The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-05-10
Local mATTERs,
SERIOUS CHaaes Ag.tssr = poryc,

SERIOUS Charge AGAINST A POLICE Or.
rIcrR The charge against John D. Perrin, OF a.
sauiting and choking q woman named uarrie,
Blankenshfp. was investigated BY the Mayor on
Saturday. The previous good reputation, ne vel
as official faitbfuiness of the accused ffor he has
been IN the service Of the city the past twelve
moaths1 rendered the occasion extremely painful
not only TO the Mayor, but to those To whom the
public look for record of the proceednss Chas,
tain White, Esq, appeareti a. counsel for Perrin
Harriet Blankenship, under cath, narrated the
circumstances of the affair. which were, ia sub-
stance, that Perrin visited her house. in jsl aley
last Tueeday evening, and at his request she ac.
companied him 10 her room, when she locked the
door inside; that he gave her ten dollar note,
out of which she Was to take s250, that he after
wards demanded the money back, but she Insisted
on retaining IL for the purpose Of getting it chang
ed; that she put the note In her mouth, when the
accused seized her by the throat and cheked her
until she was compelled to disgorge, and he then
left the house. This was about twilight The
witness exhibited marks on both sides of her
neck, which had apparently been produced by
choking. "+E tt Is = g7f Z ftt8 =
Some portion of the testimony of this witness
was corroborated by woman named Catherine
Durham, living In the same house. She testified
that Perrin was there on Tuesday evening; that
he took drink, and invited Harriet Blankenship
to go to her room that they gone about half
an hour, and during their absence witness heard
the sound of voices in BlaDkenships room, though
indistnctiy; that Perrin on bis return, passed
told her she bad better go up and quiet Harriet
Blankenship. ,..4 -. ...
1t was proved by the defence that quarrel &C.
Cured on the premises the same afternoon be-
tween Harriet Blankenship aud Kate Cheatham;
as the latter expressed it in her testimony they
" had little foolish quarrel,-such as all women
will bave,-about place where they formerly
lived that they pulled each others hair little.
but 10 blows passed. They were both ashamed of
it, and no aniaosity had since existed between
them" a7=t
WIN. English testified that Perrin came to his
store Tuesday evening, soon after gas-lightag for
the purpose of exchanging s. North Carolina
uote for q bankable note; said be was going to
Williamsburg the next morning aad wanted mo-
ney which he eoIfid pass without trouble. Nhiie
there, he told witness that he had been down to
the house occupied by Harriet Btaukenship; that
there hat, been a row among the women, and they
asked him to go up stairs and see the condition Of
the furniture; that they had turned the key on
him. and he was compelled to threaten them with
violence in order to make them open the door
IL was proved by Thomas Powell. jailor, and
Wm. Gentry, Waterman, that Perrin was at the
jail about dark on Tuesday evening. These Wit.
nesses were introduced by the defence for tho prr
pose Of proving an alibi ,. +.. ..
Mr.. White made an ingenious argument IN be-
half of the accused, endeavoring to impesch the
testimony OF the witnesses for the Common
wealth. and, by tracing their testimony from be-
ginning to end to make il appear that Perrin,
0verhearing the disturbance between Harriet
house for the purpose of queling it; and that tbe
women, to shield themselves from the conse-i
quences of their own behavior, bad artfully eou-
trived thi. plot to ensnare the officer He main
tanned tn; the testimony of these lewd females
unless 'corroborated should not be received. He
alluded in earnest terms to the previous good
character of the accused and protested againstthe
reception of testimony OF an incredible character
which would blast the reputation of man who
had loLg occupied honorable position amongst
his feilow.citiZens. b ttttHhtf
The Mayor. before summing up the evidence
introduced officer Johnson a witDess who de-
posed that he saw the marks on the girls neck
when she came to apply for warrant Wednes-
day morning; that her neck was much bruised on
both sides. presenting distinct marks Of recent vi
olence. The Mayor then said he had very pain
full duty to perf)rm:-ncthing so trying TO his feel
ings had occurred since be had occupied his pre-
sent Office. lie had selected Perrin from the night
watch for duty in the day police for his competen.
cy. and his conduct up TO the occurrence of this
affair had been such as to confirm his favorable
estimate Of his character. With regard to the
theoryi advanced by the counsel for the defence
touching the debased situation Of the women, the
Mayor asked, who and what had reduced them to
such condition. They were often driven to it
by misfortune and want, and would f1rfit their
virtue rather than throw themselves on public
charity and those of the other sex were ns less
cuIpable for their proceedings. Nuisances they
were, and he had often been compelled to remove
them from decent neighhorhoods; but there was
no law to reject the testimony Of women Of this
character, unless disproved by some circumstance
arising in the progress of the With regard
to the testimony introduced to prove an alibi, it
only proved that the accused in tie neighbor-
hood: and finally, the accused had right to use
force to take the money from the woman He
would therefore be obliged to send him to the
Grand Jury to be indicted, and in the meantime
suspend him from his duties in the police depart
ment. a..s.- al 74-4. iH i..-sf 1r... ..-=..tE
Perrin was then held to bail in the sum of 1900
for his appearance at the Hustings Court today
compels rs to narrate the circumstances of this
case, but have endeavored to discharge our duty
impartially, and without regard to the friendly
feelings We have always entertained towards tho
accused. n fs-5 ..tsi -er.sae f4..t.. a .4..f.