Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-07-30

The KILLING OF CAPT. PHILIP SMITH
The correspondent of the Fredericksburg Ledg-
or writes FROM Lancaster Court House, Va,
as follows:
1.-THE trial of Richard Kcrnon, for the MUIR
der of Captain Philip Smith, was commenced
at this place on last Monday, (lhe 18th, J
Judge S. L. StraughaD presiding. The pros.
ecution was conducted by Samuel Gresham
| Commonwealth Attorney, assisted by LIyod
| Smith, and the prisoner was ably defended by
Warner Ball, B. Fl. Robinson, and w. W.
| Walker The jury, after retiring about twenty
minutes, brought in verdict of not guilty. y
The facts elected on the trial are in substance
as follows Kernon an old and infrm man,
had by the death of a relative come i'll posses
sion OF small tract of land, but being sick,
did not Immediately move to the place. lu
| the meantime Mrs Brown, who had recently
lost her husband finding the house unoccupled
| and having nowhere else to go, moved into 1t
| with her family Of several children When
| Kernon had sufficiently recovered ne notified
| Mrs Brown to leave and she iailing to do so
he put her children and furniture out in her
absence, but allowed her to occupy IA small crn
house near the dwelling. About nine clock
| on the night Of June the Sd Capt. Smith, ac
/
place Smith being armed with pistol, the
others unarmcd, with the avowel intention of
making arrangements with Kernon for taking
care of Mrs Brown until Some other provision
could he made for h,r He Knocked at the
| durr If the corn honsa, whcn it was opened by
| Mrs Brown, and they engag' d III "nvcrsa
tiou kernun, hearing the usc in the yard
came to tie dnur o. his dwelling house armed
| with ii gun, and ,eng three men in the yari,
| cursed them and Iuld tn, III To clear OUT or he
! would blow their brains out that he had been
| informed, they were getting mp party AT LII
walton to put him out OF his house and put
Mrs. Brown in. Abusive proane, aud threat
ening language passed between the parties tor
some ten nr fifteen minutes, when kernon shat
Smith, from the effects If which he died in
about twenty minutes The men who accom-
panied Capt. Smith said that he had pistol
| in his hand when he was shot, hut denied
that he fred \ conred woman v.
lug in the nrighborhnnd testified that she
heard TWO reports in quick succession, one like
that of a pistol toIlnweh by louder report like
that Of a gun This conceded with the state
mcnt al K"rnon AMI his wife, that Smith fired
before kernon did.
IMMIGRATION IN TIE NORTHERN Neck. We
learn from The proceedings OF tn. "Nurthcrn
Neck Agricultural Society. that they have a
regular Committee on the >ul .irct of lmmlgra
ton aud that the Society recognizes the Rev
Mr. Cau>on, who has recently settled in Rich
luond c,unty, as an Agent for the disposition
of lands in that section OF Virginia.
Mr.. CmuSnn addressed the Society at is last
regular meeting aud pror"sed To accept the
agency fr the sale OF lands in the Northern
=. Cd IN h. n r,,I
in his hands, Stipnlating that he should receive
az "A compensation for his services, per cen
tage of 6 per cent, to be paid out otthe cash
payment. He also stipulated that if the lands
thar had been placed in his hands should be
sold by the owncrs without his consent, that
| he, Cau>on, should receive a per centage OF
three per cent. on the value set upon SAID lands
when placed in his hands Tor sale. without re-
gard TO the price received by the seller.
Another stipulation made aud insisted on by
Mr.. Clauson was that he should have the agen-
cy for these lands for at least three years MIR
G. then said that if he should succeed in getting
these lands upon favorable terms he would
guarantee that from 400 to GOO families of im-
migrants would be here within one year. lie
also stated that he himself, had purchased IN
Richmond county and that some ~ or 80 faml-
lies would settle in that section nt the Stale du
ring the present fall. Mr.. &. is said to be a
gentleman Of energy and to be depended upon.
Fredericksburg Herald
HARD TO KILL.-Thc tenacity with which
Alderman McMulleu, of Philadelphia, cliugs to
life recalls the case of the notorious Bill Pool,
of New York, who was shot in drunken brawl
ten or fifteen years ago by a brother ruthan
Pool had beeu successful prze-tigher, and
was fellow OF remarkable physical endurance
as proved not only by his ability to receive any
amount of punishment in the prlze-rng and in
the bar. room encounters, but especially by the
fact that he lived for eleven days with bullet
in his heart. the post mortem showing that the
ball was imbedded between the right and left
ven,rcle of that delicate organ. This circum.
stance excited the establishment of medical
men at the time. Us a similar case had never
before been heard Of McNlullen was shot
through the left breast, just above the heart.
The bal has not yet been located or removed,
but is believed to have perforated the luug.
Notwithstanding this it is thought he Will re,
cover owing to his remarkable vitality and
wonderful powers of endurance. Should the
belligereDt alderman survive we may look Tor
another shooting affray IN Phlladelph,a, as
McMullen is firm believer IN the lex tallon's.
= Washington Star
BANKRUpTcY.-Then new amendment to the
bankrupt law, by which the homestead allowed
in Virginia is extended to petitioners Tor its ben
efts. is now quite the rage. There has oeen
much dispute among the legal minds ot the
State as to the effect of the late decision of the
Court of Appeals upon the act of Congress cx
empting the homestead and oher p exem?t'9 l!
OF 1871, instead uf 1864. Judge Rves. III his
late decision, certainly does enough, not only
cons,raining the homestead to extend t" new
applicants, bur even extending its beuchts TO
former apr licatons made betore the passage OF
the act.
The bankrupt law is much needed BY some
IF our citiz.n> who have become overwhelmed
in de''t by circumstances over wllah they mao
no cuur,l; such a. the War aud It's attendant
ennis. We learu that the business >hlisk here;
indeed we called at the office IT Crockett y
Blair few days ago and fund both uember'
If that firm busy preparing bankrupt papers
They arranged from twr T., three cases per day
for several days Wytheule Dispatch.