The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1859-12-10
.LoG al ItSHn9.

The NAr1osAl HorsL ASS s-rNATroN. =
The whole con 1unty Vas thrown TOTO toe
most intense excitement late yesterday al
ternoou, by the announcement tsat an iu-
nocent and interesting little boy o! eleven
summers, had ben most brutally murdered
mt the National Hotel. The news spread
like wild fire arouni the city, and iu short
while large and Exalted crowd had gath
cred at the Hotal, who doubtless would in
defiance of the law, have wreaked their ven
geance on the murderer, conld he have been
found for we have naver seen so much feel
ing manifested, nor known greater desire
to punish black hearted and cowardiy as
sassin, than was there exhibited but there
was no clue to the my sterious murder; no
toothold upon which the officers OF justice
could take the first step towards unraveling
the bloody and daboicAl eriGe; and thus
Jar the Cain branded dend has escaped the
clutches of the law.
The Argus of this morning gives the par
tcuars 80 infinitely thats'we adopt their
own language, only promising that the vic
tim was the only child OF Abran F. Leon
ard, the senior editor Of that paper:
The particulars of this heart-rending out
rage, so tar as known, enshroud 1t in Inys-
terry, and show it to be among the most y.n-
dictiye, unprovoked and extraordinary acts
on record
The child went to the hotel from school,
little after three O'Clock, assembled the stairs
-. 4 80. k1ap IF h 10 90
who were absent, and be was seen sitting
down In the passage.way at halt-past three
I o'clock. About halfpast four O'Clock, Lieut..
Murphy, u. S. Navy, whose room is next 10
that occupied by. Mr.. Leonard and lady. ON
attempting to enter, found the child lying
on the floor inside, his body pressing against
the door without any sign OF lite-a fright !
tul cash having been cut in the tore part OF
the neck. |
The alarm was given, and DR.. Andrews,
formerly of this city, and Dr.. }. b. Holmes.
both of whom are stopping at the National,
we're Immediately il attend ~nce, out medical
skill was of no avail. The hsartless N urdsr- |
ar had done his work most sffeetually his |
dagger, long and Keen, had bsen driven
deeply in the neck, reaching the upper part
of the vertebra, causing terrible and dead
! ly wound, such as, it wsald seem, could only [
be given by some practissd assassin.
blood, no noise, no weapon found, by which !
the black-hearted william could be detected |
At eleven o'clock NO clue to the dark deed |
of blood had been discovered. Ne oas is able
TO explain the mystery-no suspicion suffi-
eient to justify arrest Is expressed.
The helish deed was done quickly, with |
csnsumate precision and skill; and the per-
/ petrator, whether be has fed or remains
among us, is still at liberty. We hope he
may not escape the scrutiny and vengeance
of an outraged community !; that Justice In
this sad case may claim the guilty wretch,
who, if he has heart that is net rsmorse.
less, must already feel the keen anguish of !
guilty conscience, consequent upon tss
perpetration of the horrible crime.
Col.Garrison's room Deing immediately sr-
poste that in which the deed was committsd,
Mrs. G. heard a noise, as OF one falling, and
looked out to ascertain the Gauss bat seeing
no violence. 1t is probable that II she had at
] tempted to enter the room in which the blow
Twas given, there would have been another aw-
| full act In this dread tragedy
Virginius was a very gentle. cons4y, pro
the pride Of his fond, doting parents, and dear
II loved by many relatives and his ms!an-
choly, violent, mysterious death-rudeiy, saw
sgely crushed in the early, joyous spring time
Of jife,- causes sincere greet. Many hearts
throb in deep, sympathetic emotion, on account
Of the sad and fatal blow aimed with so deadly
eject, the cruel attack upon one so ;oadly
loved, SO strongly endeared by ties CT tender
est aztec ton.
Up to twelve o'clock, the jury had not
rendered verdict, and i1 was the opinion of
several persons that one would not be rsR-
dsred to-day. Dr.'s Holmes and Gait sx-
aminsd the body this morning.