The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-01-06
TIE scuunaAs i IN n / MrDs1oHT Il Ronprnr AND

The SCHURMAN MIDNIGHT ROBBERY AND
ATTEMPTED MuRDER.-Frank Taylor and
his son, John eBraxton, William Anderson,
and Pleasant Richardson, were before JUS
tice Lsrus, Of Henrico, yesterday on the
charge Of being the williams who made a
midnight assault upon Mr.. and Mrs. An
drew Schurman week or two ago.
The Commonwealth was represented by
Mr.. John Mordecai, and the accused by
Messrs. Upshur, Atkinson. and Thomas.
Mr.. schurman, being German, with no
speaking acquaintance. with the English
tongue, testified through an Interpreter.
He said Ned Allen. took part of the
window shutter off and looked IN the house,
but did not come in i recognize Pleasant
Richardson as the man who came in the
house with gun. Frank Taylor, Sr., came
in next, but cannot say whether he had
anything in his hand. Do not recognize
William Anderson and John Braxton as
being there. Richardson made the first
attack. They pushed the door in. The one
who knocked me down with q gun has not
been arrested. He is Frank Tsylor's oldest
son., Ny door was fastened with aabolt, and
I told the boy at night to bolt the door, but
he did not do it. There was wooden pin
where the lock was,s and they forced the
door through. Twas in bed, but not asleep.
They took everything Of value in the house.
My head is cut in six places, and my hand
was also cut. The one who struck me with
the gun Is not here, cannot tell who it
was that struck my wife, as she was 30
badly beaten; but they pulled her out Of
bed snd beat her. Invent to her assistance,
but was knocked down by Pleasant Rich
ardson and Frank Taylor's oldest son. Old
Frank Taylor was in the house at the same
time. s..,....s .,4
Cross s-examined I am ffty-two years old,
and reside on the Nine-mile road. These
men came in by the rear door :; there are
four doors to- this room it was about TO
o'clock when they made the attack can't
say who came in first three came in; the
other two followed had no conversation
after they came in; never saw either Of
these parties before except old Frank ;
don't know how long they remained; when
I came to my senses it was o'clock in the
morning.
Resxamined for the Commonwealth Did
not hear any disturbance until about five
minutes before, when they fired q shot in
my yard; I then opened the door and asked
them what they wanted; they said they
had fred at my dog then went back into
the house and locked the door; there was
hardly moment elapsed before they broke
into my house !: there was light burning
in the room at the time ;"r 5=2'~s--
= The negro Ned Allen, who had turned
States evidence, was then introduced, and
after being admonished by the representa-
tive Of the Commonwealth that he could
confess or not, as he pleased, but must tell
the whole truth, said thst he lived about
half mile from Schurman's; he knew all
the other prisoners, but could not call An
derson's name. As he was going Out he
met these boys near his house, and when
he got nesr Sohurman's house hesaw light;
when near the battery he heard the report
of gun, and went back to see what it was.
When he got there they had broken into the
house, The elder Taylor was IN the crowd.
A boy named Augustus was with me
when we met these boys. (Here he recog-
nized oil of them as being those he met
I called to them and told them good eve
ming. I had passed by the house when the
gun fired. Schurman was dom when l
got there. Some Of them were beating Mr..
and Mrs. Schurman, and others were ran
saoking the house. They took off several
articles of clothing. William Anderson
took Schurman's shoes and put them on.
There were six in the house besides the
boys. Richardson had q gun, another q
razor, Anderson an axe.
The counsel for the accused refused to
oss-examine this witness, and Frank
Taylor was then sworn. He said that ne
was sleeping in the room when the robbers
came. When he awoke he saw Mr.. Schur-
man standing at the door with the pistol.
He came back and laid the pistol down.
The parties then came in and commenced
beating Mr.. and Mrs. Schurman. Witness
then ran out and went down the road. They
followed witness, who fell in the ditch, and
one stamped him. They then brought him
back. Anderson was the one that brought
him back. One Of them put on the shoes.
Pleasant Richardson was the one that
struck Mr.. Schurman with the gun. They
took bread and a watch. Richardson was
the one who took schurman's pocket-book.
Witness father said on Sunday that he was
going there to get witness's money.
The counsel for the accused introduced
no testimony whereupon the Justice sent
the prisoners on to the March term OF the
court for indictment for burglary, robbery,
and an attempt to commit murder. Ned
Allen and Frank Taylor, Jr., were commit
ted to jail as witnesses in the case.