Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-04-29
VIRGINIA NEWS.

The Fredericksburg Herald states that a
brisk snow and hailstorm prevailed a short dis
lance from that place down the Rappahannock
river. on Friday evening last. 1t was not OF long
continuance. Snow fell 10 various parts OF
Spotsylvania, on that evening, and Que lady
from the North) made SNOWFALL, with which
She pelted some "home- folks' declaring that
it must be an unusual sight in Virginia for the
25th Of April.
The Commissioner to Vienna from Lynch
burg was applied to Saturday by citizen to
take over mule for him for exhibition. lie
is something less than an elephant IN size, and
the owner thinks would certainly take the pre-
MUM over all other mules, come from where
they may.
The Fredericksburg Ledger says that there
is greater scarcity of butter now in that mar
ket than ever before known. The scarcity
| Is attributed to the disease in the cattle,
which is reported in different sections OF the
country, resembling somewhat the disease
known as rinderpest
The West Point Star calls attention to the
fearful loss of property, all over the State, in
consequence of the criminal negligence of par.
| ties klndling fires, on windy days, and without
| proper precautions, in order to burn brush land
for other purposes.
The question as to whether the real estate
in Fredericksburg shall be reassessed or not,
| under the recent act of the Legislature, is DOW
before the Finance Committee OF the Counc!
of that place for consideration.
The railroad, a few days ago. brought car
load, of wheat consigned to Crenshaw & Co.,
Richmond, from Toledo Ohio s through cars
of merchandise, from Baltimore ; l load OF lime
| for Richmond from Riverton station.
Harrison Southworth Of Fredericksburg,
Va. ,ehas been appointed railway postotfice clerk
| between Washington, D. c., and Weldon, n.
| c., vice Geo. F. Marble removed.
4 new postofice has been established at
Wheatfeld, Shenandoah county, Va, on the
route from Strasburg to Capon Springs, with
Geo. Ii. Spar as postmaster.
Mr.. George Cudlip, for many years resi-
| dent of Fredericksburg, died last Saturday
morning. "He was about sixty years of age
REMARKABLE CHAPTER OF SUICIDES
| Some two weeks ago, near the village OF
| Trappe, in Talbot county, Maryland, a youth
named Tarbutton, in state OF mental depres-
! sion, cooliy and deliberately hanged himself to
the limb Of small tree in the orchard, the
effort even requiring him to bend his kness
| hat he might dang lie at the end Of the rope. The
affair was the sub jcct Of the village gossip for
few days, and was then dismissed as an occur
renee which had grown old in frequent repetl-
| tons.
| There grew out of it, however, another case
IL Hor taI
and which we all would have believed could
| hardly have an existence even IN the mind OF
| the most visionary. There CHANGED to be vlA7
ting in the neighborhood at the time an ntclll.
gent business man of Baltimore-Alr. Richard
Sherwood whom the affair fingered, and
upon whose mind all the incidents in copnec-
| interest. He was visiting for his health and
seemed depressed when the painful news was
broken to hun. He insisted upon return to
the city as soon as the funeral OF the boy was
over, but before the day came for bis departure
he was found dead in bis room, hanging to the
bedpost under circumstances as nearly alike to
those which young Tarbutt0n met his death as
it was possible to make thehf:>-
Here, indeed, is remarkable chapter on
suicides, all relating the one to the other, and
each growing out of the other. First came the
Somerset tragedy, in which schoolboy shot
his sweetheart and then threw himself under a
flying train of cars because of unrequited love.
Then the young man Tarbutton, who delight
ed to dwell upon the affair in thought, although
separated from the sccue of the tragedy by
many miles of territory, next hangs himself In
fit of melancholy, while a third, overcome
with the emotions which grew out of the .,r-
cumstances connected with The death of the Sc
coud put an end to his life, and thus complet-
ed tragedy which is unparalleled and harrow
ing in the extreme. TIE moralist may pause
and consider, for there is food for reflection
here.
COURTS IN LoUIsANA.-Here is one illus
tration out of hundred of the condition Of
things in Louisiana: A fortnight ago two
Judges presented themselves in an interior
parish to hold court The Kellogg judge got
in first and took possession of the courthouse /;
the other occupied large room over store.
Two sheriffs opened the two courts about the
same time. Some of the lawyers went to one
and some to the other, according to political
prediction, while others moved between the
two without anchoring at either. But the
suitors did not care to have their cases adjudl-