The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-10-01
LOCAL MATTERS.

Jury-JoIfn Poe, Jr., iforeman,) John F.
stags, p. @. Kimbrough, G: g Thompson, 7 !.
s. Robinson, q. M. Lumpkin, Thos. - Rid
dick, los. y. Hanlon, o. Cranz, VIM. IL Snth-
erland, A. o. Brummel and w. H. G. Lump
kin-met at the inquest room, on Cary street,
yesterday, at ~ O'Clock, and proceeded 10 in-
quire how, when, and by whose hands, w iiilam
Graves, shot by John L. Taylor, last Tuesday
night, came to his death. As the body had
been examined the day before and post NOR
tum made, the first witness called was
DR.. James H. Conway, who deposed to the
following facts:
On Tuesday evening, 27th Sept, 1850, was
standing upon the steps of the Exchange Ho-
tel. when heard the explosion of pistol
About fifteen minutes after, while standing IN
the hall of the hotel, Mr.. p. H. Butler inquired
if was not the physician of Mr. Graves; that
he had been shot. and desired me to see him
Immediately. When I arrived at the house Of
Mr.. Graves found DR.. Peachy present. Mr..
Graves was lying upon the bed he was pale
and flint, suffering apparently from nervous
shocks. DR.. Peachy and myself proceeded to
examine the wound. The position of Mr..
Graves being altered, the direct introduction
of the probe was rendered impossible. From
symptoms manifested two hours afterwards,
we became satisfied that mortal injury had
been inflicted, inasmuch as we believed serious
damage had been done the vessels of the intes-
tines and the intestines themselves. He sur
yiyed about thirty two hours from the time of
my seeing him.
DIR. Peachy, the Coroner of the city, aided
by DIR. Conway in his conduction of the post
mortem upon turning back the walls of the
abdomen discovered perforation of the outer
walls, perforation of the large and small intes-
tines, and final lodgment of the hll In the left
,tiae fossn, between the peYttoaenm and the in
ternal iiiac muscle. Besides this, there was
immense effusion of blood and serum, intense
peritoneal inflammation, and much intestinal
confusion.
William p Ballard, sworn.-On Tuesday
night. the 27th of September, was passing up
a,sll i'm nd pOt
above the stable door of Mr.. William Graves,
when heard Mr.. Graves say to Mr.. John l..
Taylor, s'you have sweated my horse" Tay-
lor replied, ~ know / have, but your horse
ran away and tried to throw me. / am will
ing to pay all damages" Graves then said,
in q commanding voice. "you will have that
to do.' Taylor replied, 'since you talk so
smart, / would not care if had killed your
horse.'' Mr.. Graves then remarked, ,"no gentle
man would talk Somebody but a id rascal
would make such remark" Taylor imme
diately raised his stick and called Graves
id SON of Il b-h. Graves then raised his
stick and struck Taylor two powerful blows
over the head or shoulders. Taylor then shot
Graves / think Taylor had his pistol in his
hand when he raised his stick. l did not see
him draw it from his pocket. Graves and
Taylor were both standing on the north side
walk of Franklin street, in front OF Graves
S table, at the time the difficulty occurred.
Patrick ii. Butler, sworn.-On Tuesday
night, the 27th of September, was stand
stable talking to Mr.. Freeman, when
1 heard the report of a pistol in the di-
rection of the stable. Not knowing what had
caused the report, walked over 10 the STAPLE,
and saw Graves standing in the door. asked
him what was the matter He said he was
shot but not understanding him clearly,
thought he said he had shot a dog. remarked
to him that it was very dangerous to be shoot-
ing about the streets when so many persons
were passing. He then said II am shot," and
when he pulled up his vest to show the wound,
/ saw the blood ooZing out OF his shlft, tolo
him he was wounded in a dangerous place,
and asked him how it occurred. He replied
that TAYLOR. id rascal, had shot him. l
then asked him for what. He said 'for no
thingn l took hold of him and told him he had
better go to his room, seeing that ne was bieeo-
ing freely and would, probably, soon be 100
weak to walk there; but he said it was not ne
cessary TAYLOR was standing in the street, a
short distance off, and started 10 him to ar
res him but he saw me and metme saying ne
was glad that had come-that he mad snot
Graves had called him ID
son OF a b--h. and struck him two severe
blows with a stck-and as we We're then within
a short distance of Graves, he (Graves) re-
marked that Taylor had called him Cd
liar. Taylor then handed me his pistol, ana
said he wished TO surrender himself into the
hands of the law. L started with him TO JUS
tice Ballard, but meeting Deputy Sheriff Wood
near the Exchange entrance, put Iayior lnto
his custody Seeing Dr. Conway at the Ex-
change sent him to Graves, and then went
with Taylor to the first station-house. On
getting there saw Taylor spit blood, noticed
a ridge or mark upon the side OF his lace, ana
heard him say that Graves hao gwen nm Two
violent blows.
7. Kenton Lyon, sworn.-On Tuesday night,
the 27th of September, about half-past seven
O'Clock while standing in the store OF MI j ohn
Poe Jr., northeast corner OF 14th and Frank
lin streets. heard the report of q fire-arm.
As the report came from the direction OF
Graves stable with several other persons
walked over to the stable door and asked what
was the matter. Graves answered that ne
was shot. and pointing to Taylor, said, ,"there's
the id rascal that shot me-" Taylor SAID,
"Yes gentlemen, l did shoot him, because ne
struck me with a stick l then told Iaylor
he had better surrender himself. lie said he
would do so if any one would go with him 10
a magistrate / told him would accompany
him. and soon after we started, some other
gentleman (probably Mr.. Bntler.l came up
We We're going to Inc E.Acnahse 1o11i 1a ,ss ous
when about half way between the Ballard
House and Exchange we met Deputy SherlH
w ood who took Taylor into custody. On our
wav TO Justice Ballard, believe that IayIor
took hold of my arm.
TayIor say that he wanted an opportunity to
shoot Graves / never heard him say any
thing in reference to shooting GraHes. One
day at the dinner table, neard 1ay!or make
some remark about a horse he had hired OF
Graves that did not suit him, but what the
precise language was l am unable to say
The impression made upon me was, that IL
ever he again hired a horse OF Graves, ne
would injure the animal saw Taylor riding
a fine horse some few days after the conversa-
tion to which have alluded, and learning from
him that the animal belonged 10 Graves, ex-
pressed some surprise at ms hlrlhg from
Graves In reply to what l said, Taylor re-
marked that the horse then in his possession
was the only good riding horse IN town.
cannot repeat the remarks OF Iayior at the
dinner table, but there are others VINO can,
tnf fnrd
Christian.
f. ID. Hudson, sworn.-On Tuesday night,
the 27th of September, whilst was stahdtng
at the corner of the Ballard House, pistol
was fired, but it did not attract any nore VI
nv attention at that instant, than any other
noise of that kind would have done. Very
soon after heard what took to be a negro's
voice say that Mr.. Graves was shot 1 went
over to The stable and asked Graves Wnat was
the matter. He said "that id Il belieye)
rascal has shot me.' then asked him VINO
He pointed to Taylor and said. THAT ID
rascal there" AS knew MT. Iayior by signt,
l readily recognized him. When Graves maoe
the remark, Taylor stepped up ana sala, les; les;
would strike rue with stick, which Graves
did as / can prove by gentleman now pres
entm Taylor then turned to a young man
standing there VIM r Bailardl ana appeaiea a.n,
To him TO know if Graves did not strike him
with stick and the man appealed 10 salo that
he did.
Jordan Christian, sworn.-l never heard
Taylor say he would shoot Graves. heard
him saw at the dinner table, three or four
weeks ago that he once hired horse from
Graves. and after driving him short distance
returned him, saying that when he hired a
horse he did not hire a cow. He also said that
if he were again to hire morse from drases
ha would kill the animal. / never, at any
time. heard John /. Taylor threaten personal
injury to William Graves.
A. i. Binford, sworn.-I concur in the state
ment made by Mr.. Jordan Christian, as l was
nresent at the time Mr.. Taylor made the re-
marks relative TO the horse hired of Mr.
Graves.
The evidence being concluded, the Coroner
submitted the case TO the jury, and the fore
man proceeded at once to ascertain the opinion
-, = Tn a short time the following