The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-11-18
LOCAL MATTERS.
Fxtcur,os Of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

EXECUTION Of w AsHtNGION.--Ic kIHI0by
morning ut 10 o'clock, y vast multitude Of mrn,
| women aud children. If every grade and color.
gathered In the valley thort distance North oi
the Po7r House, tD witness the execution ct Wash
iny.on, a slavc, the property nf Mr.. Thomas .
Burton. who was convicted at the October term OF
the County Court Of Henrico OF setting FIRE to and
burning the hay house and straw rick OF Mr. Rem
iamin w Green, his hirer, the 90 of July last,
| and sentenced to be hung.
| On reaching The ground we were surprised to
find. that no. only the valley, but the neghboring
hsides were literally alive with black and white,
| and that even women with sucking babes al their
| breasts were scattered through the crowd strain
ing their eyes TO get the first glimpse oil the unor-
| innate creature who was soon to be hurried from
time into eternity in obedience to the laws which he
had designe6iy outraged
At half past 10 O'clock, cry came from the hill
tops that the prJc s'iOn was p9roachlpg aud in
| few minutes thereafter, furniture wagon in which
was seated the prisoner upon his colin, of the
| Deputy Sheriff., and two guards, escorted by She
riff Hucheson and his aids: appeared in sight, fol-
lowed by hundreds of blacks and whites, whose
morbid curiosity had caused them to desert their
vacations and hasten to the death scene of O fellow
| creature Our duty has frequently called US TO
| witness similar scenes but IN no single instance
/ have we ever beheld such lack of sympathy for
| the diving condition OF fellow man. Turn where
| you might, and words of condemnation were heap
| ed upon the incendiary, while his doom was pro-
| nounced most Just.
| About twenty minutes before Ii o'clock the wa.
/ containing the COuVCtuI uiiVCI sdllOWe
| and halted. The prisoner cast one glance at the
| uprichts and cross beam, from which he was soon
| to be Suspended, when he became deadly pale, aad
trembling from head to foot hung his head In
silence He felt, no doubt, that time was growing
short to him. and shuddered at the thought OF meet
| ing so speedily an insulted and offended God. AT
ter being permitted to spend few minutes In silent
prayer Deputy Sheriff John Hutchinson asked him
| if he had any thing to say to his friends or those
around him He replied, 81 have nothing to say
to any one"
Deputy Sheriff Hutchinson then propoundcd to
him the following questions
"Washineton you are now about to de- In less
than ten minutes you will be ushered into eternity
Tell me for my own satisfaction whether you are
guilty or innocent? Answer truly, Tor t'e VIII
iDjure you in the sight OF God"
Wasbtnpt0A-'I am as innocent OF the crime as
you are; aad from the bottom Of my heart de-
clare it,
q -"Are you readyto diel'
Al suppose shall now have to do so, but
| am not prepared
q -"Do you know who set the tre.'
Al do not; but heard Mr. Green's head man,
Sugar Billy, say in the presence of Obey, another
of the servants that he intended to get rid OF Mr
James Anthony, the overseer; and he got me to
show him the way to the CoDiurer's house, near
Mr. Premises That's gil do know"
q -"Itemember, Washington, you are about to
die. and that unless you are prepared, your doom
will be eternal punishment stephen set ire to
the straw and hay =
it much know nothing of the commencement OF
the ire nor docs Stephen, Tor we slept together
side by sido that night. | am az innocent OF the
crime with which am charged as this rope around
my neck and in my hand
OF you are innocent. why was 1t that stephen
laid the charge upon you q
Ale was made to do it by Mr. anthony and
Mr. Baughan, who locked him in the house and
made him say that | did it. When they took him
before the magistrate and he swore that was
guilty | was never more surprised in my life
He was forced 10 say what he did"
Here the conversation closed, it being evident
that the prisoner had determined to stick to his
first statement, and he was left alone for few mi
nutes. which he appeared to spend in prayer.
At five minutes past l O'Clock, the hour having
| arrived, Washington was placed on his feet in the
rear part of the wagon. his hands pinioned behind
him, his eyes covered with piece of white cotton,
| and the rope being adjusted the horses moved oft
with the vehicle from which the accused fell,
launching him into eternity.
After the body had swung until life was declared
to be extinct, it cut down, placed in coffiu,
and inferred near the Poor House.
II may be proper for US to add that Rev. Messrs.
Bog.s, Darden and other Ministers attended the
convict while in prison; but none of them accom-
panied him to the galloss.
This is the first instance within our recollection
| of an execution for in Virginia, ard we hope
| it will be warning to all others to avoid such
crimes.
HUsrINGs COURT.-kecOrder Puliam
and Aldermen Inloes, Cowardin, Winetied and
I.pscomb presiding John Lamb, indicted for a
misdemeanor, was arraigned, aud on motion OF the
Commemorative Attorney, the Court ordered q
nOlie pr0Se9uj to be entered. The prisoner was
then ordered into the custody of the Police to be
examined before the Mayor the charge of fell.
ony.
John Schad indicted for selling ardent spirit to
1 be drunk in his house without having obtained a
| tavern license, found guilty by the iury and
| fined $50 and costs. The defendant not being pre-.
sent, capias was awarded to bring him In TO abide
4 the decision of the Court.
| Manuel Dodson, a free man of color will make
application to the Court to day to be allowed to re-
| main in the Commonwealth
| William B. Gates, indicted for assaulting Theo
dorick Robertson on the 25th of June last was
found guilty and fined 500 and costs The question
was then taken on term of Imprisonment, and the
Court refused to imprison. motion was Fnext
made by the counsel for the defence, to set aside
the verdict of the Jury on the ground that the fine
was excessive for the offence committed The
Court unanimously Gverruled the motion.
AWARDS OF PREMIUMS AT THE FAIR-In
the hurry of preparing the awards to be given for
articles exhibited at the Fair of the Mechanics In.
stitute, which closed last Thursday night, there
were some few errors committed, which we now
proceed to correct. There may be Others but II
so, the Committee on Awards" will correct them
aoon as discovered.
In class 27-Silver Plated Ware and Jewelry-
Mr.. William Snead OF Richmond was awarded a
silrer medal, for lot of silver plating.
Mr.. Charles Lumsden of Petersburg received a
sicer medal for gold and silver watch, manufac.
tured by himself
In class Shopper, Tin and Plumbers work
Messrs Geo &, Bargamin of Richmond, were
awarded siLuer media! for one hot and cold water
shower bath, one bath tub, one hot and cold water
stand, and one copper boiler, sink and fixtures.
Mr. Paul Bargamin of Richmond received first
class diploma tor one hot and cold water shower
bath tub.
In class 37-Machinery not in other casses-Mr
Philip Rham of Richmond, in addition to diploma
for his circular mill was awarded first class
diploma for his horizontal engine.
in class 43 -Daguerreotypes and Materials-Mr.
]. H Whitehurst received siicer medal for Photo.
graphs, stereoscopes and plain Daguerreotypes
Mr.. p E. Gibbs of Lynchburg was awarded a
silrer medal for a lot OF daguerreotypes
The remainder of the list published by US yes.
terday, is correct, as far we are informed
The REV. NJ. d. HoGE arrived in this
city Thursday, having returned from Europe per
the Atlantic and will resume his pastoral duties on
Sabbath next.
~