The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-12-06
LOCAL MArrERs.

Y. 8, CIRcuIr CouRT--Judge HALYBUR-
oN,.presiding The trial Of John Hood lad about
a Jsass Ct age charged with robbns the u 8.
caa;s a on sns zash q July s came on before thjs
iord appearing for the defence, aud John A. Grego-
e. ESD for the Prosecution. The prisoner was in
frankly confessed having puroiaed letter containing
sne halt OF two Sloo notes. which were mailed BY
Mr. Davis q Oak Level post Office, to house New
10Th. without giving the evidences In detail, we
wt endesvor to furnish its substance. On reaching
9nfs omce, the prisoner says the Post Master at
snat place assorted the mail and cemins the letter
containing the pieces of bank notes. that Il
contained money Hearing this. he watched an op-
poftunty, and when the post master turned his back
ne seized upon and eoneesied it, On arriving Lib
for wafer, andgin the presence of Mr. Parker the
Post MASTER endesvered TO put the pieces together
but they would not fit. Mr.. Parker on seeing what
he was attempting to do went to him, took posses
sion of the parts OF notes and asked John where he
obtained thon. The reply was that his father gave
sonversation the little fellow made clean breast Of
the whole affair." frankly admitting that he had taken
them from the mail.
Mr.. Gregory merely read the law. and explained to
the jury their duty. He regretted that there
shadow of doubt the gsilt of the accus ed for
ne fol. assured that would be less painful the
Jury than TO himself, to child to the
states Prison Ii the jury found the prisoner guilty,
be trusted that they would nd him to the cls
mency OF the President, 10 which petition he would
Mr.. johnson did not design arguing the case He
appeared iof the prisoner act of cha. ty, be-
lures, ho had claimed bis ntercesson, and because
the accused child only thirteen years of
age without education, any of those moral train
80 essential to the virtue and integrity of the
youth of the land If the jury could fad It censis-
their oaths to acquit the accused he trust
ed 10 God they would do so believing that the lesson
he had already been taught would hereafter prevent
MN from ecumitting crime The law made the of
fence punishable by confinement in the States Pri-
son tor not less than ten years He thought that such
8 sentence wOuld be too for
During the remarks of the counsel. the prisoner
wept most bitterly and when one of the jurors en-.
quired of Mr. Parker if he confessed the crime the
iinle fellow sobbed out Yes l took it" Poor boy,
the seal OF crime, young he s has been set upon
him, never to be obiteratsd. True, he may live to
become respectable aud worthy citzen-but that
fatal as hs no doubt was of the
enormity OF the offence he was committing when he
took twill stand sign post pointing the finger
of scorn to him, while life shall last for there are
those who treasure the errors, of others that they
may nave them tor use when suited to their purpo-'
-ses -tasssss1 e,-..ts s.-rl . ~.-.-s =.
The government should take warning by this case
and resolve at once to employ no boys as mail
carriers. BE they never so honest and well disposed
to do what snght the temptation Is one too great for
their strenghone that they shCsd not be subjected
to. John Hood, as we have already said, could
neither read nor write. Had not one of the Post
Masters informed him that there money in let.
ter to be entrusted to his care he would not have
known it. But learning that fact, and knowing the
degradation, priyation and wants to which his parents
were suhjected and doubt believing that he could
purtoin it without detection he yielded the temp
tation ans fell. 7 Is
When tae remarks of the counsel were concluded.
tha jury xetired for few minutes, and on their re-
turn rendered verdict against the prisoner of guilty.
but strongly commended him to the cemency of the
President, IN whom alone the pardoning power is
vested Apetiton will be at once drawn up and sent
on to Washington signed by the r. s. District Attor-
ney and the jurors and iIthe meantime the sentence
will bo deferred to give time to hear the result
which, We sincerely trust for the sake of humanity
will be favorable.