File contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Judith McGowan The Richmond Dispatch, Richmond, VA, Saturday, June 9, 1888: " AUTOPSY AND INQUEST - Post Mortem on the Body of Thomas J. Crafton - Inquest in the Afternoon - A Verdict Putting on Lucas the Responsibility for the Death. " "Yesterday morning Coroner William H. Taylor and Dr. James P. Roy, the latter one of the physicians who attended Mr. Crafton in his last illness, made a post-mortem examination of the body of the deceased. The autopsy showed a fracture of the skull extending from the point where the blow was given on the right side of the head to the orbit of the right eye, about five inches in length. The brain was very much inflamed and blood was ef- fused upon it. The Coroner and Dr. Roy concluded that Crafton died from the effects of the blow. Indeed, the only wonder was how he could have lived as long as seventeen days; but though the bone was cracked it was done in such a way that the parts held very tenaciously together. The line of it was first discovered on the inside, and was not observable to the eye or traceable with a probe on the exterior until the skin was removed, then it was clear enough. The Inquest. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon the Coroner empanelled a jury and held an inquest. It had been arranged to have it at the house of the deceased, 1314 west Clay street, but the funeral was about to take place at that hour and the house was filled with friends, and so the Coroner and jury went over to the old Blenner's Park and conducted the examination in the large pavilion there. MR. KAISER. The first witness sworn was E. F. Kaiser, who made the following statement: "I live at 1306 west Clay Street. The difficulty started in Mr. Johnson's bar-room. During the difficulty I came out with some other gentlemen It was between 12 and 1 o'clock. Crafton and Lucas came out of the bar quarrelling. They went across the street and the crowd gathered around them. They did not fight, and Crafton came back. Then the crowd gathered around Lucas. I was standing in front of Lucas, who said something to me and shook his finger in my face. Then Lucas started to the south side of the street. Mr. Crafton was on the north side of the street. Crafton came to me and said: "Any man hits you, I'll die for you. You are a brother Red Man." He did not appear to be under the influence of liquor. Crafton then went over towards Mr. Lucas. I could not see what was going on, but heard Lucas say "Enough."Afterwards I saw Lucas and Crafton making friends Crafton went to the north side and Lucas to the south side of the street. Lucas came over shortly afterwards to the north side and struck Mr. Cline on the forehead and knocked him down. Then he went to the south side of the street again shortly afterwards. Lucas ran across the street and got Mr. W. A. Carson down. Lucas called for Charley, (meaning Charley Fleming.) Fleming was standing near Crafton. Crafton took hold of him by the shoulders and said: "You are not going anywhere." Meanwhile Mr. Mat. Kelley had parted Lucas and Carson. Crafton and Fleming got into a fight in the street, and Fleming said he had enough. Mr. Kelley parted them. Kelley, Fleming, and Crafton were in the middle of the street. Presently I saw a rock hit Mr. Crafton's head and saw Lucas running off. I was about two yards off when Crafton fell. Lucas and Crafton had not been together for five minutes. Lucas smacked me once while I was in the bar-room with him and smacked some one else. He said he was only fooling with me, but I could take it as I pleased." THE SECOND WITNESS. William J. Marshall lived at 1204 west Clay. He said: "When I reached the place Crafton and Fleming were fighting. I and Mathias Kelley parted the m. While we were holding Fleming I heard a lick. My back was turned and I did not see who struck it." MR. ST. CLAIR. Watson L. St. Clair lives at 1405 west Clay. He deposed as follows: "When I went in Johnson's store between 12 and 1 o'clock Lucas and Crafton were quarrelling. They went out into the street. I also went out and saw the m fighting. I don't know who hit the first blow. Then I heard Lucas hallo "Enough," and Crafton stopped. Then Crafton and Fleming had some words and Crafton struck Fleming and they had a fight. Mat. Kelley parted them. While Crafton was standing Lucas ran up behind him and struck him with a heavy rock. I picked it up and gave it to the police." FOURTH. Charles Henry Cline was sworn and deposed: "I live at 827 east Broad. I only saw the beginning of the difficulty. Lucas knocked me down. I did not see him hit Crafton nor Crafton hit him." DID NOT SEE THE FATAL BLOW STRUCK. William A. Carson lives at 1912 east Main: "I did not see the 1st quarrel between Lucas and Crafton when the rock was used. Mr. Cline and myself came out of Johnson's and Lucas hit me in the eye and said I stopped him from fighting. I was not acquainted with Lucas, but I asked him to stop fighting. Lucas was not drunk, but had been drinking." MR. HILL. William O. Hill lives at 815 Moore street. "I was standing on the north side of Clay street when the rock was thrown. Fleming and Crafton had been fighting and seemed to be making friends. They were standing in the middle of the street. At this time Lucas came from the south side of Clay with a stone in his hand, which he threw at Crafton and knocked him down. Lucas was only five or six feet away, and then ran off. Lucas had said Fleming was the only friend he had on earth." SAW THE ROCK THROWN. Charles K. Sharp lives at 26 west Canal street. "I saw the rock thrown. I was standing on the north side of Clay street near Mr. Hill. I saw Lucas hit Crafton with a stone and then run off. Fleming was out in the street with Mr. Crafton." Charles L. Butler lives at303 west Broad. "I was talking to Sharp when the rock was thrown. Lucas threw the rock and then ran up the street. Crafton and Fleming were in the middle of the street at the time." ANOTHER FIGHT. Mathias Kelley lives at Boschen's base-ball park. "Did not se the rock thrown. Was at Johnson's when Lucas and Crafton had some words about badges. I went into the yard, then into the street, where I saw Lucas have Carson down. Carson had cried 'Enough,' and I separated them. Lucas tried to stamp on Carson's face. About this time Lucas and Crafton had a fight, which I did not see. Then Fleming and Crafton had a fight and I separated them. While I was holding Crafton some one struck him with a rock and he fell at my feet. Did not see who hit him, but saw Lucas run up the street. Lucas had been drinking, but was not drunk." HELPED TO CARRY HIM. John W. Thomas was sworn and deposed: "I live on Clay street between First and St. James. I know nothing of the fight, but helped to carry Crafton home." NEXT. Leonard Bolling lives at 925 west Clay. "I was standing on the north side of Clay street when Lucas hit Crafton with the rock." DR. RAY. Dr. James P. Ray was sworn. "My office is at 10 west Grace. I attended the deceased during his sickness. He was suffering from the effects of a blow upon the head which produced brain disorder, from which he died on Tuesday, June 7th, at 12:25 P. M. I assisted at the post-mortem this morning and found an oblique fracture of the skull about five inches in length. There was an effusion of blood and serum on the brain. I consider that he died from the effects of the blow. He lived seventeen days after sustaining the injury." This end ended the evidence. VERDICT. The jury then consulted and found the following verdict: We, the jurors, find that the deceased came to his death on the 7th day of June, 1888, from the effects of a blow upon the head inflicted on the night of the 21st day of May, 1888, by Joseph Lucas. WM. H. TAYLOR, M.D., Coroner. John Pitt, Foreman,T. A. Hulcher, J. Oscar Goode, M. J. Dugan, Peter King, Mike Doherty. LUCAS BEFORE COURT. Lucas, who has been in jail since he was brought here from Danville, where he was arrested, was taken before Justice Richardson yesterday morning. Edgar Allan, Esq., is his counsel. The Justice continued the case until this morning to await the result of the Coroner's Inquest and the prisoner was remanded to jail. Lucas is apparently about twenty-one years old. The warrant on which he will be tried charges that on the 21st day of May, 1888, he did unlawfully and feloniously and of his malice kill and murder one Thomas Crafton with a rock. The witnesses are George W. Epps, William Hill, W. L. St. Clair, Leroy Bolling, Charles Sharp, C. L. Butler, James Jones, Mathias Kelley, A. E. Craddock, and W. J. Marshall." USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation.