Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1853-08-03
NUMBER 2s.
RICHMOND WIG.
LOCAL AFFAIRS.

u LOCiL AFFAIRS.
\ THE MYSTERIOUS ATTuR IN HESRfco-srppo..n NJ.
DER AND RoBRERI or a STRANGE NAS-ws have .l,..Ax
given two or more notices. in relation 10 tho facts oopu.e
'eu with this mysterious affair. No regular examination
oeing had before Monday last our Inform atioa peev;oa.
' was entirely foanded upon reports which however h
' As ehe'ed upon the examination, proved to very
considerable extent TO be correct We give TO dsy fa
report OF the evidence offered Monday the Henri
co county Court House in this city, before the Justice,
presiding at the regular the Magistrates Court s
Henrico. The following are the Jpstices nr.,,a;n,
John j. Garrett, Henry Cox Thomas s. Dickinson. Joh,
Nettlss, and Spotswood g. Waldrop
before the examination Of witnesses was proceeded
"' Mr.. August stated that the party, viz Johu Brown
'hg' john H. smooihe. and William James Thorps,
appeared before the court charged with com.
mi'''ng robbery upon person whose name il net
known. -
ne vas engaged for Browning and Thorpe
In Ouer that full and ample Justice should be done to
'ne party was necessary that their examination should
be separate II thew before the court unon ,hsr
final trial they would beyond doubt h. =, ,,A..,-
sever and stand aseparate trial even tbouob ;o,,I
eagued in the commission Of the offence II ucb ,b -.
gu'y o. He was not aware of any special inhf,i,to
'onlehng aJoint examination to be had nor of anx l,x
P'"''0y O their right to separate trial There was
o out that IN one aspect Of that case two of ,b
party could be esteemed competent wtnesse. for tho 60.
IN case the court would consent to separate ,,
ne" code went into operation the Commonwealth bs -
u ueeiiei advantage over persons charged with
"e eOni''Ai OF an offence That was that while two
'-te persons may be jointly charged the Common
wealth mad right to the evidence of apv of them
against bis aecomplice VIII lie the same advantage Wa.
withheld from the accused If the party ara triad o;
the benefit Of the testimony of one 70 the o,b.s IN
\ cessarily be excluded
Il tried separately the others will asa coD.,....
eG 10 Tue beneht Of the evidence of some one of ba
L ne oeheVed that Justice would not be done TO
e party they are subjected Joint trial and tberebv
GeprVed oi the benefit of the testimony of some ~ -
! them. ' VI sO"e one OF
Mr.. Young for the Commonwealth stated ,b., so r, .
In criminal jurisprudence went the appli
cation IN that connection was unprecedented He aad
upon Mr. August the counsel for the prisoners TO produce
any act OF Assembly which would authorize the Court t
Yield to his application He admitted the right
ers 10 be tried separately before jury but not before
| emplated, "S e"N-
Inc constitution of that court as preliminary .on,.
" eAamnauon not eomprehended in any common law
a'ule, was necessarily exempt from its operation II
As "eIey constituted as preliminary court of exami
nation and such became the iuty of the s.5i
justices TO take the most comprekens action 70 dse
% sui' OF innocence OF the party before sending them
lie was of opinion that the application Of tho .onsI
4 for the prisoners should not be granted ~ 'O1"sei
] Mr. Crunip, who also concerned G.. a. r-;..
followed in support Of Mr. AugustNs argpmani a - ,hs
Hght 70 grant separate trial The Court refused the an
/ Mrs su'an Lawrence was sworn and examined Oh
SAID she WAs seated at the dinner table in her ,rd d
ru OAK uee about the 9th or Tth of last month Saw
"a eoi.s towards her house, and pass a well in the
yard, where he stopped for some minutes He io;,r5
there as II anxious some person She told r. ,I
boy to take pitcher and go 10 the we'll Ina, be
certain nom him what he wanted The how soon -e;y
ed and informed her that be wanted 40 cn 20 ,t - g.
! immediately went and opened the bar While she We
% 'he place, be was standing with his elbow
'sst the porch As he entered he asked her she bad
any rum, she replied not but that she had SOM, LjL
lie then ordered some of that and having taken Ti5L
seated himself on small cask in the store He sat down
ts much iaugued He talked about the ereat hest Of
the weather. As she looked across the road obot 10
lime she saw SmOothe and Browning waking acroSs to
wards the house. just as thev entered TJ.o
came on alter them. Browning asked her -
was Mr.. Lawrence; she told him he was In piL
mond Browning asked the man where he came ta,
he sAd Canada lie then inquired what he ras Uo 70
li 80 ~ tn'ier' "hat INNER, inquired Browning A gold
INNER or even coal miner replied the st,,,gsS I9
,S then looked towards her if he wanted To saw so
s u ueF ia private He went into the porch stil ook
ins towards her a. fhe anxious to tell her
cue went 10 ascertain what he had to saw He toId b.
'At H4h vas rohbeT She inquired how he could ,v
SHOWN IT, lie said there were twelve men durn,, -: ~
J." pursuit OF him, as he had robbed some ren,le ~
ooAu packet boat OF S5O and that a reward az So
CHered ior his apprehension The sraDser ;,,o,;s =
neI she could LEI him have his dinAeF She ala We
aad accordingly ushered him into room vbs-o 5o 80,
u"e' AFTER settling bis hin he left wishing her goo5
oye In minute after she won't to d. 5.esSs-
the store, aud saw him arrested bv Rrn,, ' 80 o III ~
'O'd OF hm by the right hand holding In the otber
'uer s'faP winch she supposed Intended 70 Tie the
.n"sr' Shoothe also had hold OF him bv the bosor,
N'thone hand. while he endeavored to put the o,b ,
the mans pocket The mans coat was of and ,Era.
le'o7s ms shoulders She said it shame TO r.at
s-u ger I'D such a way They endeavored 70 force ne
coli away, and he complained 10 her Of the trs.t,,
winch they were giving aim. For Heavens sake ssiIb
'',te any "a" IN THIS coaniry to protect She
,l thrFe sas and desired him 20 along with them spd
% he Nas innocent he would be DISCHARGED without s,
INJURY being done TO him. She under The inpressio1
that they sought 20 take him 10 a Magistrate
They then departed, Browning having hold Of him bv
To- reply to Mr. Young she sai that Thorpe had not,
hnui on him during the time The man asked tber, vb,
authority they bad 70 arrest him Smootbe aid h.. ~
au ,llcer' ana hat mi authority take him
1 ,5I'' examined by Mr. Crump. When Browning ar..
seized him he had his across his arm He r. -
was enicavorng TO tie him With the leather ,, SiII
nor say positively IN what hand be held te str,p coj
9oi -a{ whether or not he put the srap on his hand
omouihe bad hold Of him by the bosSp, Ro,h 49,
were iet loose before they left The tbrec ps,.,,S'
Smoo'he and Thorpe, returned the bar room and tooi
''A o'on, The s'raAger also took drink At bis own
expense and gave browning chew Of tobacco for which
he asked him As they were leaving he requested of tb
% take him 70 Richmond as be was bound for nat mac
hy said not but that he should 60 back to the boat which
e Foo'ed Did not see them lay hold OF hn after that
Dd not hear them say they wanted to search him for bs
money hich they said he had stolen He w,t a man ~
ged complexion, ght hair, snd blue ewes about tuenty
hVc years old Before they let he took his pocket Book
ont Co pay her some money n their presence Her Aouse
r situated on the Turnpike road about seven miles rom
the city. '0"'
ln reply 20 Mr. August she said IL vas about o'clock
n th5 afternoon when the stranger come % her house
Did not see where be came from She merely heard him
GET. The other party be from Canada Browning and
Sn'o'he noi Eve minutes in The house when Torp,
entered.
Mosby lawrence, son Of preceding witness. VA. ne,,
sworn Ills testimony on entire corroboraton ~ tbt
offered hv bis mother-the preceding ui,ness
Mrs. Eliza Anne Ford vas seorn, abs said that the pri
sougfs up her houac with the strspve r,,r -
6h or 1h Of last month Mr. Absslors Blaetburn wss m
front Of her house wing bis horse NJ y ,sto5 tb
TB8s Iney We go"E and Who The strange man va
80 ,ep'ed toat he person who rotboJ = -.
- 1 mofEng Of ESQ, and we're pleased that tbev r.t
~ he could direct them vhst course 20 tsks In this
e''1' NJ ~ asked them where they Intended a t,ke
NJ, luey replied, 10 Magistrate. Tie then inquired sbst
s,i ,,Fa'e browning answered Mr. Gayohrook smootbe
80. ~ should not 60 b ha he continued that tso
AL -. eni coiorcd man came 20 bic house that d,y
sr 40 ,sol him 70 pursue this person that he had
ho 80 ri, Iin boat Brosuing saii ihgy sould bring
-.- r wv -. Ihn .aLI be .ILI loo. -