Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-04-10

Commissioners room, on the occasion of
the late legal tilt, was quite commensurate
with the gravity of the subject under dis
cussion. Indeed, so much gravity was
there displayed, that all the gravity ofthe
land seemed concentrated for once, and
confined within the cubic dimensions of
the little office where, heretofore, only a.
musing episodes and witty jokes had
prevailed. There was grave Mr.. Clarke,
representing grave corporation and &C
tually contending for immunity from
taxation with gravity that was i'm
pressive as his eloquence was attrac-
tive. There was grave Mr.. Brent gravely
representing grave-faced community
in its demands for the corporation mite,
with gravity too that was as earnest
as his legal logic was inexorable; and,
funniest of all, there was that grave quin-
tet, the serious FIVE, gravely listening to
intricate arguments on law point which
has never yet been directly interpreted by
the Court Of Appeals. Take it altogether,
it was very grave sight to witness the
grave address of the two grave lawyers and
the grave efforts of the serious five to look
wise. We expect when decree is con-
cluded upon, that a grave opinion will
accompany and be filed with the result;
and, in the event of difference of opinion
among the serious five, by all means swell
the bulky budget, gentlemen, and let us
have the benefit ofgravely written dissent
ing views. Comedy is entertaining, and
there is nothing half so comic as pantomi-
mic gravity. What pity there was no
camera obsura to catch the mise en- scene
and picture it for Immortality.
u
The Daily Graphic.
We have received copy of The Daily
Graphic, published in New York. This is
new enterprise in the newspaper line and
marks the wonderful advance of progress
sive art. The Graphic is daily illustrat-
ed paper and combines the advantages of
daily newspaper with all that has here
tofore contributed to the successful make
up of the weekly pictorial. The number
before us represents street scenes in New
York city, and in the Courts of so recent
occurrence as the day before the issue OF
the paper. When we reflect that the IL
Illustrations of the Graphic are to be matters
of daily production our wonder increases.
That representations from actual life
should, by these pictorial expositions, be
introduced to the public within twenty
four hours from the time of their happen
ing is nothing less than marvel. The
GiGphic is the only paper in tho country OF
such professions, and from the sample be-
fore us we do not otherwise than antici-
pate gratifying success for the new en-
terprise. While it has all the advantages
of the pictorial, it has the superior attrac-
tions of being daily issue and promptly
up to time in the matter of current news.
Reported Murder i'm ST. NIary's County.
The New York Herald publishes dis
patch from St. Mary's county, Md, giving
an account of murder, with arson, COM
mitted at Fairfield, in the lower section of
St. Mary's, on Thursday last, the Sd in
slant. The dispatch says:
The victem was James Schofeld, a
Northern man by birth-it is thought a
native of New Haven, Conn.,, at least he
has a son now a resident of that CITY,
There is postofice at Fairfield, and Scho-
field was postmaster. He was also engag-
ed in mercantile pursuits. On the night
in question Schofeld is reported as having
been aroused by knocks at his store door,
the store having been closed for the night.
He is believed to have opened the door to
admit the parties seeking entrance, when
he was Immediately assailed and murder
ed. These particulars are mostly conjec-
tural, but it is certain he was murdered,
the store robbed and the house fred
When assistance, attracted by the fire ar
rived, the bones of the unfortunate man
were all that the flames had spared. A
cat and dog are also known to have per-
ished in. the flames with their master, evil
dence of their remains existing. The mo-
u0y OIdWCI VI IuC SGOIO w do 1Ouu1 CluP1y
some ten yards from the burned building.
Schofeld slept in the store alone.
Suspicion has fixed upon a negro man
named Biscoe, employed as railroad hand,
who is known to have had quarrel with
Schofeld on the evening of the murder,
and to have made threats against his life.
He has not yet been arrested, and is be-
lieved by many to be innocent of the crime.
The personal history of Schofeld is a
checkered one. He resided at Hampton,
Va, during the war, where he engaged in
business. He was there burned out and
nearly ruined. Subsequently he removed
to St. Mary's county and engaged in bust
ness again. His wife soon after dying, he
shortly remarked, but from incompatible
ty of temper or from other causes, his wife
and he soon separated. Soon after Scho-
field, in an alteration at his store with a
negro man, killed him. He was tried for
the crime by our Circuit Court and acquit-
ted, the homicide being regarded by the
jury as justifable. A year afterward his
place was visited by terrible tornado,
which blew down his store and ruined
nearly his whole stock ofgoods. Recover
ing soon again he rebuilt his store and en-
gagged in business again. At the time OF
his final calamity he had established his
credit and trade, and was regarded as
largely ahead in the world. It is certain
he had considerable amount of money in
his store or on his person at the murder.
Schofeld was about fiftytwo years of age,
and, though bearing a somewhat eccentric
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