Isle of Wight-Chesterfield County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Turner, C. Beverly, 1899 

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NEWS FROM RICHMOND AND OTHER PARTS OF VIRGINIA 

[col. 3] 

                SUFFOLK. 
                  ____ 

Mr. C. Beverly Turner Murdered in Cold Blood. 
                  ____ 

Young A. C. Gilligan Charged With The Crime - 
  The Motive Assigned - A Christmas Hop - 
  Death of Mrs. Anna M. Nelms. 
                  ____ 

    (Special to the Virginian-Pilot.) 

  Suffolk, Va., Dec. 28.- C. Beverly Turner, a wealthy citizen, 65 years of 
age, was murdered last night at his home in Isle of Wight county, near 
Burwell's Bay.  The murderer, A. C. Gilligan, 25 years old, shot him because 
his attentions to Miss Turner, the victim's daughter, had been spurned. 

  Yesterday afternoon Mrs. Turner and daughter went down to a river wharf to 
see some friends on a steamer.  Gilligan was there.  He asked Miss Turner to 
let him walk beside her.  She refused.  She entered her carriage hurriedly and 
drove home.  Leaving the team in the yard, Miss Turner rushed into the house 
where her father was sitting beside a fire.  His shoes were off.  The old 
gentleman dressed and went out to see that the horses were stabled.  A little 
later a gunshot was heard.  Mrs. Turner and daughter suspected a tragedy, but 
feared to investigate.  Their scare was increased by Gilligan, who opened the 
blinds and peered inside, though he disturbed them no further. 

      THE VICTIM FOUND. 

  Two hours later old man Turner was found in the barnyard in a pool of blod. 
He was dead.  A charge of gunshot had entered his neck and nearly blown it 
away, leaving the head almost severed.  No one saw the crime committed, but 
there is little doubt of Gilligan's guilt.  He had previously threatened to 
kill Mr. Turner if he "crooked his finger" at him.  The Turners are above 
Gilligan in the social scale, and Mr. Turner could not countenance any 
attention to his daughter.  The murder was done with a borrowed gun.  The 
weapon was returned with one barrel empty.  Gilligan, it is said, offered a 
man $5 to take him to Moonlight.  He fled, and has not been heard from, though 
the chiefs of police in several cities have been notified.  The murder 
happened about 6:30 o'clock in the evening. 

  Mr. Turner is a prominent lumber manufacturer and is well-known.  He is a 
brother of R. R. Turner, an uncle of Dr. Turner and the father of Mrs. John 
Kipps, of Blacksburg, Va., and Miss Isabel Turner, of Isle of Wight. 

  Hurricane Branch is working on the case.  In a notice of reward published in 
this issue he gives a description of the alledged murderer.  Gilligan lived 
near the Turner home. 

[...] 

SUFFOLK ADVERTISEM'TS 

[...] 

    REWARD FOR MURDERER. 

 I will pay a liberal reward for the arrest 
of A. C. GILLIAGAN, charged with the 
murder of C. B. Turner in Isle of Wight 
county.  Description:  White, man, 25 
yers old, 5 feet 10 inches high, gray eyes, 
brown hair, inclined to curl, light mus- 
tache, weight 160 pounds, complexion 
florid.  JOHN J. S. BRANCH, Detective, 
Suffolk, Va.                 dc29-1t' 


[col. 2] 

[Petersburg] Chief of Police Ragland has received a telegram from the 
officials at Smithfield, requesting the arrest of E. C. Gilligan (white), 
charged with the murder of Beverly Turner, at Smithfield, last night. 


[col. 5] 

       THE AD. COLUMN. 

  Hurricane Branch will give a reward for Gilligan's arrest, whether he is 
convicted or not. 

Charles Beverly TURNER, lumber manufacturer, 
b. 7 Feb 1830, Chesterfield Co., 
murdered 27 Dec 1899, at home, Fergusson's Wharf, 
interred in Ivy Hill Cemetery*, Smithfield, 
"The Virginian-Pilot" (Norfolk, VA), Fri., Dec. 29, 1899 (Vol. 4, No. 233), 
   p. 8, col. 2-5 

Additional information: 

*Year of death wrong on GSSTF list. 
   Isle of Wight County Historical Society {IWCHS} 
   Grave Site Survey Task Force {GSSTF} Ivy Hill list: 
   http://www.iwchs.com/Documents/Ivy%20Hill_Old%20Stage%20Rd_Cemetery2.doc 

*Find-A-Grave Memorial #20059663 includes photos of his monument - 
   before and after cleaning. 

He appears in the 1870 Census in Hardy District, Isle of Wight Co., 
   with $41,000 real & $14,000 personal estate. 

An article ("Virginian-Pilot," June 5, 1900, p. 8, col. 1) 
   on the start of the trial is posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/isleofwight/news/19000605vp.txt 

Articles ("Times-Dispatch," Apr. 9 & 10, 1903) announcing Gilligan's death 
   and burial, and giving more information on the crime & conviction, 
   are posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/isleofwight/obits/g425a1ob.txt 

He 1m. ca. 1868 Sarah E., b. ca. 1836 VA.  His second - 

Chas.B. Turner, 45, Widowed, b. Chesterfield Co., sn/o P. & Lucinda 
Agnes L. Thomas, 30, Single, b. Nelson Co., dt/o David C. & S. 
m. 01 Dec 1875, Petersburg, Va. 
(FamilySearch.org "Virginia, Marriages, 1785-1940") 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
File Manager Matt Harris (zoobug64@aol.com). 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/isleofwight/news/18991229vp.txt