Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-07-04
"a 3 CITY

BURGLARY AND An ArTKNPr AT MuRDkR--About IL
o'clock lAst Friday night, Hammond Gerdiog, Ter
man, who keep, grocery near the corner OF Sd and
Duval streets, rtused by noise as of some enc
moving about In his store under his sleeping room de
went immediately down staIs, pistol in hand, and en-
opening store door discovered that the gas which
he had carefully eIinsuished, burning brightly
Getting into the store he found that the back window
was open, and looking out, saw two negroes in the
yard, sppsreotly loaded with goods He cried to them
to stop, and, they failing to do so, fred at them. In
SANITY the negroes returned bis Ere with interest," both
of them firing at him at once. BE fred at them again,
and a, ain they returned the FIRE aud made of. He
cried thieves 'wach, FIRE, murder, and everything
he could think Of and started in pursuit. clamoring IS
he went. Several females, Ia his and nsigbb'ring
house, hearing the ALARM added their shrek and pre-
duced such an uproar never va, heard. Captain Wm
Foster, who lives on Davsl near 4th street, being
walked by the firing and hubbub, rushed out into the
street to see what had belallen. On get ng into the
street, he saw two men rolling barrel up 4sh street in
the direction of neighboring ravine. He called to
them to halt and on their refusing, shot at them wi
pistol They Stopped rolling the barrel andeach OF them
fred at him. After exchanging half dozen shots, the
men ran eff and were lost in the darkness, leaving
the barrel behind. Capt Foster went to the barrel
and finding that it contained LIQUOR which, By the way
was wasting rapidly from the fpggot carried 1t to bis
house and rolled into his yard. He then went up 10
GerdiDgs to get some explanation Of the matter. AL
Gerdipg knew was what We have aleeaiy detailed ex-
cept that the barrel was his and had been nearly foil Of
French brandy when stolen and that quantity Of
other operty had been stolen from bis store. An eI-
animation Of the premises showed that the thieves bad
effected an entrance into the store by cutting Hat
from the rear window, and then unboldng It,
After all we have recently ssid About the ineficiency
of the city nighwatchmen 1t will not surprise the reader
to lea nthat notwithstanding all the firing and balooing
| and other noises III had occurred, not wachmsn
made his appearance. While Captain FOste: and Mr.
Gerding were in conversation, fLsade amoN equal to
skirmshng along the lines" was heard in the direction
of the Siockoe Hill burying ground.
At daylight Gerdng found in his back yard slouch
hat, which be recognized belonging to negro named
Daniel belong ng TO Me- Andrew El.ett and employed
| at the Confederate States wagon yard, on Navy Hill
This negro and three others the last persons in the
store OF Gerdng before it shut up the previous
night The hat had been knocked from his head during
the m.,e by cloth line stretched across the yard.
0i.er Jenkins, being informed Of these facp, went
out the wagon yard and arrested the negro. IL is
/ sa that after daylight Saturday morning wa'chman
called at Gerdng's to'inquire what the matter.
Daniel was brought before the Mayor Saturday morn
ing but other suspected PARTIES being still q. large h,
committed to jail and the continued. He Ia
most enormous negro, and, though burdsned with
supcIAaO aesh will weigh at least pounds