Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-02-04
DEFERRED LOCAL ARTICLES.


CRIMINAL CouRr ON Saturday, the trial Of
Henry Burke, colored, which was commenced on
Friday afternoon, was resumed and concluded
he was Indicted for an assault and battery with
intent to kill Alfred Thomas, also colored.
Thomas, the accuser, was the only witness ex-
amined on Friday. He 10 an active locking young
fellow, with a slender figure, and face which
although dark In color, IL marked with features
assimilated more TO the Caucasian than the Ethi-
Opian type. He took the witness stand with
confident air, indicating that he was perfectly
satisfied with himself, and proceeded to tell his
story In good language, but In a lively manner,
approaching pertness II the part he had enacted
In the events which he was relating, was one
which he had every reason to be proud Of.
He stated that In November last he visited the
house OF Susannah Williams TSusannah, who
color and style, cuticle and ivory, and is neither
10 fair nor chaste the scriptural character Of
the same name The witness stated that at
Susannah's house he met Henry Burke (the ac-
cused) and that expressions Of good will passed
between them. burke, 1t will be necessary to
explain, appears from the evidence to have been
on the most intimats terms with Susannah; In
fact they seem TO have been man and wife In
all things except the marriage ceremony.] When
witness took his leave, Susannah requested
him to call again Accordingly, on the Sat.
urday evening next ensuing, he "dropped
In" and found the society of that coiored
charmer 30 fascir ating that he could not tear
himself away. Midnight arrived, and Susannah
suggested to witness that the hour wss rather
late-for colored peope-aLd invited him to stay
ali night. Alfred, nOtEiL- 9th, accepted the in
vitation, and went to bed-w:h Susannah-Arst
mailing the outer door fast Ia Its frame, at her
suggestion.
In answer to question Of Mr. Norris, counsel
for defense, witness said ne did not recollect
whether Susannah said II was to keep Henry
Burke out
The witness resuming, said he went to bed and
covered his head up.
Counsel for defense suggested that this was
probably because he was ashamed but the wit
ness repelled the imputat.on, and said he always
covered his head up when he went to bed.
[Susannah and one or two other mahogany.
cOlored females showed their ivories at this point,
when II was suggested by counsel that the wit
nesses had best not hear each others evidence.
All except the witness on the stand, were accord
ingly removed from the court room
The witness, resuming, said he had not been In
bed long when Susannah exclaimed, 4" Henry
Burke Is coming down stairs" Witness uncov-
cred his head at this juncture, and discovered
as his (witness's) wrist
Mr.. Norris asked the witness II Burke struck
him with the stick.
Witness said not that he remembered, and
being asked what Burke was doing with the
stick said be was striking the bed with 1t. Burke
then attacked witness who was still In bed with
razor, and had cut him several times with II
when witness raised himself and drew from un-
der the head Of the bed (Susannah told him II
was thers,) a pistol. He fred three times at
Burke, who at the third shot exclaimed, syou
son OF a b-h, you bave shot me-" The conflict
seems TO have ended at this point In the defeat and
flight of the assailant. Witness was confined
nearly two months to the house by the wounds
he received On Saturday, DR.. Butt testified that
ne dressed the wounds Of Alfred Thomas, and
found on his body eighteen or twenty cuts, some
OF which were Of serious character.
Witnesses were called 70 testify to the good (or
considering bis equivOcal relations with Susan
nah, rather the quietand orderly character Of the
prisoner.
The case was given to the jury, who returned
into the court with a verdict Of Z" not guilty"
Eliza Foreman, colored, was convicted Of an
assault and battery on Anna Heinfolien, and was
sentenced to six weeks imprisonment in the
county jail.
VIM: Johnson, indicted for an assault and bat.
tery with intent to kill Henry Lancaster, was ac-
Quilted
John Doe, convicted ION Friday) Of an assault
and battery, was ION Saturday. sentenced to three
months In jail. Adjourned.
A NEW BRANCH OF BUSINESS Since boot
blacks, crossing-swespers and other features of
metropolitan life have been introduced into our
city, and become institutions, the wits Of Young
America seem to have been sharpened, and by
the time youth ges into his rst pair Of trousers
which 10 also about the time when he 10 first seen
with stump OF cigar In his mouth, he looks
around for some OPP 5rsunity o. turning an honest
(and sometimes, we fear, dishonesty penny.
The new calling we intended to speak OF 10 an
humble one, and was suggested by the unprece-
dented wet weather, and consequent mud, Of the
only wet, and the roads muddy, the boot blacks
drove fourishing trade; but there came a time
some weeks since-when sswetn did not express
| strongly enough the muggy state Of the atmos-
phere and the soaked condition Of all terrestrial
things, and when "muddyn was hardly signif-
cant Of the condition Of the neither integumens of
the officers and soldiers who cane across the Po-
tomac coated from head to foot with accumula-
tons Of "sacred soil several inches In thickness
At that ume-and the condition has existed ever
since-boot blacking died out, except on Penn
sylvenia avenue, where few boys still keep their
hands In, but the majority Were thrown out of
employment by the impossibilitY Of finding the
boot, In It's shell Of mud
Then II was there appeared at the Georgetown
military bridge across the Potomac, a number Of
boys with pail and sponge, where they carry on
the business Of boot tcdShing, and make good
prodts, as water does not cost as much as black
Ing. One youngster hes the monopoly of the
hydrant at the corner Of High and Bridge streets,
where he one day made 81 .5Q,-a pretty good
days work.