The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-11-09

of atfocity, was committed on The body Of Miss
ELIzAteTH REEVES, of this city, aged H.
The sympathy which prevailed throughout the
city for the fate of this unfortunate gir, is still
fresh in the recollection of many Of the citizens
Governor Miflin issued a Proclamation Offering
reward Of 800 dollars for the discovery Of the
murderers, but without effect. Eighteen years
had rolled away, without being able to discover
the perpetrators, the whole circumstance was
fast consigning to oblivion, and justice appa.
rently slunbering till the Last Day, when,- on
sudden, light shines forth on this deed of dark
ness, and clue is given whereby to trace it
Last Saturday, CHARLES BRACES late Con-
stable in this city, committed to jail, after
hearing before the Mayor, charged with strong
suspicion of the aforesaid Murder, on the con.
fession Of his step mother, then at the point of
death. The statement she is said to have made
on oath Isl the following import: That on the
night on which Elizabeth Reeves was murdered,
the accused came to his fathers house with his
clothes covered with blood, took Oft his shirt,
threw it into a wash tub, and washed the blood
otfit.--That he was for some time afterwards We
~ restless in his sleep, and would often make
frightul Explanations. In the dead of night,
soon after the murder Of Miss Reeves, she the
step mother, heard him groaa, and went up into
b: a:a ash:.:i biz: =:
he answered, that ayoung woman had Just been
| in the room, with lighted candle in her hand,
that lie had his face towards her when she first
entered the room, but he turned his back to her
| as SION as he saw her These, and some other
occurrences, had induced her to suspect the ac-
cused of the murder, and she could not die in
peace without divulSing what she knew respect
ing it. The accused asserts his innocence, and
Says that he prove that he in the state of
| Virginia, at the time Miss Reeves was murdered
He afterwards admitted that he was at home at
HAL
offering srcwsrd forthe murderer, and di' not
go to Virginia until the year after. Another man
| who with the accused at his fathers on the
night of the murder, and who does not now live
in this state, has likewise been accused, by the
same woman, of being concerned with him in
tine murder, and we understand that a stock buc-
kle, which was found in the hands of the corpse,
is marked with the Initials of that mans name.
The following circumstan,ial account of the
Murder is copied from Duniap's American Dali
ly Advertiser, and cannot fail to be interesting
at this moment. The almost prophetical remark
lof Capt DuniSP, that the time would come when
the perpetrator of this foul murder, although he
should "take refuge in the hollows OF the
mountains or IN the bottom of the deep abyss,
must and will be ,omitted up again to appease
the justice of the virtGous lvng,''-wiIl strike
the reader as singularly mphatcaL-Freeinan's
lSOsrnai
Saturday August 18, 1792
Thursday morning the corpse of a Young wo.
man was found in one of the docks near Kensing-
ton; an inquest sat upon the body, but we have
not yet leaant their verdict. Report is, that the,
brought in--FyiIfai a,.nrder by7eerson, xnknozpn
fthls, however we shall soon be able to lay the
particulars before our readers In the NEAR
while we cannot refrain from communicating
such intelligent as has come within the range
of our enquiry Her name is ELIzABETP
REEVES, about IL years of age-handsome--
apprentice to mantua maker, and courted by q
young tradesrnan OF the vicinity, to whom it was
: reported she was shortly to be espoused
, In the afternoon Of Wednesday,, after her
work was done, she had requested leave of her
mistress to take walk TO market, to purchase
some fruit for which purpose she had obtained
liberty, and small sum of money, from her mis-
tress who saw no more other until yesterday ;
when, as IT has been traced. boy, being on the
fatal wharf at very early hour, observed a MIA,
heauing stones something. 1ehich the boy 500,
discovered to be the dead BODY of man or woman
he couidnot tell which thar rhe insfon, The ma,
s0zp the boy, he tedped into 6affeau, and pushed
oFd jewyards to q shall0p, thar lay convenient,
to (Which he made fast the 6atfeaI, and then board
ing the shaop. the ianrr u off sOifh the tide do.sn
me r,oer syhich favourable to the design AT
this moment
The body of female with gold earrings, and
some other marks of responsibility, soon attract.
ed the notice OF the cItIZenS,----~and the noise
reaching the ears of her mistress and an uncle
for the unfortunate girl was orphan) her per.
son was soon ascertalned. A comb which abe
wore in her hair was found at some PAGES distant
lying in contact with msn's black crayat, which
has been supposed TO belong To-! Humani
lty forbids proceeding in this horrid recital
except TO Mention that some officers belonging
TO the custom house sent off boat, as did seve-
raj others, after the shallop before mentioned
Justics Goats took an active part 10 investi-
gate and discover the perpetrators of ibis infer
: nal deed-profess onal persons of both sexes
, were brought to examine the body, and it was
the opinion of the women that the unhappy girl
> had been-----and then murdered from the
marks of violence on her face and other parts
Surely the earth and sea combined could moi
hide william of SO deep die as he who could
have committed crime like this--let him take
refuge in Tie hollows of the mountains, or in the
bottom ut the deep abyss,--he must and will be
ivomtted up again TO appease the justice of the
virtuous living.
Srst as this PAPER scds going to Press zoe receie
edhef oHosSing
On the morning OF the 18th inst. the body o.
Elizabeth Reepes was found in the dock next tc
Warders wharf, Northern Liberties. The Jur,
Of Inquest brought in their Verdicl--Will!ull,
e murdered by some person or persons unknu VII
and thrown into the river.
PEGGY PATTEPAN, AT EATON.
4 Il .TEU D'ESPRIT.