The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-04-19
SHOOTING AFFAIR.
A CoEosEp M an SHOT By ABRAs1
EALE.
ATTACHMENT B EF Oh T.
CF1AHOON.
SCENE IN THE COURTROOM.
HALL IS BAILED.
ATTEMPT TO MOB HAM BY THE
NEGROES.
he IS PROTECTED BY MAYOR ELLYsoS's
POLICE. ...s.s-


POLICE. ,-.r..
On Sunday morning at about 8 O'Clock a
shooting, affair occurred mt the residence OF
Abrain Hall (co1ored), one Of the assistant
doorkeepers Of the Senate, which resulted
IN the wollnding of Charles Pryor, color
ed man, by the first named.
After careful inquiries into. the facts Of
the affair we haYe been enabled to obtain
the following as the
CAsUS DELLI.
Charles Pryor was sent to Halls house on
Sunday morning by one William K. Howle
to collect an account. He went into the
house, and was received kindly by HALLS
wife and mother-in-law. After he sat down
some conversation ensued about debts, In
the midst of which Pryor remarked, eff
you would make Abram good Republican
he could collect all the money due him."
Halls wife replied, DWELL, if that is what
you came here for yop can go away"
Pryor got to be very abusive, and called her
had been lying indispospd In the Darkroom,
Jumped tp, and, coming out, ordered
Pryor out of the house. Pryor said " Pay
me that dollar you owe me-" Hall ordered
him to leave the house; to which he re-
piled, I" 1 mean to whip yom before / leave
that's what came here for" He pulled off
his coat, and Halls wife and mother-iu-law
pushed him out of the door. Hall got his
pistol and came to the door and said 600
away from here, or Ill shoot yoll." Pryor
pushed through the gate, cutting HalPS
mothers arm about two inches up in doing
so, and struck his wife-who 1s In dencate
situation-in the breast. Upon this Hall
fred with Sharpe's small four-shooler.
The ball, Of small pea size, entered the
side between the hip-bone and the tourth
TO a house near by, where his wound was
prebed by DR.. Garnett and the course OF
the ball ascertained, though the ball itself
could not be found. Pryor was subsequent
" taken to the Medical College.
THE ARREST.
In the mean time considerable crowd of
negroes commenced to gather, ana put ior
the prompt appearance of Captain Iorgee
there might have been a serious difficulty.
He arrested Abram and conveyed him TO
the station-house, where he was held until
yesterday morning.
BEFORE THE COURT.
The old Mayors courtroom was very
mucn CrONueu ny iutS he1ioe'
morning, who manifested a very ugly disspo.
sition by their behavior, and threats against
Hall could be heard on all sides.
DR., Garnett was first called to testify be-
fore Mr.. George Chahoon, who examined
the case. He stated that he and DIR. Pul.
liam had been called in shortly after Pryor
was shot. They had traced the course OF
the ball, and the wound would not necessa'
rily prove fatal. Pryor was very much eX'
cited ut the time, and seemed under the
impression that he must die. He was no"
at the Infirlnary III good hands.
Colonel Marmaduke johnson appeared as
Halpscounsel, and after stating that he wa
sure that Hall could be justified for repel'
ling an attack upon his own domlcll, eX'
pressed the hope that he would be bailed
At this point two colored men rushed
very eycitedly into the courtroom and
stated that Pryor was dead, and that they
had seen his body being borne to lis mo-
theirs house.
SCENE.
Whether The bearers of the above report
had malicious motives, or were really under
the impression that they were stating the
truth, we are not prepared to state. but
they certainly created great "confuse-
ment."
The crowd in the courtroom jumped UP
on the ratings and rushed into the bar oil
the court. and loud and bitter were the
threats made against the odd Conserva-
tive" Hall seemed stunned for moment,
and then fell into commissions. This in.
creased the confusion, and it was win
great difficulty that the crowd could DC
kept back. Order was after awhile restored,
and Hall came to. after great cXcrtlons on
the part of DR.. Garnett and his mother-in-
IT Il,
heard that Pryor was alive and doing well,
which information was brought in by Il mes
sage from the College in reply to note
sent by Mr.. Chahoon.
The latter then decided to bail Hall in
the sum of 81 900; which bail was given
Messrs. Thomas U. Dudley, Charles Camp
bell, and Julius A. Robson, being Hali'
sureties. The case was set for hearing this
morning.
The crowd of negroes were. ordered tc
leave the courtroom. This they refused &c
do, and the room had to be cleared ana the
doors closed.
ATTEMPT TO MOB.
The negroes still continued to hang about
the market-place, and many were the eN
pressions against Hall by the misguided
creatures. Hall in the mean time had beer
offered all escort by Chahoon's police. I'M:
he declined, aud at his own request he wa
locked in a cell. One of the policemen re-
marked, "I'm d-n glad OF that, for dom
want to be hustled about and pelted by
d-n crowd of niggers." This was from
one of Chahoon's immaculates. Hall ther
sent for Mavor Ellyson to ask him for pro
lection. Mavor Ellyson, in company will
Major Poe and Capt. Chas. Epps, went to thu
station-house, and Abram expressed de
sire to be protected by him. He was re
leased, and went out with the Mayor anC
his officers. The negroes outside shouted
and yelled as he made his appearance, anc
evidences of an attempt to rescue were ap
| parent. Some Of Mayor Ellyson's police
came I'D at the time, and Hall was escorted
I'D Main street, followed By large croWC
yelling and shouting and making all Sorts
of threatening expressions. A little belo"
Fourteenth street an attack was maze upoI
| the party. but 2 few whacks over the heads
ofthe leaders with polcemen's clubs remind
| ed them that they were within forbidden
ground. Ashley reached the Capital Square
a rush was made toward the gates. Mayor
Ellyson ordered his policemen to close the
gates for short while. This was done ant
after Hall was escorted to the Capitol they
were again thrown open. The crowd re
| NAMED about short time and then dis
persed.
That this affair Is unfortunate--as an!
other of o similar result would be--canno
be doubted, but it is especially SO rs 1t con
Germs one Of the most peaceable and best
esteemed colored men Of our city. We ar,
sure that the facts of the case will justif!
his action, and we trust that the coloret
people who acted 80 foolishly yesterday
may act more becomingly upon secont
thought.
MAYORS Court, MoNDAY-Mayor E1lyso'
presiding.-The following cases were dis
posed of by his Honor yesterday