The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-08-18
LOCAL MATTERS.

q LOCAL mAIIGH8.
Excitement in Cour1 .-rhs most remark.b,e c...
that has ever come before Virginia court. Wa
tried in the Hustings Court Of this city, on Satur
day last. We allude to the trial Of THOMAS
LINTON. who was indicted by the Grand J,.ry the
day before, rs being woman in mans apparel
This indictment was made On the oath Of Martin
NJ. Lipscomb, who swore positively before the
Grand Jury and the Hustingss Court. that the ac
cused was female. and even went 90 far rs to de.
clare that he would take his life IL his decara.
tons were not fully substantiated by medical gen.
tlemen Mr.. Linton, pending the trial, voluntarily
placed himself in the hands Of six me- deal gentle
men, all of whom. their return into court stated
upon their oaths that the accused was . well de-
veloped man-as much so rs any other person in
the densely crowded courthouse. On this state
ment the jury rendered verdict of not guilty.
and the accused was thereupon acquitted
We are at a loss to explain Mr.. Lipscombs posi-
ton In this case. and TO account for the hallucina
tion under which be seemed to be laboripg, unless
he has been grossly duped and deceived. We can.
not believe that he has desgnedly perjured him.
SELF or that he made the presentment through NAL
ice, Tor we have known him long, and have never
neard ought to induce US to believe that he was
vindictive or malicious. That he is credulous and
eonfidng. all know who know him, and therefore
we shall attempt an explain alton made up from
street talk, which seems to us quite probable
Some eighteen months or two years ago young
man then residing In this city, who understood
Lipscomo character thoroughly, and who would
go to any length to enjoy joke, pointed Mr. Lin.
ton out to him at the theatre told him L. was
young lady in Disguise and promised him an intro.
duction. Being alady's man, and Linton having
very effcminate appearance, Lipscomb became
desperately in love with him, and on the first occa-
sion he could get, proffered Linton his hand in
wediock. Linton, it ia said, to carry on the Joke,
accepted his offer, and they were engaged to be
married. When the time approached for the con.
summation of the nuptial vows Linton sue.
dod in lcff c;t f,~e
weeks. On his return he continued the joke, not
supposing that any thing serious would be the re.
suit, until Lipscomb became jealous of his friend.
ship for others and broke off the engagement
When these facts becaMn known Lipscomb was
jerred by his friends for his credulity, and,
having as he thought, every reason to believe that
Linton was a woman, and living amongst us in
mans apparel, he appeared before tho Grand Jury
and made a statement which induced tina: body to
take steps to have the matter investigated Had
Lipscomb been correct in all his impressions, we
are not prepared to say that he was right in pur-
suing the course he did, but we feel bound to do
him the justice to say, that we have no doubt he
honestly believed every statement he made to the
Court to be true
Mr., Linton is printer by profession, has been q
resident of this city for several years, aud enjoys
the friendship of large number of our citizens
We feel assured that he never expected the quiz"
he aided in perpetrating on Lipscomb to take the
course it did, he would have thrown off bis dis
guise at once.
Supposed Kidnopper.--Last Saturday morning
young man ealing himself RICHARD p ToRREECE
and hailipg from Petersboro' Chatham county N
q, arrived in this city On the Southern cars, hav.
ing in his possession negro boy about fourteen
years of age called SAM, for SALE At an early
hour Terrence and the boy made their appearance
at the Yorktown House. near the negro market,
and after lining there a short time the young
gentleman got into conversation with one mere
of the bystandera, whepe told Mr.. Daniel that
iion, Mr. d. came to the ion that all was not
right, and falling in with IAN Baptist shortly
after, informed him of h6 81. Gions. Not feeling
disposed to act on mere suspfU Lbn alone Baptist
reported what he had learned to Capt wilkinson,
and the two went In search of Terrence and the
boy, found them and toak them to the cage. Sam,
the negro boy, denies that he belongs to Mr.. Tor.
reuce. He says he 10 owped by Judge Toomer Of
North Carolina, the grand father of Terrence, who
gave him to his daughter, Mrs. Terrence, his life
time, and that Mrs r. had hired him the present
year to Mr.. George Thomas, who resides about
three and half miles from Petersboro'. He fur
ther states, that on the morning he left home, Tor
renee came by for him in buggy, stating that be
had to go to "Buekhorn," and wished Sam to 20
with him to bring back the buggy Instead OF
going to Bucktowp, Terrence made for Raleigh
where he left the horse and buggy got on the cars
and came here.
Torrence when brought before the Mayor, stated
that the boy had been given to him by Judge
Toomer, as he could prove, and requested that the
Judge should bewritten to at once. Judge Toomer
has been written to, and Terrence and the negro
will be held in custody until the Mayor is satisfied
a. to the lawful ownership of the boy. Terrence
is quite young man. and for his own credit we
sincerely hope that he may be able to establish his
innocence
Confidential Operation. Friday last the
Mayor of this city issued search warrant for the
recovery of yellow girl named Alice the proper
ty of DIR. Alexander Erskine Of Alabama, who
hal been off and sold by confidence man."
of Washington city. The circumstances of this
affair, as far as we have been able to gather them
are these: Some months ago, this servant girl was
placed in charge of a gentleman of Washington
city, ID e. bv her owner, whsre she remained in
security until within a shortltime since, when the
gentleman W no had care of her left for California
placing her in the custody Of GILBERT G.. RIs
SELL of the District of Columbia. The girl being
a very likely one, Russell conceived the plan of
making money out of her. aud foRa that purpose
brought her to this and sold fSr for an extra.
VACANT price to Mr. Slnitf, adealer in slaves, by
whom she was put into MIR. Samuel Reese's jail
for safe keeping. DR. Erskine, by some means,
got wind of the operation and Fastening on to this
city, succeeded by the aid Of officer Tyler, in dis
covering the whereabouts of Alice aud bringing
her before the Mayor, when her owner established
his right of property and recovered Fer, We un.
derstand that Mr.. Smith has gone "a Washington
in search of Russell, and that he w sFA{e no
means within the reach Of the law toZav(>him
arrested and brought to punishment. Tffe crime
Is not lisoily dealt with in virginia, and II the
confidential operator" who sold the girl entrusted
to his care and then pockeied the money and
made tracks for parts unknown is once captured
and convicted of the offence, he will have sx
cellent opportunity OF doing manly service for
that State whose laws he has waatonly outraged
and trami led under feet.
Smart Boys-In all times before the birch trees
disappeared under the hand OF progressive civiliza
ton, it was customary, as we have been informed,
for parents TO keep watch over the manners of
their children until the latter reached the age Of
twenty one at least Indeed we have q not yet in.
distinct remembrance of having been raised under
the regimen, aud of having had its existence patsr
nally impressed upoR some Of our sensitive mem
bers.
Nowadays. however, II is quite common for pa
rents to go to bed night after night without know
Ing where their children are, much less " hat they
al doing Nor is this the fact concerning any one
class of society 1t is true Of all But some Of the
youth Of our city determined that II their pa
rents don't know where they are the neighbors
shall Accordingly late hour of the night ihese
nsigtbors are roused and starilei by hdeous blasts
from tin horns and other discor- sounds adnlon-
ishing them that the boys are about, and giving
them occasion to reflect that through the neglect