The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-05-20
AFFAIRS m VIRGINIA,
The Wunkar<is.--A Natt0nn1 Conyen.
tion--~A Peculiar People.


Special Correspondence Petersburg Index.
SALEM, ROANOKE County, Va. May II.
lSt@.-To-day there assemblies in the county
q few miles from here q national conyen-
Won OF that singular. sect the Dunkards.
For several days they have been flockine In
Ihts drection-men, women, and children.
from pennsylvania, Northern MARYLAND,
New Jersey, the West, and all the noun
famous portions Of Virginia, by every con-
ceFabic mode of conveyance, until there
are gathered in this vicinity about 1000 of
The queerest people bright May sun ever
shone upon. 49,
The men are ordinary-looking enough,
but quiet and well-Innncrcd. The women
are fresh, smooth, and robust. Some of the
girls are very pretty, and it is quite con-
trast to see porting lips, rosy cheeks, and
rosulsh eyes, looking out from the prim
edges Of Il Sqnarc-cut cap, which is old
maidiShly stih, painfully white, and Qua
kcrishly ugly.
| have not been able to attend the con-
ycntion, and doubtless the mere business
proceedings would be dull for your readers.
ont some Particulars OF their pcculiarities
of creed and habits of life may not prove
unintcresting. They are strict construc-
tionistS Of the Bible. and the system Of their
church organization is patriarchal-the
influence of the pastor almost Omnl.
potent. Thcy settle all business matters
arising between the brethren by action Of
the church. There is never lawsuit be-
tween Dunkards, though they may sue or
be sued by outsiders. And such 4 thing as
Il pauper has never been known among
them. The congregation supports its needy.
1t is one of the best, as well as strongest, of
their laws that no member shall be Il candi-
date for public ofce--the genuine effect of
which rule is good, but its execution na-
turally engcnders quite an Indifference to
political matters; and as they always vote
unanimously as church, it is hard to bring
them out upon ordinary issues. Then, they
are tilnid in such mattcrs-thc more so now,
as i'll Virginia they unanimously voted for
secession, and, regarding it as mistake, are
more disposed than eyerto let governmental
matters alone.
In religious affairs they differ chiefly from
other Sects in the strictness Of their lives,
though their form of worship has some pccu-
larticS, based, as they say, upon the Scrip
lures and ancient practice. They baptize by
immersion, plunSing the convert three times
into the water, face forward. In the com
munon-which always occurs ut night, and
in The open air--they have first q substantial
rcpaSt Of soups and meats, &C.; at the end
Of which they wash each others feet, the
men intcrchanging embraces and kisses, and
the women carcSSing each other, the final
feature being the taking Of bread and wine.
The unanimous estimation of these pco-
pie by their fclow-citiZcnS is that they are
moral, inoticnSiyc, and thrifty, but they
never contribute Il cent to public improve
mcntS of any sort. If can find time to see
more of them / will write you. W. f. {.
COwHIDING AFFAIR--AE EX-MAYoR THE
NICTIM-A SLASDEK0uS TONGUE THE CAUSE.
Yesterday William II. Brooks, ST., (cX-
mayor, by military authority, during the
war; president Of the extreme Radical wing
Of the Republican party of this city, or, as
he delights TO call himself, "thc leader of
the gang" received Il severe casti9ation with
ncowhide in the hands of ayoung lady, Miss
Ellen Carter, of irrcproachablc character.
Brooks, who has Il ycnomous tongue iii his
head, has been using some rather scandalous
language in regard to Miss Carter, which
had 10 foundation except in his di>tcmpercd
imagination. Hearing of this language, Miss
Carter waited upon Mayor DcCordy, and,
stating the case, asked what redress she
could obtain from the law. Failing to get
any satisfaction i'll that quarter, she paid Il
visit to the clerks Office to ascertain whether
Brooks had any property which would be
liable in an action for defamation. Finding
that he had nothing, she yesterday morning
determined to take the law into her own
hands. and while going to market invested
twenty-five cents in Il keen coWhldc.
Living in an adjoining house, She kept 4
sharp lookout for him, and about ! o'clock
saw him about to pass to his own house to
dinner. Hastily Selling the cred Bette, .
she stepped into the porch and as he passed
leaned over the railing and administered
four OF five sharp cuts with the cowhlde
across the face and eyes OF the slanderer.
Brooks appeared utterly ast0undcd by the
attack, and hcsitated moment, and when
he recovered himself, aimed blow at her
with a cudeel which he usually carries.
Sccin" the blow falling, she attempted to
catch The stick, anda slight struggle cn>ucd,
which ended by Brooks falling SPRAYING
upon the sidewalk. Quick as lightning his
uss;lilant stood over him, and before he
could regain his feet he received several
more binding cuts across the face. As soon
is possible he picked himself up, but by thi>
time completely dcmoraliZed, and beat q
| ha>tv retreat to his house. AS soon as ne
| found himself i'll Il place Of safety, he turned,
| and. in Il voice trembling with passion, swort
| to be reyengcd upon his feminine tormcntor,
having said which, he hid his diminished
| head in his house.
The affair was witnessed by number OF
persons, including Brc0ks's wife, none oI
whom intcrfercd to prevent the caStiSation
! but all appeared to en- Joy it exceedingly. II
| is said upon what we take to be good autho
rity that this worthy Brooks ut one time
used To indulge in the luxury of whipping
his wilc.-N0IJ0tk Tirg'mdn, 18th.
MURDER IN ISLE OF WIGHT CouNTY-THI
! MURDERER STILL AT LARGE.-On Saturdh!
the Sth instant, i man by the name of Viii
! liam Edwards, who was employed rs su
| perintcndcnt over the firm Of Mr.. j. @
Thomas, in the above county, during the
absence of the proprietor, demonstrated
with negro by the name of Dick Pickett
also employed on the same farm. for no
| attending to his work III a better manner
| The negro was exceedingly inSolent, ant
| Mr.. Edwards struck him Il slight blow or
| the breast. The negro raised wedding
| hoe which he had in his hands, and striking
| Mr.. Edwards Il blow on the head Which
! fractured the skull, knocked him senseles:
| to the ground. While his victim was lying
on the ground weltering i'll his blood the
negro attempted to strike him again, bu
! was prevented from doing so by some OF The
| byStanders, when he left, and up TO The
| last accounts had not been arrested. Th,
wounded man was picked up and taken t
his house, where he fingered until Monda!
evening last, when death put an end to hi:
suicrings. -No,Jolk T'fy'"ian, 18Th.
| COOP NEWS FROM SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.
| Mr.. Cameron. of the Petersburg Inder
writes us follows from Salem:
In Roanoke the people are 4 unit. | an