The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-08-04
Attempted Murder of a Citizen of
TttfglrGni1 by a Negro, dc.
conEEspoxpkscr OF THE RICHMOND pAILr DISPATCH.
DANvILLE. Aug. Sd. lA5I

TCoRkEsPoxgkNcE OF THE RICHMOND pAILr DISPATCH.
DANv1LLE, Aug. Sd, Isl
Our town was thrown into considerable excite
ment Yesterday morning by information which
reached us to tho effect that f.. +. Keen, ESQ. ono
Of the delegates elect from this county to the Leg
slature. had been wounded that morning by "a ne
gro man upon his own plantation. The circum
stances as detailed to me by gentleman familiar
with the facts, are briefly these The negro was
free man. who having once removed TO ONO, was
not allowed by the Laws of this state to remain
within its limits. He had returned. however, he
cause his family had been left behind. At his 90
Iictation Mr.. Keen had purchased his family, and
held them until lac could pay the purchase money
he assuring Mr. Keen that he had friends i'll Ohio
who woud furnish him the money. Mr. Keen
wrote several letters to men i'll Ohio designated by
the negro, but no reply has ever been received
He. however. had always considered the negro ell
tirely Trustworthy, and to use his own language.
would as soon have suspected any other person in
the world of doing him an injury az he.
On Sunday morning. q short time befOr" O'Clock
he came to Mr. Keen's door and awoke him. request
ing him to come TO the cabin and administer medi
cine to his child, whom he represented as very
sick IIr. Keen accordingly arose. and making
negro girl carry light for him, he took deCanter
in one hand and glass goblet in the other, and
WAS proceeding to the cabin OF tho negro, but haF-
ing gone short dl5tanc" from his own door, H.
heard q slight noise not far from him. and turning
round he was fired ut by this negro man. The
noise heard was u sCraping with the foot upon tht
ground to attract the notice Of Mr.. Keen and (Alr
Keen lie did not hear it himself, but the negro
yirl did the negro remarked as Nh Keen turned.
- | have a settlement to make with you, sir
Several Of our ph ysicans were summAnsd TO the
relief Of Mr. Keen, and, on examination, found
that his hand had been badly torn by the shot. hut
the load striking the glass goblet in Mr.. Keen
hand had glanced. and losing its force. none Of the
shot had been able to penetrate the body although
some few which missed Mr.. Keen entirely, struck
in fence short distance from him. and were en-
tirely buried in it, Had not the glass goblet been
in his hand Mr.. Keen would undoubtedly have re
ceived a mortal wound. The negro, as soon as h
had fired, ran off and has not since been seen OF
heard from. His wife and child were also missing
and the general opinion is that he had sent thtri
off before perpetrating the deed No reason car
he suggested for this attempt to murder Mr.. Keen
unless it was a design to rob him of considerable
amount of money, which the negro had seen him
count over few days before, and thought was thet
in the house. Mr.. Keen thinks it his inten-
ton to murder himself and his wife and children,
and make OFF with the money.
The case is Of the blacklist ingratitudc, am
has aroused the bttorest anim0Sty towards the n
gro, among Mr.. keens neighburs and friends, witt
whom ne is very popular. and large numbers are
securing the woods and fields in every direction T.
find him. Should he be found, think the presen'
excitement Of the people will not allow them t
wait for tho tardy course of legal investigation
but that the negro will receive upon the nearest
limb the reward of his treachery.
Descriptions Of the negro have been sent to the
papers of your city and to other papers in differ
rnt sections. 1t is thought, however, that the ne
gro is still in the neighborhood Of Mr.. keens. and
that h" will be found by those who searching
for him.
The crops throughout our district, are unPara
cled for luxuriance and bid fair make the price
Of bread come down somewhat nearer to the rea
value of the article, and the capacity Of a poot
mans purse. Yours,