The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-09-10

LOCAL I'd ALTERS.

Brought to a Judge Lyons, of the
Hastings Court, after hearing the argument OF
counsel on the motion TO set aside the verdict
in the case of VIM. ID. Totty, convicted of
murder in the first degree, ard the evidence
atducsd TO show that one of the jurors bad
been conversed with by witness, pending
the trial, brought the case 10 close last Sat
urday, hy overrulipg the motion. Uuiess the
cause - now taken To the Court of Appeals,
on bills of exception, the fate of the prisoner
Is aeaisd, and he will be hanged on Friday, the
"a November, In accordance with the sentence
passed npon him by the Judge on Saturday
last
From the moment that Totty shot Miss
Ihom, up to the present time his conduct has
bs.n siugulafly strange, if not entirely mex
piicable, thereby creating the impression in
the mirds of his friend, that he was either
partially deranged, or had suddenly become
50 hardentd d as 10 feel no remorse for The
bloody deed, and no desire to escape punish
meht Unlike most murderers, he made no
attempt to flee, but two days after the deed
was arrested in the heart of the city, ard then
after being allowed to look upon the last rest
Ing place OF his victim. announced his readi-
ness to be killed. During the progress of his
trial, he exhibited p cold Indifference TO all
that was going on, not manifested by even an
idle spectator; and when the Iabors Of his
counsel were brought to u close, and the jury
were prepared to render q verdict, he arose
and looked upon them with cool complaceucy,
aud received their verdict of "guilty of mur-
der in the first degree" with as much indiifer-
ence as if he had been invited 10 take a walk
with a friend. If such things are the result
of natural mind, then the prisoner must
have iron nerves, and a self-commaEd not Of
ten seen.
Distress Rap.-To those acquainted with the
night signals of the police, nothing is ca'cu-
lated TO create greater uneasinesS than their
"distress raps, " At the dead hour of the night
AT once the mind becomes impressed with the
idea that the peace of the Commonwealth is
being cisturhed-that the quiet OF the city has
been violated that riot aud bloodshed are
rife-and that the executors OF the law have
been overpowered, and are beating mp new
forces, to return to the field from which they
have been temporarily driven. Every good
citizen then feels that his services are needed,
and none will refuse to lend them if he has
proper appreciation of frepu blcan institutions.
Yesterday morning, between the hours of 3
and O'Clock, he cry of murder was heard
i1th street, north OF Marshall, and very soon
at Ter messenger in search of the police ap-
peared on Main street, and announced that
desperate atfrar was going on--that one man
had been murdered, aud that others were being
killed Two of the watchmen hurried to the
scene, and third started TO beat up recruits,
giving the distress signal at every step, ana
causing much anxiety in the minds of those
who heard il. Soon after, we learned that
William Clarke and a man named Hughes
both somewhat intoXcated-had engaged in 4
fight, and that the latter had been terribly
beaten by the former, who is said to be Il pow
erful man, and who was arrested and Gagged
by the Watchmen. Subsequently he gave bail
fer his appearance before the Mayor this
morning, and was released.