The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-07-22
LOCAL MATTERS.

Sharp Forsoy.-On Wednesday afternoon
iast, man then calling himself J. T. Harris,
handed Messrs. Duke Il Hutcheson letter
purporting to be from Temple J. Blunt, OF
hanawha Court-House, which purporfed 10
pe an order for $50 empty bags to bo sent on
~ toe ears yesterday morning. The letter
stated mat Mr.. B. had purchased lU00 bushels
- Wneaf, which he desired Messrs. Duke Il
,mutcheson ,I,i to sell for him, and as Blunt K
Wingneld were customers of d. Il H. those
sehliemen supposed that all was right and
M~plreu NJ p,. 10 send the bags. In the postscript
NJ. blunt asked for the loan of $3.50 until
monday, to be handed to j. T. Harris. which
was promptly furnished, and Mr. II left
yesterday afternoon, Messrs Duke 4 Uutche-
I'm, 'garnea e. tnat both orders were forged, and
,I mat >: l. Harris was no other person than
Wm +. Parrish, at one time in the employ of
ID Diuht & Wingfield. Parrish is between 25 and
" years OF age, about feet 10 inches high
a1a,i Ign. mar, and has pair of bruised eyes,
pound weight. 1t is generally believed thai
ne look the southern train last Wednesday
night ior parts unknown, though il is possible
that he may still be lurking about the city.-
MS pruised iorehead will readily detect him.
Aims Houses seem to be unpopular institu
tions with the people generally. because they
- - usudily iocated IN some out-of- the-way
place, are inhabited mostly by persons who
nave been reduced to want from in temuerance
an other vices, and are badly Constructed and
arranged. To the man OF business the retired
t,dIner, or the professional gentleman, who
nave no knowledge of the mode of living Of
thousands of industrious laberers of every
city, the idea of crowding eight or ten manners
In single room, lodging them on straw beds
ana ieedlng them on plain fare is most revolt
ing; and then, to locate them on some by ypafh
where the public never see them apr,ears
cruel and unkind. Let these philanthropists
visit the novels of the laborers, see how they
ana their families subsist, and compare their
comforts with those of the paupers and their
charitable efforts would be directed to the re-
lief of poor widows and orphans, and honest
iaborers and their families, who are ALWAYS
struggling against poverty and want and who,
uncomplaining. live and die without receiyirp
even so much rs the crumbs that fall from
the rich mans table"
In the county of Henrico, the Overseers of
the Poor have had under consideration the
propriety of moving the poor house of that
county to some more central point, and will
make their report to the Court at its next ses-
sion. The poor-house is about six miles east
OF Richmond, on the poorest tract of land that
can be found iii days ride and so far re-
moved from all public thoroughfares, that not
one citizen out of twenty has ever seen it,
The overseers talk of recommending a site
near the city, but this plan has it's objections,
lnasmueh as by doing the paupers will be
enabled to visit dram shops, and increase their
diseases by lntemperance. The county has
now twenty mine paupers under its care
Among these is an old lady who has lived in
the poor-house for thirty wears and an old
man who has been there almost IA long Mr.
Jeftries, the keeper, labors hard to make all
under his care comfortable, and tries to make
the grounds around him profitable by tending
them with pauper labor; but the soil is 80 in
terior that great portion of his work is lost
If a richer spot were chosen, he could make
fair crops with his force, and thus reduce the
poor tax. But the County Court should take
care not to get too close to the city with her
alms-house. Some secluded spot, where the
sick and iniirm could enjoy repose, and where
the incorporate would not be beset with temp
tations, is most suitable, and such an one the
Court will no doubt select.