Evening star., 1925-09-22
MYSTERY IN DEATH
OF WOMAN GROWS
Richmond Coroner to Con-
tinue Autopsy-Husband
Charged With Murder.
by the Associated Press.

by the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Va, September a.
Richmond police today face one Of the
most puzzling mysteries they have
ever been called upon to solve as
they sought to piece together the
story of the death of Mrs. Herbert
T.. Richardson, jr., whose body was
discovered in the apartment occupied
by her husband and herself after Mr..
Richardson had been found on the
streets yesterday suffering from a
self-inficted bullet wound.
At tho conclusion of a two-hour
study, Coroner James NJ. Whitfield.
conducting an autopsy over the body,
announced last night that although
he had found no signs of violence, his
investigation was incomplete and
would be continued today. Parts Of
the stomach will be analyZed.
Body Is Found.
Richardson's condition was first
discovered when citizens of North
Richmond heard a shot at $40 yes
terday morning and notified police.
officers who hurried to the scene
found a man suffering from serious
wound in the abdomen and rushed
him to hospital. where an immediate
operation was found necessary. Mean
while, however. Richardson turned
over keys to his apartment and di.
rected the officers to go there to ascer-
tain if his wife We're still alive.
Already in a state of partial decom-
position, the body was found in bed
and to all appearances death had
taken place several days previous.
officers reported that they found no
signs of violence.
Following his operation, the condi-
ton of Richardson was said to be
hopeful At the hospital he was
placed under arrest, charged with the
murder of his wife. Having first de-
clared that she killed herself, he later
told a story of having returned to his
home on Saturday night to find
strange man in his wife's bedroom. He
attacked the man, he said, and wound
ed him several times with small
knife before the stranger escaped.
During the fight, when his wife sought
to separate them, he declared that he
struck her with the back Of his hand
and that she fell over trunk.
Mustered Courage to Shoot.
Continuing his story, Richardson
then told of a restless wandering OF
the streets for two nights and day,
of returning to his home sometime
Sunday and picking the body of his
wife up off the floor and laying IL on
the bed without noticing whether she
were alive or dead, of his decision to
take his own life and the struggle
with himself before he finally sum-
moned sufficient courage to fire the
shot.
Both Richardson and his wife had
once been married before their we'd
ding in Washington. Richardson's
first wife. Mrs. Thelma Hamm Rich
ardson, whom he divorced, was killed
on December II, 1922 while scuffling
for possession Of revolver with
Thomos Pollard, local real estate
dealer. Pollard was tried for MUIR
der but acquitted by jury in Hust-
tngs Courts here.
Mrs Richardson was first married
70 George Birdsong, whom police are
now trying to locate. The couple
lived for some time in Petersburg,
where Birdsong was a barber. When
they separated he is thought to have
gone back to his home in Pennsyl-
vania, while Mrs. Birdsong came to
Richmond, secured employment as a
manicurist and met and married Rich
ardson.
D,-oi 10 tho Ind