Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-11-23
MAJOR OPIE'S DEATH.

l ~ 10 t"e isfit0T ~ the Raleigh Star.
| PURSUANT 10 an UNANIMOUS resolution
OF TIE persons who were on SUNDAY, the
| 3lst OF October, convened as an inquest
10 inquire into the circumstances attend
ing and producing the death of the late
Leroy Opie, who died on Saturday night.
| transmit TO you the inquisition, with
some OF the most prominent circumstan-
ces OF the case, attended by the Resou-
| ton imposing this duty on me. as Fore
man OF the inquest.
Yours, &c. G.. A. HALL.
THE INQUISITION.
Inc inquest ind aud on oath say, from the
evidence before them, that Leroy Opie was IA
passenger IN the Southern stage on We'd
nesday evening the 9th inst. which stage was
| to arrive at WarrentoD about O'Clock. p. M.
of that day. That a certain lad called Ell
drige Clifton, about Is years of age. badly
grown. and OF sorry appearance as to bodily
strength, was driving the stage-that thro' the
inatteHtion and inability of the driver. the
horses ran away with the stage near Fishing
creek Bridge, about two miles north of War
renton-that Leroy Opie, in endeayoring to
get clear OF the stage, while the horses were
running, received the wounds and Commissions
OF which he died on Saturday evening abont
half after o'clock &c
This unfortunate occurrence was attended
by the following circumstances, as detailed by
evidence TO the inquest
On Wednesday evening. abouf the time
when the stage ought to have arrived at War
TentOn, Clifton arrived on foot aud made the
following communication to Mr. John M
Johnson, keeper OF the stage house, viz that
shortly after the stage had crossed the bridge
aforesaid he was hailed by a man who ordered
hlm TO stop; upon his refusal he received
While setting on his seat, stroke on the hack
part OF the calf of his leg, which knocked him
from the stage, the horses ran off, aud he en-
deavoured to get hold on the hind part of fhe
tailed nine, tI,
be saw the passenger, Leroy Opie living at
short distance from the place where he OCIif-
tom had been knocked off that in passing by
tue passenger, he called him, but receiving no
answer he feared he was dead. Clifton saw
no more of the stage, until found by Mr.. Jehn-
son and others. Clifton further stated that
after he was forced from the stage by the
aforesaid stroke, he saw no person at, near, or
pursuing the stage; j. Nj. johnson (keeper,
&c) states, that pursuant to the information
received by Clifton. he raised a few persons
and dispatched them to the aid of the nnfor-
inmate passenger, and inns ediately followed
attended by DIR. Davis. The deceased was
Iou 10 ABOUT % yards from the bridge, setting
up III a small gully, evidencing every symptom
OF mental arrangement. In his pockets were
fOnDd considerable sum of money He was
brought to MIR. JOhnsoD's house and continued
insenSlble until Saturday evening, when he
dIed. Some considerable donbts were enter
tanned a. TO the truth of CIifton's story. which
induced wish to see the effects ofthat stroke
| received as above, which might have been SO
violent as to have displaced him from his
seat. Mr. Johnson requested TO see il early
next morning, but Clifton told him there was
| no sigB of bruse.
DR. Davis, Physician and Surgeon. who at
tended the deceased entirely conceded with
the Inquest, that the deceased, came In his
death by wounds received in getting from the
stage, The inquest. from the general charac.
ter OF the driver, and all the circumstances Of
| tbe case, entertain not the most distant idea
| that any attack was made on him. hut that no
was, IN all probability, asleep and fell, and that
thea the horses started off.
The undersigned, persons composing tbe a.
| foTesaid Inquest, all citizens of WaTrentou.
| have marked with deep regret, the MANY ac,
| cideDts which in few years have occurred
near this place to stage passengers. They are
| decidedly aud unanimously Of opinien. that
| these have occurred through the nnftness Of
| the drivers, who have been employed by the
| present Contractor.
On motion, ResoiJed That the Foreman of
| the inquest transmitthe above to the editor of
| the State paper for publication.
q. A. Hall. Foreman, Thomas Brarp.
Thomas y. Jones, Joseph Green
] Joseph Andrews, Carter Nupnery
Alexr CTOplaud, John Anderson.
Benjamin Cook Amons Sled0e
Archilaus PluUkett, Peter Mitchell,
Edward Pattillo.
| UarreRton, N. &. oct. 81, 1910.
GEORGIA LEGISLATURE.
EXTRACT or A LETTER-DATED
+" MHiedgerius Geo.) Nou. 8, 1919.
On Saturday last. the legislature o
II A