The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-09-27

ExAMIsArsox on Chaser o. 81 Any. ~
IT. exsmiuallcn ofBeDjasnin ~ Prousise. aSara4
Win the crime of bsamy, csnse Of yeseosday mof5
ing before justices Nctfies and Garnet - the Hen
rico county court huuse. A m0tion 70 qnash IL
warrant Of commitment made b. tho counsel for
the dssence was overruled and the enmhadoA Of
uitreases gone into.
. c. B. Melado, the nrss witness examinsd, tessi-
ded that In ihe spdsa Of 1853 lady came 10 his
house to procure lodging for night Ai6FR he
refused 10 admit her, She thea drew from her
rocket letter from Q member Of congress, uote
from justice Of the peace, and several letsars
from citixens Of the corporation Of Peesfburs,
Pennsylvania all very favorable to her character.
TIE witness then agreed to permit her TO stay. she
said that abe was known In Richmond . Mary
Hunter and would be glad II the witness would not
disclose her real NAME. ~ 81 &
(The counsel for the defence here interrupted the
witness, ON the ground that was heafsay evidence
and from q woman who. II really the prisoners
wife, would mot be permitted to testify. The OBJ
lection was Oyerruled aud the witness directed to
proceed) When the supper bell rang, she declined
might be sent to her. Alter supper she said that for
proper reasons she wished to conceal her real
name, and desired to be called Mary Hunter, which
was her name before marriage. She said that che
had heard good deal Of the tine farms 10 the neigh
borhood of Richmond, and had also heard Of man
named Prentiss and asked II the witness knew
Prentiss Witness said he knew q man named Prem.
tiss and after hearing an accurate description Of bis
person and manners from the woman, said that the
man she described and the one he knew were the
same. She then said: He II married. Witness re-
piled: Yes, and got some property by his WIFE, The
woman then drew forth piece OF paper, and hand.
ing 1t to McIndo, said What do you think Of THAR
McIndo read II, and was astonished to find that II
was certificate OF her marriage to the prisoner,
Prentiss 1t was Issued from Miilin county court in
Pennsylvania She said that about thirteen years
ago, Prentiss had spent quantity Of money, and
run in debt for horses which he drove OF for SALE
He was horse trader BY profession.
During the thirteen years that had elapsed since
his departure she had made every effort to discov
O. him. She had visited Canada, where she heard
he was and also Illinois, At last she heard that he
was living In Richmond, and borr owing money
enough to pay her passage, had left two children Of
Premises at home, and had come on to find him
She said she did not wish to ipjure her husband,
nor to interfere with the happiness of his present
wife, but she had two children who were to be
brought up and educated, and she wished him to
contribute towards it. The next morning the wit.
mess, whose feelings were worked upon by the wo-
mans tale of her suferings, agreed to 90 with her
to lawyer who would undertake her case. Mr.
McIndo went on to state that the services OF law
by them on behalf of the woman with counsel for
Prentiss-that it was stated that P. denied being
married to her; but was willing to pay one or two
hundred dollars rather than his wife's feelings
should be hurt by the accusation-that the woman
demanded $4,000; but that ultimately $500 was
and the remainder upon her arrival at Petersburg
and the receipt of officers certificate that she had
so arrived. .7sy e.E
After she had arrived at her home IN Pennsylvania
the witness received letter stating that she intend
ed to apply divorce from Prentiss so as to keep
him from ever getting his hands on the $500 she
had received. She hoped she had not interfered
with the happiness of his present wife. She knew
she had not meant to do 20. Witness said that one
of the propositions made to the woman while she
was in Richmond was, to get her to sign paper
saying that she had never been married to Prentiss
This she refused to do saying that all the money II
the world would not induce her to do 1t. The
woman had said that Jonathan Prentiss, brother tc
the prisoner, had run Off from his home with thu
prisoner,
Joseph Barnard testified that Prentiss was mar
ried here in 1S41. His brother, Jonathan Prentiss
had been living with him up to the present time
Does not know where Jonathan Prentiss Is now.
Mr.. - Harris testified that jonathan Prentisi
was at his house Tuesday morning, the Goth Sep
temberi thinks he started to come to Richmond =
Janathan Prentiss knew of the examination of hi
brother, which was to come off.
After the close of the evidence, a motion was sub
mitted by the counsel for the defence to bail thu
prisoner, the court having determined to send hin
on to the examining court, which meets on Mon
day next. This motion was strenuously opposed
by Mr.. w. w. Crump, who acted as prosecutor =
The court refused to bail the prisoner and commit
ted him to prison.
Messrs. Morson. w. H. Lyons and B. w. Stark.
appeared for the accused, -
VIRGINIA MECHANICS INsrIrurE.-The