The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-07-11
Local MATTERS.

Desperate Esnaedy Yesterday morning ON.
Ger Bibb arrested Robert A. Johnson, OF King
William county. and had him before the
Mayor. TO aaswef the charge of threatening to
kill George NJ. Taylor, coach md wagon
maker on nth street, near Marshall. The
cause of the difficulty between the parties
seems ,4r to have oris.naiea thus: Mr.. Johnson
Kept tavern at King William Court House,
ana Nlr. Taylor, his family ahd two OF his
employees, boarded there When Mr. Taylor
LETT the county. he owed Mr. johnson bal
nr. Johnson brought a w warrant in Richmond'
but faile5 to Get judgment because of sone
legal inforniaiity. This fact seems to have
embittered the parties, and by way of adding
fuel to the flames, some one informed Mr.
Johnson that Mr.. Taylor had threatened to
co-7h.de him on sight. Yesterday morning.
johnson being IN the city, armed himself with
a large dirk and seusht Taylor At his shop.
Taylor, as soon as he saw johnson, met him
politely, and after the usual selntations,
Johnson told Taylor that he wanted bis bill
settled, and must have it down at once, re-
marking that Taylor had threatened to cow
hide him. Taylor denied having made any
such threat, aud Invited johnson to walk into
his Office, he leading the way. Taylor then
asked the amount of ths bill, and was told it
was $il. Taylor replied that he owed but $50.
johnson then drew his knife. demanded the
payment of the bill, either by note or other.
wise, and vowed TO have blood or pay. Tay-
l0f says johnson then cut at him, and showed
two small punetures on the forehead and nose,
which Johnson made u :th the knife, and
which might have proved fata1, but for Tay-
lor's wardng Oft the blow. Rather than be
butehered, Taylor agreed to give his note for
the ariount, as johnson would neither allow
him to leave ths effice, or permit any one else
to come in, but was too badly scared to write,
and called on one of his jotffneyEaen, Mr.
VIM. Martin, to fill up the paper. MIR. Mar
tin. fearing some tragedy, sent for the police,
and officer Bibb soon after arrived and took
the party into custody.
Mr.. johnson denied cutting at Mr.. Taylor,
and said he only carried the knife with him
because Tayiof had threatened TO cowhide
him-an indigntty which he had no idea of sub.
mitting to- He said he had Taylor in his pow
er, and could readily have killed him, II he
had in ntended to do so; bu. that he designed
him no harm after he denied having made the
threat, and only wished to get the money due
him II Z ~
NI.ssr. N. B. Hill and Shields testified to the
good character Of Mr.. johnson, both having
known him many years.
The Mayor held the accused to bail to keep
the peace, and to answer an Indictment by the
next Grand Jury.
The Streets of the city ought to be kept in
good order, and whenever the paving is taken
up for improvement Is, it ought to be replaced
without delay. Under the ordinances, a citi-
zen is liable to a fine if he leaves a stick of
timber, or barrel, or box, in the street for
single night; and yet the city employees can
obstruct the public thoroughfares for weeks
ard months at time, and there is no way of
getting at them. Surely, this is not just, and
the Conncil should tolerate ii no longer The
Superintendent of Streets is required to ex-
ploIe the streets and public alleys OF the city
as often as practicable, and report TO the Coun-
ell all encroachments upon them; but his
various duties make his explorations few and
far between, and the consequence is, that the
pubic suffer by the inattehtion. II the Su.
perintendent had no other duty to perform, IL
would take him ten hours out of every TWEEN,
ty-four to keep the public highways in good
condition, and to see that contractors for cul-
verts pushed their work through promptly,
and execu ted it in gooC style. Turn where
you will, and you find sidewalks broken up,
carriage ways sunk in holes, cutters badly
graded, and stencil traps full almost TO over
flowing Let these things receive proper at
tention, and the man who gives it will ha We n o
time to make surveys or estimates that ought
to come from the Engineer aud his assistants