The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-10-21

price 8 cents ut the counter, or 4 cents when
in wrappers ready for saaiiing to country
friends. "
"Rske ,em Down"
We expressed our surprise yesterday at the
apparent success with which mere handful
of desperate ruifiaas were enabled 10 throw
the town OF Harpcr's Ferry into panic
We did not mean. however, TO express any
particular astouishf.ens at this particular
case for there have been hundreds ofinssances
In which large bodies of men, and very bold
mea have been struck with utter consferna-
ton by the most trivial accidents. IL rs the
unknown in all such cases that operates upon
the mind As soon as the cause comes TO be
investigated, confidence returns.
we reco;.sct one incident much TO the pur
nose Of which the writer was witness many
wears ago in the goodfy town OF Vicksburg,
we'll known to history as we'll as geography
1t was in the very noontide heat of the "Fiush
Times, since immortalized by MIR. J. BALD
WIN, in the month of Jnly, 1880. The scene
was the yicksemrg Hotel, at that time owned
by a Mr. FoLggs. from North Carolina, origi-
naiiy, and kept by gentleman named GLIDE
WILL from Petersburg, Va. There had been
a shoe .ing match in the hotel that eTening,
not an unusual thing al that time, and one
man had been killed on the spot, and one Sc
vereiy wounded The man who had done
the shooting was thought to be still in
the hotel above stairs, while the bar-room
was crowded with persons attracted by
the firing. As was usual on such ocea-
sious. The crowd soon became thirsty, and
IN. services oil half dozen bar-ten-
ders were in constant requisition. 1t had
been determined to keep watch upon the ave-
nues. and prevent the homicide from escaping
AS 1t was believed he would attempt to do, for
lac " Is known 10 be person Of resolute, even
desperate temper. 1t happened that there
was confined in the hotel, AT the same time,
poor maniac, who was suffering under the ef-
feels OF plaa,a po.m, and had proved very hard
10 manage This man heard the firing and
the uproar and became perfectly frantic. The
persons who attended to him having been
called away by the noise, he contrived 10 break
open the door, and half naked as he was, to
make his way 10 the kitchen, in his attempts
20 reach the bar room. There were several
cooks, all females, in the room, all of whom,
alarmed at his strange appearance, uttered
yell of terror, and cleared the premises, some
through the windows and others through the
doors. To these the maniac paid no attention.
but seizing large kitchen-knife that lay on
the table, he rushed in the direction of the bar
room. There were three steps that led down
into it, from an elevated fiat like the poop of a
ships deck. There were about forty persons
drinking at the bar, and at least one hundred
more in their rear The forty gentlemen had
just touched glasses, and were about to raise
the beverage TO their lips, when the ma
MAC clearing the steps at bound, sprang
from the platform into the middle of the
room, and fiourishing his buteher-knife about
his head, shouted with voice loud enough
10 turn the Mississippi backward, "rake
'em down. The effect was tremendous
4" Saare qui peat at Waterloo was but a cir
cumstance compared to it. The glasses fell
from the hands of the drinkers in perfect
shower of crystal. The glasses sparked on
the floor that time instead of the board. The
crash was about such as we may imagine
would be produced by verifying the oft-re-
peated simile, and introducing a "sure-
enough bull, into "sure-enough - China
shop. Probably no premises were ever evacu-
a.ed at shorter warning, not even the French
lines at Waterloo when the occupants left at
sight without notice Of intention to quit. The
crowd ran out, rolled out, tumbled out, got
ont in every way they could. Even the bar
keepers deserted their posts, and the cause Of
all this confusion actually went behind the
bar. took "heavy pull came out, and chased
several of the fugitives up the street. THAT
is he did not mean TO chase them his whole |
object being to get away; but they ran because |
they saw him coming at full speed behind |
them, and did not know what his intention.
were) II was at last discovered that he had
gotten out and he was pursued and over
taken.
We relate this anecdote to show how much
may be done by single individual when he
takes crowd unawares; of course under the
same circumstances, score of men can work
an untold amount of mischief upon the larg-
est population.
Perhaps We will be excused for finishing
The story we have just been telling. When
the crazy man was brought back, it was found
necessary to confine him for the night in the
Jail of the town, and as the coolest room was
occupied by man who had been confined for
murder. he was put into il along with him
He had not been there very long before he got
into violent quarrel with the murderer. and
falling aboard OF him, beat him without mer-
cy. The iaiior hearing the noise came to the
rescue, and not knowing what else to do with |
the mailman, chained him TO a post ia the |
yard, and put him under the Surveillance of an
enormous mastif, who had the Intelligence.
Almost, of human creature. This dog laid
himself down, At the word of command close
by The prisoner, and, whenever he began to
rave rose from his position, gave growl aud
showed his worries in a manner which it was
impossible TO mistake. The mailman would
ihereupon sink his voice almost To a whisper
ahd apologize 10 his brute superior in the
most respectful terms, saying, 81 beg your
pardon, sir; did, mean to disturb you,- &c.
liz was hextday sent home, having created al
most As much excitement; as The ianatic who
pace escaped from an asylum at Marseilies, in
: rance and getting possession Of small fort
N an island in the bay which had been .ahan-
Toned, but stili retained a few heavy guns in
POSITION, with considerable quantity of am
II nAlrIop, actually cannonaded the town, and
ire; shots into several vessels entering the
iarbor.
MIR. Miller's Grafton.
We desare 10 cali the especial attention of
,ur readers to the Grafton on Monday night
" don. uxnRY W. MILLER, of North Caro-.
ina, the proceeds Of which are to be devoted
o the fund for the purchase OF Mount Yer
ION. with the exception of Mr.. EVERETT.
he eloquent gifted and patriotic MILLER. OF