Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-12-08
DOMESTIC.
(Frosa The Ciaeinrni .ihssdge # Mo- %.
INVESTIGATION AND PARTICULARS OF A MOST BAR
EAEOES AEEAIRl

: EARoUS AFFAIR."
y An investigation yesterday made at the wesley
Chapel, ths city, which divugcs facts OF lie most
extraordinary character that were known to exist
in the history Of deprav,v, within the precincts Of Yin.
cinna, We have not now room, nor time su'hcien,,
TO give detailed account of the trial, or the evidence
which heard, in reference TO the The Secrc-
tary OF the Committee OF Investigation, noied down
the evidence as il in, end will soon publish
report OF the proceedings, embracing all the important
particulars touching the matter, when the public can
decide the question of guilt relative TO the pares nl-
pcated in The brutal cfueltics, which said to have
been perpetrated.
i Suffice it, therefore, for the present. TO say, that
number Of persons, both male and female, all family
connexions all wealthy, and hitherto considered emi
nently respec tabe, and ALL believe, members OF the
/ church. and two Of whom are aged minister OF the
Gospel end his wife, yesterday brought before an
/ Investigating Committee of Methodist cergynrn in
this city, to charges preferred against them by
brother in the church, having been guilty OF such SINS
both of omission and commission, as ill the mind Win
| horror but 10 name them!
To be as brief as possible and to give in condensed
| form, the facts adduced to sustain The allegations
against the accused, and which were not successful.
y contradcted satisfactorily dsproved by witnesses
for the defence-it appears that, about the loth OF
July last, it became known 10 certain persons re-
siding in the same neghborhood in this city, that
woman named Stibbs, who was ntnetyt1e gears DID,
lying in the house of her son, Mr. Samuel Stubs,
in so utterly miserable condition, that the scene
almost de6es description. According to the evidence
adduced this Tretched woman, whose tot,erlng limbs
bent beneath the burden of nearly an hundred
years, was confined by lock and key in dismal
room, from which she was seldom allowed TO es'
cape ami d the nest loahsome and dsgustfu objects
that the mind of man conceive. II appears that
she was brough! and left either in the alley by or the
piazza TO tho house, during heavy fall OF rain; and
when at different times afterwards, she was visled IN
the room above mentioned, by neghboring men and
women, her situation is described by the witnesses as
being horrible to the last degree To use the language
of the witnesses themselves in describing II: She was
stretched upon her back, black, ragged mattrass,
with no bed clothes for covering but ragged quilt
her head resting dirty, black pillow-her feeble
body partially clad in tatered garmen;s-her matted
hair completely filled with disgusting vermin she was
swelterng in her own filth and when the vslter lifted
her up such vile stencil from her bed, and filled
the room as it scarcely possible to endure
When Mrs. Coppin went to see this wreiched rea-
ue she found the doors of the house locked, and one
babe her enter when she knocked She heard heart
rending groans, and determined 10 effect an en-
ira nee into the room where Mrs. Sbbs lay suffering,
which she finally accomplished by going in through an
sentry way" When the unhappy Invalid saw her,
she stretched her trembling toward Heaven and
blessed God for sending her delverer. She seized
and held her hand with death-llke grasp, and I'M
plored her assisance-begged that she might be sent
to The Poor Household her suferngs, and prayed that
they might be allevated. A small girl entered the
room, and Mrs. Coppn inquired of her who took care
care Of her An Irish servant girl also came IN and
expressed great delight that Mrs Coppn had come to
relieve Mrs. Stibbs; who she said was abused most
DIRE adfuly-but che afraid TO make it known abrond
On Subsequent occasion, when this witness visited
The place. the pnoy furnishing old lady asked her son
for an apple, and told in reply that she did not
want any She also desired TO go to the lire; but Mr.
Si5bs replied that she did not want to go 10 the fire
that she would only tumble about she attempted 10
do go.
The weather was then cold and uncomfortable; still
the old lady was clothed but in rags Her dress was
rome from her knees downward, and The sleeves from
below her elbows. When her son-in-law, Reserend
Robert Richardson, told that unless better care was
taken of his mother in law she would die, he Is repre-
serted have said, Ie her die then; she old, and
has lived long enough
The son inaw the son, sud several OF the daugh. |
ters repeatedly desired TO contribute TO the reef
Of their furnishing motEer-hey refused and neglected
to do so-one answering that he had done enough for
her already-anoher, that she could not visit her,
account Of sore foot-nor would she permit her ch,l
dren 10 90 to her that some peo
pie were always meddlng with the business of others
that they were fools, and would get no thanks, DC.
At one time, when the mother asked for food, the
children denied it to herwhereupon, she exclaimed
several times in agony of spirit, They disown me =
they disown me =
But, though the distress OF the mother unheeded
and uDalevised by her and daughters, the SYM
pathes Of plying strangers at length, compelled the
latter 10 provide for Mrs Stibbs more decent and
comfortable subsistence. She finally clothed and
fed. and we'll cared for. The hair was shaved from
her head, and the vermin destroyed with mercural
ointment.
Mrs Stibhs is now dead and her troubles and suf. |
ferinrs whatever they were, are all forgotten She
lived in gref-she died in despair-muy che rest IN
peace.
: The foregoing is but very imperfect sketch of the
particulars which have transpred in relation TO this
subject; but, the report OF the committee VIII be
uucf hp hrIpF Tnrf hp
present. AS excuse for combining Mrs. Stubs, 1t is
alleged that she insane but this assertion receives
lille If any credence where Mrs. S. was known. The
vestry room of the Chapel crowded with spectators
during the progress oi the examination ana never
have we before witnessed such universal and strong
indignation as manifested against the parties i'm
plicaied in the charges OF msd-meunor, on this coca
sion.
Coz. WEBB-We noticed that James Watson Webb
had been pardoned. We copy from the n. Y Express
the following card Of Col Webb and the pardon OF Gov
Seward:
In Justice to the Executive, place before the public
the following official document; and desire to avail
myself of this occasion to express my grateful apPre'
citation of the generous sympaties exhibited by my
friends and fellow citizens both here and in other Sec
tons of tue State pending my recent incarceration
To nv contemporaries Of the press OF the country,
with some very unimportant exceptions, and to the
great body Of my political opponents, my heartfelt ac-
are Jnsly ouc, ahu III ni eiHSeiiey
most cheerully rendered; and although consci.
GUS that it was the principle involved in my case, and
not mere personal teelng-a natural horror Of PER
sEcUros Of every kind, and not regard Tor the indvi.
dual prosecuted has reused the symPathies OF
The community in my BEHALF cannot but feel that
owe to those sympalhes and to the love of justice
whence they emanac, the triumphant justification of
the Executive for his prompt n.eposi,ion of The par.
doning power J. WATSON WEBB.
New York, Nov 90, 1912
The People Of The Slate Of .Ner York:
To all 10 whom these Presents shall come:
Whereas at Cour, Of General Sessions ofthe Peace,
held in and for the city and county Of New York. in the
month of November, 1912, James Watson Webb was
of leaving this State for the purpose Of Civ
ing or receiving challenge 10 fight duel with deadly
weapons, and giving receiving challenge, and was
,beeupon sentenced be imprisoned in the State Pr-
son at hard labor for the term of two and where
- I'LL hahn &C ikal