of New York City