The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-05-21
LOCAL MATTERS.
SUDDEN DEATH. singular and an

SUDDEN DIATH.--A singular and aud
| den death occurred on Wal street at a late bour
last Wednesday night. the circumstances attend
ing which are of the most painful character =
About l2 O'Clock. as watchmen Pryor and GiIma,
| were passing down Main street, they were hailed
| at the intersection Of Wall, and informed tha;
some man, iu helpless condition was living in the
doorway, south OF the entrance 10 RuskeIPs sta.
ble. As was their duty. they proceeded to the
| spot, the man, and finding that he could no,
| be aroused, and that they could not carry him 10
| the station house, Pryor remained with him till
| Gilman procured assistance, and he was then IN.
Ken to the lookup. They noticed a small pool Of
blood In the street. at the doorway and saw bleod
upon the mans face, but as he seemed to be up-
conscious- apparently stupi6ed from drink-they
then suspected nothing wroBg
Soon after the dying man was taken into the
station house, he Was recognized ty the officers as
Mr. ALBERT G.. IoBsoN, an old and respectable citi.
zen OF Henrico county and DR.. John Dove was call
ed in to See him The Doctor could do nothing to
restore consciousness, and Mr.. Bobson died of his
injuries about half past O'clock. DR.. Dove ex.
amined the head of his patient, aud finding that
blood was running from his ears, but being unable
to discover any external injury or fracture, was
unable to form satisfactory opinion as to the
| manner by which he came TO bis death.
Lieuts. Wheat aud Kelly, about the time the dy-
ing man was removed from the doorway. procured
candle and examined the steps and floor of the
Passage leading into the street, but discovered no
traces of blood. Yesterday morning, however
blood marks were visible on the steps leading to
the second story Of the building, one or two dis
coiored spots in the passage Of the second stor y
we're discovered and believed to be blood, and in
the passage of the :hird story, bloody spot half
the size of a mans hand, was found upon the
hoor, which no one could account for. This build
ing is three stories high, the FIRST story OF which
is occupied as stable by Mr. Russell, the second
Tor oiflces and lodging rooms by Young men and
third, as lodging rooms. In the second story Mr.
Allen and Mr. Harris lodged on Wednesday night
and in the third, Dir, Charles Baker and his ser
want boy. Neither Of these gentlemen heard any
noise in the passages or upon the steps, and knew
nothing Of the death of Mr. Hobson until yestcr.
day morning.
Coroner Peachy, attended by Constable Butler.
held an inquest over the dead body. when the fol
lowing facts were elected: On Wednesday after.
noon Mr. llObson started home, on his horse but
was met near the market by some man. and
urged TO turn back to settle some business matter
Mr. Hobson had written will for Mrs Irby be.
tore her death, and within the past few weeks that
VIII has been subject of controversy in the Cir
cult Court OF Henrco. Some of the opponents of
the WILL it is said. had charged Mr. II. with using
improper means in getting Mrs. Irby TO leave her
property as she had done, and he had been very
much annoyed by it,, but one. that We have
heard Of made any threats against bis person
The next We hear of Mr. IIobson, he rode ND to
Ruskel's stable and desired to have his horse
taken care of, remarking that as he would be com
PEELED to return to the city the next day, and the
clouds were threatening he would remain all night
NOT succeeding IN getting his horse cared for
he rode over to Blankenship's stable left the ani
MAI there, returned to Ruskeli's stable took
eeat, carried on conversation between Mr. Wm
). Wood and one or two other gentlemen for SOM
time, and then started down Wall street in the di
rection OF Main apparently as sober as any man
On getting opposite to A. Lehmann's lager beer
saloon, Mr.. IIobson met Mr.. John f. Garow
sheriff of Warwick county, and the two scrapiug
acquaintance, went into Ls saloon where A violin
was being played After taking Cne drink, and
conyersing about old acquaintance for some time
1t being then near O'Clock. the two payel seven
up Tor beer, and were about 10 depart when Nr
HobsOn saw Mr. Charles Baker and Mr.. Crump
sitting iu the saloon. Being on good terms with
Mr. Baker, Nr. HoUson at once approached him
had cordial shake of the hand, invited MIR. B. t.
accompany him and Mr.. G. To the theatre, and told
B. he intended.to remain in the city all night b.
declined the invitation, because of indisposiiOn
but invited Hobson to spend the night with him.
which he partially promised to do Hobson thea
followed Garow out, but had only been gone Y
few minutes when he returned to the saloon. told
Baker 1t was too lste for the theatre remarked
that the stranger (Mr. O. wanted TO walk arouud
and see the city, and urged Baker to accompany
them. To crafty his Old friend, Mr. Baker told
II. that he would take short walk with him As
soon as he could 70 10 his room and tell his ser.
want 10 kindle fire. When Hr. Baker returned
Mr. Hobson and himself walked TO the corner H.
Join Mr.. Garow, but not finding him, stepped int
Aliens billiard saloon for a few minutes They
then walked up far as the Exchange hotel
where Baker left HobsoR, the latter marking
that he would go to Metropolitan Hall and
Wym6n. Mr.. Baker 1T once returned to his room
and. about half past O'clock retired.
The next We hear of Hobson. he came at Sad.
er'a Hotel, took drink and left there about half
past 10 O'Clock. Where he went to, or who &C
companed him, is not known
Between the hours of II and II O'Clock Mr. JAS
Collins, who was then standing in front Of the ST.
Charles bar room, on Wall street, heard . heavy
fail. apparently Ruskelfs stable, but suppo-
sing that the noise caused by the horses paid
n Var thara uFS,,,
ia servant informed him that some man had fallen
down the steps and injured himself. and he got Mr.
Kelly and the bar keeper to st p over and see
about him. When they arrived at the place they
found a man lying in a senseless condition. his
head hanging over the door sill, and the blood
running from his They at once reversed his
position on the floor, to make him more com
Portable. and then informed the watchmea of the
condition of the man.
The post mOrtem made by DR.. Dove showed a
transverse fracture Of the left temple bone. sufi
ciently great to produce death. The fact that
there was no external mark or brui-e over the
fracture, caused considerable doubt in the mind of
the Doctor as to whether the fracture had been
produced by fall; and the Coroner himself
thought it more probable that it had been effected
by violent blow from slung shot, but all this is
mere conjecture. We think it far more probable
that after Mr. H0bson had knocked around till a
late hour, taking occasional drinks, he started to
Mr. Bakers room to spend the night with him
Getting TO the head of the first flight of steps and
discovering no lights, he could not find Mr.. BIS
room, and in attempting to return into the street
pitched headl0ng down the steps, striking his tenn
pie against the door knob or some other hard sub-
stance, and producing the fracture that caused his
death.
Mr.. Hobson leaves large family and many warm
friends to lament his untimely and truly lament
able cad.
The jury, after hearing all the witnesses that
could be found, and hot being satisfied that the
deceased had lost his life by accident adjourned
TO meet again next Wednesday afternoon at
) O'Clock, when q verdict will probably be render
ed.