The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-07-11
Distressing FF0zssl cfsae--aAH Old and
WolI-fxnonn Cfsazeisfskoossn and Kills
81 m Fs0S. far arreaa,Insss III /. 81 Ft.s

4 DlssrssslrE H0nslcisfa-- Old and
syalI-fxnonn CfsaEeis Hhoofs and Kills
Hog for tTrespnss. gss5
.HIe people of the northern portion OF the
i city were much exercised Yesterday afternoon
over the preparation OF d hoanieide OF a most
distressing chalacte Rev. Samuel j.
Browne, q pioneer of 1Tfg6, and one OF oiir
/ best known and most respected Citizens. ea-
asperated by the Invasion OF bis premises by
parcel OF trtiant and snilfering boys, and
their indiscriminate plltpkiag of his young
fruit trees, fired upon them, and killed one Of
their number almost instantly. The violent
taking of human life in the bloom and pro-
mise Of youth cannot but be touching under
lany circumstances. but when the trembling
hands Of age direct the. fatal shaft, and The
dread cure of blood pollutes u soul all b, t
prepared 10 meet it's Maker, the shock is OF
double force, and the coniendfng emotions of
the heart are equally absorhcd by pity for the
haplcss victim and omIassion for the an
HAPPY slayer. These were the feelings OF all
who received intelligence of the sad affair
yesterday afternoon, and it was with troubled
looks and heavy hearts chat the friends Of the
icId,& old man., SO well known to- iissaIl,
thronged to the scene of the fatality to gather
the particulars of The tragedy. The history
of the killing Is brief aud simple. eAss "a -ss1a
| Mr.. Brownies residence, as most of our
older citizens know, ii on tile sifle hill near
the Brighton House. and has HIT recently
been made more accessibility. the consaTc-
| ton of the somewhat celebrated Browne ave
| niic. His homestead is the oldest east of the
canal-an ancient succeed structure. abound
ing In windows and porches, aud ailor,lilig
from above the ample shrubbcry which hides
| the lower stories a comprehensive view of
and no !,
city. The grounds softhe, estate tare quite
extensive, comprising twenty OF twenty-five
acres, delightfully."-. shaded, and a perfect
grove of fruit trees AT this season of the
year the cool terraces of the shady slope and
| the; ripening fruit of the orchard present
irresistible temptations to the youth of the
vicinity, and notsa day passes in which sai
dozen or more predatory incursions from
boys, and even grown men, have not to be
resisted by the proprietor of the inviting
place. The annoyance from this source has
been greater than usual since the school va
cation, and the old gentleman, who Is in his
eighty fifth year, feeble with age; and vic
tim of the rheumatism besides, represents
; himself ms having been driven almost frantic
by the eXertions he has had TO make to keep
the place clear of offering parties. He admits
having shot ut some of the parties with a
charge of cherry-stones, now and then, and
states that the policemen whom he called to
his assistance on one occasion drove a party.
from the. grounds with theirrevolverS. y
Yesterday being general holiday, and the
rising generation not having relinquished
1 the special license of the 4tfl ofSJuly. the
boys were more trui1blesUrtlt than eyer.
tSeveral parties were driven off by old MIR.
Browne and bis sou in the morning, and
Immediately after dinner the old gentleman,
wearied and sorcly harassed by his repeated
chasings, lay downto take IAN afternoon nap.
About 2 O'Clock he was awakened by his
grandson, n lad of about fifteen years, named
Edward JenniSon, who brought, news OF
another raid. The old gentleman jumped
Eup, and, completely out of patience with the
maIauders, rushed for q couple OF guns
(which he always keeps loaded sfor an emer-
gency, and took his stand on the rear second
story porch of the house to reeonnoitfe the
4 position of the enemy. and determined, tap
pears, to learn them lesson thae,would list
1 them awhile. There were about dozen
boys scattered over the ground the time
some proving stealthiiy about the bound
aries of the place. and watching for an OBJ
pprtunity>to swoop down upon the treasures
of fruit which had tempted them to make
| the trespass, and otl,pfs boldly knocking the
Young apples and pears off the trees with
poles and bilets of wood. The old mans
anger was so thoroughly aroused at what he
saw that without word Of warning to the
boys he commenced firing. first with two old
muskets, it is ayerred, and when they were
exhausted with dulblC-baIrclicd shotgun
] heavily loaded with btlckshot. With his
| dim cyeSiSEt, and under the exciting circllm-
lstanccs of his position, il seems barely possible
that he could have taken anything like accsl-
rate aim ut any Of the party, but either by ac'
cident or cool, calculating design, his third
,llot WIS u fatal one, and carried death into
i little family that was already glieving
ESunerer from Il recent visitation OF tho fell
| destroyer. The heavy shot took effect In the
left breast of Il little 10y named Frank
Schick, who was standing under a spreading
mulberry tree about forty yards from and III
almost direct line with the porch from
which Mr.. Browne was shooting, trying to
. knock some pears from a tree near ut hand
by means of Il short club, and sent him
bounding wildly up the hill, only to fall after
he had gone less, than a dozen. feet, and cx-
pile in writing agony aim l't Instantly. l-
\ crowd gathers III very little time I'D that
populous neighborhood, and when the crack
of the lust shot died away the, place was
swarning with people, who, whcnthcr came
upon the body Of the unfortunate boy, and
learned from his companions who had caused
J his death, were thrown into ferment' OF
excitement, and made significant rush for
the house. Mr.. Browne, ON witnessing the
tall of his victim and the agitation OF the
, gathering over his violence, hastily withdrew
TO the house and securely locked him.
: self in. The intelligence that "Old
Browne" had shot and killed a boy spread
like wildiirc, and in few minutes the
grounds were Overrun aud the lotSc c0fll-
plctcly surrounded by vepgcful throng,
from whose deep muttcrings and various ge>:
lures the presence Of the police was argued
by the cooler heads and more coiisidcrate to
be Il most wholesome projections. Four Off.
GERS were fortunately near at hand.-Hanl.
J mcrsmitb, Schroeder, Becker, and Bocht-
nian-and they arrived on the ground just in
time to prevent further, and possibly fal
more serious, disorder. The four officers
insisting on their official authority, to be adj
mitted to the house, they were reluctantly
let in, and took Nh. Browne in custody. Tile
old gentleman was quite indignant at theiI
interference ut first, and affected to be very
dubious as to their right to :" take him fordo.
ing nothing" as ne eXpressedit; but their de.
i termined looks and a glance ut the turbulent
Ihrong without convinced him that his best
course was to yield to their authority, and
quickly donningal light linen coat and crush
ing his ancient beaver over his bald head
and flowing snow.White locks, he started
under their protection to the DIVERSIFIED
u L. Il ,f,,