New-York daily tribune., 1858-07-03

The testimony before Coroner's inquest lately
he'd in the neishborhoOd Of Richmond, Virginia,
and reported in the papers Of that city, presents
rather striking picture of domestic life aud Sunday
recreators, and the beauties of the peculiar inst-
tution, in that State.
The body upon which the inquest was held, was
that of negro woman named Cora, belonging to
the estate Of Mr.. Fox and hired out to one Rlch-
ard Fl. Barnes. The Jury Of inquest, on proceed
inn to the residence Of Mr. Barnes, on MADDOX
Hill, found the woman Cora lying dead in the back
yard, near small mulberry tree, between the
dwelling -house and kitchen. Hanging from the
mulberry tree was small chain three or four feet
lorg, fastened to limb some FIVE or six feet from
the ground. In one Of the links of this chain,
some seventeen inches from the lower end, was a
paddock, said to have been used in fastening the
ch ain around the womans neck, from which it had
been broken of since her death. There was an in
dentation as if made by cord or chain on the right
side Of her throat and also on the right side Of the
ear; but the Jury particularly noticed, and called
tee attention of the reporters to the fact that the
countenance was placid and the eyes closed, as if
in q pleasant slumber; by way Of inference, we
suppose, that, with all the prejudice entertained
by ignorant people against being straDgled, it is
very easy death, and one which slave woman
might well be content with.
The only white persons who could give any in
formation TO the Jury we're Mr. Richard IL.
Barnes himself the master Of the house, and one
John w. Baker, who represented himself as man
ager for Barnes, and whom that person described
as young man who lived with him to tend the
garden and to make himself generally useful. Mr.
Barnes's wife and family absent, and had been
for some time, and the only other persons on the
premises were three negro children, one OF whom,
five or six years old, was son OF Coras. Mr.
Barnes, it seems, came home from church one
Sunday about O'Clock, and proceeded to improve
the sermon by cutting Cora over the neck and
shoulders with a cowhde. He whipped her, ac-
cording to the testimony Of Baker, because she
"would not submit to him." She was submissive
10 Mrs. Barnes, but would lot submit to him.
This ia little equvocsl, but according to Barness
OWL testimony, the lack of submission consisted
oily in negligence about getting his Sunday dinner,
and special carelessness in not putting the salt on
the table. He threatened to whip her, as he had
done before for similar nesligences, to which she
"rudey" replied that she hsd never been whipped in
her life Wbereupop, SIS if at once to put stop TO
thst boast, Mr. Barnes took down small coWhide
harging in the dining .room-sll ready for use
and gave her four or FIVE cuts across her shoulders
and over her clothes. To this Cora addressing
herself to Baker and Barnes, made the foloT wing
response: MAS John aud Mas Dick, if you will let
"me see my sen once more, you may take knife
and cut my throat from ear TO ear" IL would
seem from this that the woman had been separated
from her chid-perhsps because she would not
submit to Mr.. Barnes-but no questions were
asked upon this point, and no further Light is
thrown upon it. For this piece of insolence Mr..
Barnes-advised TO do so as be says, By Baker,
but IS Baker insists, of his Own mere uiotion-re-
solved to give her "a good whipping" He asked
Baker 10 hold her, but she was 20 strong as TO
throw him of repeatedly when he attempted to
seize her hands. Then they got cord and tied
her hands behind Ter. Baker then stood in front
of Ter and held up her clothes, while Barnes stood
behind and whipped her. This, it seems, is what
they call in Virginia "a good whipping at least
in the case of q woman. Bot il being Sunday, and
Barnes having Just returned from church, he re-
solved to give IN instance of Christian moderation.
He restricted himself to twenty or thirty blows.
The Jury, having examined the body. found on the
thighs several marks, probably twenty, apparently
caused BY 8 whip or rawhide, and upon the back
some few similar marks; but, as the reporters note
with care, "ths .kin was not cut in single place
Com, however, wAs lot subdued, whersupon Barnes
tod Baker to take her down to LuuFAin's jail.