The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-12-13

attempt to Murder A daring attempt to MUIR
DER Mr.. THOMAS II. DURHAM, oyerseer for Mr..
| ". y harWood, tobacconist was made on
SUNDAY evening last, about 6 o'clock. Mr..
| Durnam, II seems, started out with a friend for
a buggy ride, after dinner, and the air being
| somewhat keen, INDUCED rather freely at va
rious restaurants. After getting to the east
enc OF ROCKETS Mr.. Durham left the buggy,
ana at late hour in the afternoon fell down
| and became helpless. A negro man named
William, (slave to +. Stearns) seeing Mr. DIS
condition, and knowing where he roOmed. un-
| dertook to carry him home, and by the aid of
| white man succeeded in doing So On
| reaching Mr.. Harwood's factory at the corner
of f26th and Main streets, Mr.. ID. was taken into
the office, where he had a bed, and placed upon
1t. Soon after this, two gentlemen who had
been to Rockets, in passing the factory. saw
white man standing in the door, who stopped
| them, asked If they knew the oyerseer. told
them ms condition, invited them TO go in and
see him, and stated that William had goue in
search OF the hands to get them to fasten up
the factory. The gentlemen alluded 10 de-
ciIned to go in. and left the man at the door
ABOUT O'Clock, the cries of Mr.. Durham at
tracted the attention of persons passing along
the street, and assistance was immediately
procured. On entering the Office, Mr. ID. was
found to be covered with blood, from variety
OF wounds on his head, Inflicted by some blunt
instrument. The iron safe in the room had
been broken and battered with sledge ham,
mer, and the appearance of every thing seemed
TO indicate denomination to rob aud murder,
in neither of which, however, were their eff.
forts successful. Mr.. Durhainis first impress
sion was, that the robber had struck him with
sledge hammer whilst he was asleep, and
supposing that he had made a fatal blow, then
attempted to break into the iron safe with the
same instrument; but that his consciousness
returning he called for the "watch,n and thus
frightened off the assassin. From q short con-
versation with Mr.. D. yesterday morning, and
the appearance of the room in which he was
assailed, we concluded that the robbers finding
him asleep, procured d sledge hammer aad in
cndeayoring to break into pieces the safe
aroused him, and that then, to prevent detec~
tion, gave him ten or twelve blows on the head
with club or an iron wrench, making nine
ragged cuts upon the scalp, all of which were
to the bone.
About 8 o'clock that night Mr.. Durham
was taken to the Bellevue Hospital, on Church
Hill, where his wounds were dressed. Yes
terday morning we were permitted, through
the poiiteness of DIR. Brock the resident ply
sician, to visit his room, and was surprised 10
find that he was entirely conscious, and APP
parently suffering no pain. He did not know
who the parties We're that attacked him, but
thought one of them was white man of low
statue, and the other negro.
As soon as the night police learned Of the
outrage, they set to work to discover the per-
pefrators, and in the course of the night ar
rested James Jones, a white man; William,
slave to +. Stearns; and Thomas, slave TO
Geo. ID. Harwood, as the parties suspected Of
being concerned in the attempt to rob and
murder. The three are now in Jail to be K
amined by the Mayor hereafter.