Amelia Wilson - Newspaper Clippings
Mrs. Amelia Wilson Attacked, Killed By Unknown Assailant
Spirit of Jefferson Farmers Advocate | Thursday, August 28, 1969
Mrs. Amelia Braithwaite Wilson, 33, who resided in the Fritts apartments, located at the corner of Congress and Lawrence streets, Charles Town, died about 1:30 in the morning (Thursday) enroute to Washington County Maryland hospital in Hagerstown, from a head injury inflicted at 11:05 p. m. by the unknown person, as she was leaving her car which she had just parked on Congress Street.
Patrolman Charles Henry of the Charles Town Police Department who was the first law enforcement to arrive on the scene said he had received a call at 11:35 p. m. from what sounded like a young boy stating there was a woman's body lying in the weeds in the back of a Fritts apartment house. He said he and Constable Robert Carr and Kenneth Mills, of the Ranson police department went to the scene and discovered the woman who was unconscious and bleeding primarily from the back part of the head. They summoned the Charles Town Independent Fire Company ambulance and rushed Mrs. Wilson to the Charles Town Hospital where she was given emergency treatment. Then she was transferred to the Washington County Hospital, but she died as the ambulance was travelling through Boonsboro, Md.
Henry said a number of people had been questioned about the murder, but so far police have not been able to come up with any leads as to just what did happen. He said Mrs. Wilson, a waitress, in the clubhouse at Charles Town Race track, had finished her work at the track at 11 p. m. and apparently had just pulled up in front of the apartment house and was leaving her car to go to her apartment when she was attacked. There was blood stains on the car indicating the assailant struck Mrs. Wilson as she was taking some clothes and packages from her car. Henry said apparently her attacker, after striking the woman then drug her body in the back of the apartment house and there removed her waitress uniform and underclothing, along with her hose, and hung them on the yard fence. Henry said until a report is received from the Washington County Hospital, it can not be determined whether Mrs. Wilson had been sexually assaulted.
Some residents of the apartment house told the police they heard a noise outside about 11:10 p. m. but they did not investigate to see what it was.
Charles Town State Trooper Gary Arthur, and Charles Town policeman Max Barrow and Patrolman Henry along with Constable Robert Carr are working on the case.
Woman Found Murdered
The Dominion News (Morgantown) | Friday, August 29, 1969
CHARLES TOWN, W. Va. (UPI) - An autopsy showed Thursday that a 33-year-old divorced mother of two children murdered on her way home from work died of brain damage.
Mrs. Amelia Kathleen Wilson was found unconscious in bushes beside a house near her home shortly before midnight Wednesday; Chief Ralph L. Whitmore of the Charles Town police said.
The victim suffered a one-inch wound on the back of the head, caused by a hard object, the autopsy revealed.
Clothes on the bottom part of the woman's body had been ripped off, police said, and undergarments were found hanging on a fence. The preliminary autopsy report showed no evidence of sexual assault but further examination was being conducted, Whitmore said.
The woman was pronounced dead on arrival at a Hagerstown, Md., hospital. She was taken first to a local hospital.
Police found the body after receiving an anonymous telephone call about 35 minutes after the woman left work as a waitress at the Charles Town Turf Club at 11 p. m. Wednesday. Blood was found beside the car and police theorized the victim was dragged around the corner of a house into the bushes.
Charles Town Woman Is Murdered
The Cumberland News | Friday, August 29, 1969
CHARLES TOWN, W. Va. (UPI) - An autopsy showed Thursday that a 33-year-old divorced mother of two children murdered on her way home from work died of brain damage.
Mrs. Amelia Kathleen Wilson was found unconscious in bushes beside a house near her home shortly before midnight Wednesday; Chief Ralph L. Whitmore of the Charles Town police said.
The victim suffered a one-inch wound on the back of the head, caused by a hard object, the autopsy revealed.
Clothes on the bottom part of the woman's body had been ripped off, police said, and undergarments were found hanging on a fence. The preliminary autopsy report showed no evidence of sexual assault but further examination was being conducted, Whitmore said.
The woman was pronounced dead on arrival at Washington County General Hospital, Hagerstown, Md. She was taken first to a local hospital.
Police found the body after receiving an anonymous telephone call about 35 minutes after the woman left work as a waitress at the Charles Town Turf Club at 11 p. m. Wednesday. Blood was found beside the car and police theorized the victim was dragged around the corner of a house into the bushes.
Someone Killed Amelia, Friends See No Reason For It
David Lightman
The Morning Herald (Hagerstown) | Friday, August 29, 1969
CHARLES TOWN, W. Va. – On a warm night, Barbara, Mary, and Amelia would often take a walk downtown here. It was very safe.
Until Amelia died Wednesday night. Police found her unconscious and bleeding from the head as though she had been clubbed. She died on the way to Washington County Hospital.
Mrs. Barbara Cape knew Mrs. Amelia C. Wilson. They worked together at Charles Town Race Track. Amelia was a waitress, Barbara a hostess.
Barbara and Mary Espinosa both punch out for the night around 11 p.m. They walked out to the parking lot and Catherine, a new waitress, was waiting for hew husband. “You shouldn’t wait there alone.” Barbara recalled Amelia saying.
Barbara remembered how Amelia was a quiet, unemotional girl. Never got mad at anyone, never got close to anyone. She had known Amelia for three years, since Amelia had gone to work at the track.
But Amelia did live in a bad neighborhood – had, that is for Charles Town.
It certainly wasn’t a neighborhood where Amelia should walk back streets alone, she said.
Amelia was killed on a side street, a few steps from her car.
Barbara followed Amelia for awhile after they left work. Amelia wanted to stop for a drink. Thursday was her day off, and Amelia had planned to take her two sons to school.
She had also planned to take a friend to the doctor.
Christine Miller also knew Amelia. Christine is the clubhouse cashier.
“She has one speed.” Christine said. Someone would scream at Amelia, and she would go and sit in the girls’ room awhile.
Christine remembered when Amelia brought Stevie, her 9-year-old son, to the clubhouse.
He spent most of the time sitting quietly.
Amelia never talked about her ex-husband. But she wasn’t bitter, Christine said.
And, oh, Christin noted, a man from Washington had been passing a basket around Thursday and they’d already collected $100 for Amelia’s family.
Beulah Walker was Amelia’s closest friend.
“She had been in good spirits recently. No reason why. She laughed a lot.”
Beulah and Amelia have been friendly for 11 years. Amelia never cared what anyone else did, and she didn’t want anyone to enter her life either, Beulah recalled.
Amelia had worked most of her life and had grown very independent. She wasn’t looking for a new husband and she didn’t care, Beulah said.
Amelia’s boys were of average intelligence. She was proud of the fact that even though one of them had gotten in the wrong crowd, she had straightened him out.
Most of the Charles Town Clubhouse waitresses remembered Amelia. There was nothing striking about her, they said.
But maybe, Delores Haynes said, maybe her blonde hair would catch your eye.
Beulah said Amelia had soft skin and brown eyes. And bangs on her forehead.
Amelia lived in Charles Town all her life. Barbara, Delores, Christine, and Beulah had, too.
And Betty Walters. After all, Betty said, if you live in a small town, you think you’re safe. It doesn’t seem possible it could happen here.
Amelia was wearing her pale print green dress Wednesday night. When the police found her in the bushed, it had been stained by blood flowing out of her head.
Police Hunt For Killer Of Waitress
The Morning Herald (Hagerstown, Maryland) | Friday, August 29, 1969
CHARLES TOWN, W. Va. – Police are searching for a killer in connection with the death of a 33-year-old waitress who died in an ambulance on the way to Washington County Hospital Thursday morning.
Charles Town patrolman Charles W. Henry found Mrs. Amelia Kathleen Wilson behind her apartment house on South Lawrence Street about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. She was lying on the ground, unconscious and bleeding from a wound at the back of her head.
Mrs. Wilson, a divorcee with two children, was taken to Charles Town General Hospital and was transferred to Washington County Hospital about an hour later. She died on the way, about 1 a.m.
An autopsy was performed Thursday. According to Dr. Edward W. Ditto III, her death was the result of head wounds. He said it was not possible to tell if the wound at the back of Mrs. Wilson’s head was the result of a blow from a blunt instrument.
An anonymous caller reported the incident to the police. Patrolman Henry arrived to find Mrs. Wilson’s car parked on Congress Street. A door was ajar and there were blood stains on the sidewalk.
Henry Searched the area and found Mrs. Henry lying in the bushes.
Occupants of the apartment house said they heard some unusual noises outside shortly after 1 p.m. but did not investigate.
State Police trooper Gary Arthur, who is assisting in the investigation, said police are proceeding “as if it were a homicide.”
Mrs. Wilson was born in Berkeley County, the daughter of Martin E. and the late Charlotte Virginia Prather Braithwaite. She was employed with the Harry M. Stevens Corp. at the Charles Town Race Track. She was a member of the Leetown Baptist Church.
Surviving in addition to her father are sons, Gary and Stephen Wilson, both at home; brother, Max L Braithwaite of Kearneysville; sister, Mrs. Wilson Magaha of Germantown, Mrs. Archie Magaha of Dickerson, Md., Mrs. Lawrence Everhart of Middleway, and Mrs. Arthur Wenk of Purceville, W. Va.
Services will be conducted Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the Brown Funeral Home in Martinsburg, the Rev. M. F. Williams officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant View Gardens.
Friends will be received at the funeral home today from 7 to 9 p.m.
Assault Victim Dies
Beckley Post Herald | Friday, August 29, 1969
CHARLES TOWN, W. VA. (AP) - Amelia Wilson, 33, of Charles Town died Thursday in a local hospital after being attacked in front of her home late Wednesday night, Police said.
The investigation was continuing.
MRS. AMELIA K. WILSON
The Post (Frederick, Maryland) | Saturday, August 30, 1969
Mrs. Amelia Kathleen Wilson, South Laurence Street, Charles Town, W. Va., was pronounced dead at 1:30 a.m. Thursday in Boonsboro, by the Washington County medical examiner as she was being rushed from Charles Town General Hospital to the Washington County Hospital, Hagerstown. Police indicate the 33-year-old woman was clubbed to death.
She was born in Berkeley County, W. Va., the daughter of Martin E. and the late Charlotte Virginia Prather Braithwaite. She was a member of the Lee-town Baptist Church.
Surviving in addition to her father, at Middleway, are two sons, Gary and Stephen, at the home; one brother, Max L Braithwaite, RFD 1, Kearneysville, W. Va.; four sisters, Mrs. Wilson Magaha
Magaha, Germantown; Mrs. Archie Magaha, Dickerson; Mrs. Lawrence Everhart, Middleway, W. Va., and Mrs. Arthur Wenk, Purcellville, Va. A number of nieces and nephews also survive.
The family will receive friends at the Brown Funeral Home, W. King Street, Martinsburg, W. Va., Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 1:30 p.m., at the funeral home. The Rev. Millard L Williams, her pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in Pleasant View Memory Gardens.
Woman Is Beaten
The Evening Sun (Hanover, Pennsylvania) | Monday, September 1, 1969
HAGERSTOWN (AP) – A Charles Town, W.Va., woman attacked in front of her home during the night was dead on arrival early today at Washington County Hospital in Hagerstown.
Charles Town police said Amelia C. Wilson, 33, apparently died of a beating.
An autopsy was planned by the Washington County medical examiner.
Two Officers Devoting Full Time Pushing Investigation Violent Death Mrs. Wilson
Spirit of Jefferson Farmers Advocate | Thursday, September 4, 1969
T
wo law enforcement officers, State Trooper Gary Arthur and Perry Ott, of the Charles Town Police Department are now devoting full time and effort on the case of Mrs. Amelia Kathleen Wilson, 33, of Charles Town who was found dead, apparently murdered, Wednesday night, August 27, near the apartment house in which she resided.
A number of persons have been questioned by both Charles Town police and Municipal police attempt to come up with some definite clues in the violent death of Mrs. Wilson.
Mrs. Wilson, a waitress at the Charles Town Race Course, was apparently attacked about 11:10 as she was leaving her car in front of the apartment house in which she resided. The first information on the tragic death of Mrs. Wilson came to Charles Town patrolman Charles Henry when he received an anonymous telephone call at 11:35 p. m. Wednesday night, August 27 to investigate a woman's body lying in a yard in the back of the apartment house. Patrolman Henry found Mrs. Wilson lying in some weeds unconscious and bleeding profusely from the back part of the head. She was taken first to the Charles Town General Hospital and on to Washington County Hospital in Hagerstown Md. where she died enroute to the hospital. An autopsy was performed by Dr. E. W. Ditto in Hagerstown but details of the findings have not been revealed, other than that the probable cause of death was a head wound. But whether she was struck in the back of the head with a blunt instrument, or fell backwards and hit her head on the edge of the sidewalk has not been determined, it was stated.
Funeral services for Mrs. Wilson were held Saturday at 1:30 PM from the brown Funeral Home in Martinsburg with the reverend Millard E Williams of middleway, officiating. Burial was made in pleasant view Memory Gardens near Martinsburg.
Born in Berkeley County April 20, 1936, she was the daughter of Martin E and the late Charlotte Virginia Prather Braithwaite.
She was a member of the Leetown Baptist Church.
Surviving in addition to her father, at Middleway, are two sons, Gary and Stephen, at the home; one brother, Max L Braithwaite, Kearneysville, Rt. 1; four sisters - Mrs. Wilson (Anna May) Magaha, Germantown, Md.; Mrs. Archie (Virginia) Magaha, Dickerson, Md.; Mrs. Lawrence (Norma) Everhart, Middleway; Mrs. Arthur (Ruth) Wenk, Purceville, Va.; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Murderer Sought By Court
The Morning Herald (Hagerstown) | Saturday, October 11, 1969
CHARLES TOWN, W. Va. – A $1,000 reward is being offered by the Jefferson County Court and the family of Mrs. Amelia Wilson for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the murderer of Mrs. Wilson.
Mrs. Wilson was found bleeding and unconscious in some bushes at the rear of her apartment building on Congress Street on the night of August 27.
She died about 1:30 a.m. the next day while enroute to Washington County Hospital in Hagerstown. She was pronounced dead on arrival at the Maryland hospital of head injuries.
The city and state police here are still continuing their investigation.
Offering $1,000 Reward For Information On Murder Mrs. Wilson
Spirit of Jefferson Farmers Advocate | Thursday, October 16, 1969
A $1,000 reward is now being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the alleged murderer of Mrs. Amelia Wilson, who died of injuries suffered near her home on Congress street in Charles Town on August 28.
Mrs. Wilson’s family, the Braithwaites have put up $500 and this sum was matched by the Jefferson County Court, upon the recommendation of Jefferson County Prosecuting Attourney Jerome Radosh.
Charles Town City and State Police have been conducting a thorough investigation into the murder of Mrs. Wilson since it happened, but so far they have not been able to come up with any clues.
Crime Apparently Paying: Two-Year-Old Murder Unsolved
Doug Coombs
The Morning Herald | Tuesday, August 31, 1971
CHARLES TOWN, W. Va. – According to the old adage, “crime doesn’t pay”. But ask any seasoned detective he’ll tell you that every police department has its share of cases which have gone unsolved.
The files marked “open” often spend years collecting dust. Occasionally a suspect arrested in connection with a crime will confess to other offenses and clear up a string of unsolved puzzles.
Just as often, however, no one is ever brought to trial.
Such may will be the case of 33-year-old Amelia Wilson, an attractive divorcee and mother of two children, who was bludgeoned to death here two year ago.
Just before midnight on August 28, 1969 the Charles Town Police Department received an anonymous call stating that a woman was lying on the ground on Congress Street.
Officer Charles W. Henry who was sent to investigate. Parked on Congress Street near Lawrence Street was an automobile with its door partially open. Bloodstains lead across the sidewalk into some nearby bushes.
Inside the bushes Henry found Mrs. Wilson lying on the ground, unconscious and bleeding from a wound in the back of her head.
She was rushed to Charles Town General Hospital and from there to the Washington County Hospital in Hagerstown but died in the ambulance on the way.
In an autopsy the examining physician stated that she had died of head wounds but that it was impossible to determine the kind of weapon used.
Today, two years later, the case of Mrs. Wilson’s death remains a mystery.
Police Chief Perry Ott said the case is “still under investigation.” There is a suspect he says, but there isn’t enough to bring him to court.
No murder weapon was ever discovered, nor apparently was any motive for the brutal slaying uncovered.
For Mrs. Wilson’s two sons, Gary, 15, and Steven, 12, the time has passed quickly. Immediately after their mother’s death they were sent to Darnestown, Md.
This January they moved back to West Virginia to live with their uncle, Max L. Braithwaite who lives on a farm near Leetown.
News of Other Years
Spirit of Jefferson Farmers Advocate | Thursday, August 30, 1979
10 Years Ago - Mrs. Amelia Wilson was attacked and killed by an unknown assailant.