The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-04-12
Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch
Martial Law Declared In Lunenburg County,.
Escape of two Mur,ierers from Jaii-Case OF
MEHERRIN, LUNENBuRG, VA, J
April IL. 1867.

| Escape of two Murderers from Jatl-Cnse
Larceny. ",
MEHERRIN, LuNENBuRG, VA,
April II, 1857.
On Monday the 9Th court day. an orde
wos promulgated by the provost marsha
of the district declaring martial law in th'
county and suspending the proceeding
| by the civil authorities in all cases where
| freedmen appeared as interested parties
Your correspondent was not present, but
learns that the reason alleged for such
action was that outrages had been perpee'
trated in several instances upon the freed,
men by some of the citizens, in dlhereh'
sections of the county, and that the magis-
trates had not performed the,r uu.9 IJ,
perly, and brought the offenders 10 .l,a,'
and rendered justice to the lreeumIn'
The rights of the freedmen were 'nVaueu
without the means of redress 50 ions -
;ustices of the peace refused u nea
their complaints or ignored their prisiieses
mnder the law, and that this condition o'
tb;ngs called for the exercise or presence
of military law. .1 .,.,
T. was asserted, on the other hand, that
n NJ, cases where freedmen COMPLAINED OF
maItreatment the matter had been mo
rnngbIv investigated by the magistrates,
and ;ns,ice awarded without Partially or
anv discrimination against color.
Eontain Connally offered to go into the
,r;oi of sucb cases as the negroes were in
tercsted parties to-, and invited the CO.
oneration of two justices to aid him in su-
perintending the proceedings, but none
vould agree to act and as no compromise
could be effected, such cases will hereafter
be tried by military court, or under the
of Federal officer.
A memorial, with full statement of COM
plants, Twas prepared to forward to General
Schofeld, asking the resumption of all the
duties appertaining to civil courts; but
the result belongs to future events, which
will be seen and noted.
On Tuesday night two of the negro pri-
soners confined for the murder of Mr.. Row.
lett, at this place, on the 2Sth of December
last succeeded in overpowering the iailor,
and affected their escape, and are still at
large. 1t appears that when Mr.. Grafton,
the keeper, returned from supper, about s
o'clock P. NJ, he erheard one of the
prisoners, Isaac Yarbrough, vomiting IN
the prison-room, and going in to see what
was the matter, Isaac Immediately leaped
upon him, calling to Bedford Stokes that
"now was their time %; and the two over
came Mr.. Grafton, and after beating him
badly, left the Jail, and so far have eluded
pursuit. The prisoners had succeeded In
wrenching the chains that bound them to
the floor of the Jail, and went off with these
coupled to them. Boatman Rowe, parti-
cipant in the murder, but an informant
against the other two, was an inmate OF
the same room, and chained as they were,
but is left behind, and is safe in prison.
When the news of the escape was sent
to Captain Connally at the junction, ne
promptly telegraphed that the magistrates
or constables of Lunenburg should take
active measures to arrest the escaped prl-
soners, and promised some assistance.
They have been traced about ten miles,
and no doubt, as their course is known, they
will be recaptured ifproper steps be taken
TO accomplish the purpose.
, About the Goth of March the smoke
house of Mr.. James L. Waddill, near this
place, was broken into and robbed OF
some twenty pieces OF bacon. lie pro-
cured the assistance of several freedmen,
who promised to do all in theirpower to aid
him in discovering the thieves. This they
succeeded in doing, and last Sunday car
ried Mr.. Waddill to the cave where the
bacon had been buried. He succeeded in
getting back fifteen pieces Of bacon, and
on Monday the freedmen arrested the thief
and held him prisoner for whole day.
But no warrant coming for his arrest, he
was allowed to go. 1t is thought he could
be caught and brought to trial and war
rant properly vouched will induce the ne
groes here to find him. They have exhi-
bited commendable spirit in this matter,
and deserve credit for their zeal in behalf
of Justice. ". n.