The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-08-05

meriw and nv their fpiri,ei rtmsnhranee,,. =,
length induced him, though with aPparen;
reluctance. to move the maniac TO another
ROOM.
Your committee in this place think proper
TO tate, that though the Nberihf, when he pitt
the maniac into the fame room with Mr.. OF
1 born, did not deem Il necei1arv to make any
communication to him on the fiibieet, or tn give
nm any caution To guard himfeif from any at
tempt which might be made upon him : yet
when he was Afterwards placed in the room
with the two criminals. which. however, was
not done till their content had frft been obtain
ed, the ihetiH was particular in defcribing to
them the ituation Of his mind, the cagfe Of his
imprIionment, and in warming them To keep
from his reach, knives, forks and every other
inifrument with which he might do them an in
| jury as he con6dered him dangerous room
mate. Your committee mention the conduct
OF the fheriff in this particular 20 the two cri-
m,nals, not TO cenfnre bat to applaud -every
principle of duty as fheriff, Of humanity and in
tegr'tv as an Individual, they conceive, required
that he Mould have given the warning that he
did, and that hlence would have been dirhoncft,
bafe and cruel Whether like courfe ought
NOT to have been purified with refpe6 to Mr..
Oiborn-whether it was not equally improper
that he Gould have been left IN feeble health,
| expoft to the caprice and the phrenzy #
itout and athletic mailman, your committee
leave to this meeting and the world TO judge.
Your committee further report, that on the
soth day of June, the two criminals before men
! toned. were taken out ofthe room wheee they
| had TIL that time been confined, and put into
the fame room with Mr.. Oh 9rn. wh-re they
tiIl remain, notwithstanding remonfrances have
| been made TO the fheriff in writing, by COM
mistee Appointed for that purpofe, copies of
which are herewith prefented as pare of this re-
| port.
| Your committee further report, that the rca-
fon aligned by the fheriff for placing the faid
criminals in the fame room with Mr. Ofboru,
was, That by law he had no right to contine
! debtors and criminals in the fame apartment.
that MIR. Oiborn being criminal. that to make
| room for debtors 1t became neceffary to coi,fine
| them all together" Your committee on this
point Fate that the fheriff, till the faid two cri-
minaIs were placed with Mr.. Oiborn, has acted
as If totally regardless of what he nnw claims IN
| he Iaw-that previous to that time he was in
| the eonRanf ba5a Of imprifSning debtors in the
| fame room with Mr.. Ofborn, who indeed have
uniformly crnhdered it privlege-That be-
fore Mr.. Ofbcrn's imprisonment, when the room
now occupied by him was 1,aeant, and in.e,
the therif has frequently confined debtors in the
fame room with criminals committed for flo
nieJ-That at the time the fad criminals were
confined with Mr.. Ofborn, there was but one
debtor. unlefs he alto be conhdcred as fuch in
iail-That this debtor, ON his frN arrival in.
treated to be confined with him, but the fherif
| by force dragged him from his door, and fhut
him up with the criminals-That on the 10th
! day of July init. this debtor was liberated. and
| none other left in Jail. notwithstanding which,
the criminals ffii remained with Mr. Oiborn,
though the iheriff had engaged that in fuch cafe
they 7ihould De removed. And your commit
tee farther fate, tina. there is no fuch law as
that claimed by the fheriff in juffifcation of his
| treatment to Mr.. Oiborn. The ftatute of this
fate directs &c that debtors and feien, GaI not
be confined in the fame ROOM" and even iheriff
Landon, it is prefumed, will not pretend that
| NON eonrbIianee with the order of a county court
is .fslOay. Notwithstanding maniac, Whole
hands were reekipg with the blood of innocencc,
was let loofe upon Mr.. Ofborn; notwithftand-
| ing he was removed with apparent reluctance
and notwithstanding his place has fince been
Implied by two criminals, both committed for
uapiiai offrucrs: yet your committee will no,
| for moment eatertain the idea, that this and
| other rigorous treatment, adopted towards him
has proceeded from deliberate dclign entirely
to terminate his exifence; but they heiitate
not to FAY, that this courie of treatment If per-
lifted in, will, in their opinion, be very likely
TO reiult in his death.
Lifekfrld, Juy ] stb, 1906.
| Rejolved, That the doings of this meeting
Including the above report, be pubfhed in the
next Witnefs.' ~
Ref'lDed fNrfksr, That for the purpofe Ct pro.
curing information from time to time, refpeo.
iug Mr.. Oiborn's health, ftuation, &c. tina,
| Meirs. Reuben Weblter, Mofes Seymour, ir
and Ozlas Lewis, jr. be a Handing committee
who are hereby requefted. in behalf of this meet
ing, to Witt the prifon daily, and learn the Rate
OF Mr.. Ofborn's health, the hate of the air in
faid Prifop, the fate of the prifoners confined
with him, and every other particular of impor
rance respecting his tituation, and publih The
lame weekly IN iuch of the republican papers il
this fate, as they deem proper.
Attef,
| "a MOSES SEYMOUR, Jun. elk.