The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-08-24
A VILE PE.OTTEE.
SCENE At A VIRGINIA MILL"
TARY GNcAMPsiENT-DREA INTER
RurTIoN OF A TARGET-sHooT1NG-A
J. THRILLING COURT SCENE.
frrnm the 81. Louis Timea.J

at < o'clock ?. NJ, on tue 18TH OF August, |
1s4s. to several citizens lounging in front of
the Cumberland Hotel.
You will find him at Mike Ready's biz |
liard-saloon, on the corner" replied one OF
the citizens.
:" what is the matter. Has anything hap
pcned?"
"aIy God, yes" replied the horseman.
g Captain Summerville, Of your city,. was
shot dead, an hour ago, at the First brigade
encampment."
The citizens spraag to their feet in great
excitement.
s.shot dead! BY whom ?" they inquired
with one accord.
"By an unknown assassin" replied the
horseman >tl have been sent to Squire
Window at once to come out and hold an
inquest over the body"
Fifteen minutes later the Squire, accom-
panied by the messenger and number OF
mounted citizens, were on their way to the
grove, three miles from Winchester, where
the First brigade Of the Virginia militia
was holding its annual encampment.
Upon reaching the grove they found the
camp in q perfect uproar. The command
ing general Of the brigade, Elihu Perkins,
said to Squire Window:
"Coroner, the painful event for which
have caused you to be summoned occurred
as follows: Shortly after O'Clock to-day
the Winchester Company OF Light Infantry
had invited the brigade staff and other OH
GERS Of the cncampmcnt to witness their rihe
practice. Captain Summertime, OF your
town, fred the first shot. He thought he
had hit the bulps.eye. The marker signalled
he had not. Captain Summerville hurried
to the target. When he had about reached
it shot was fired by some unknown party,
and we were shocked to see Captain Sum-
merville fall to the ground. The first two
persons that came to his assistance We're the
marker OF the company, Larry Boothy, an
old colorcd man, and Mr.. Scorssby, first
lieutenant Of Captain Summe1ville's COM
pany. But the bullet had entered the brain
OF the unfortunate officer, and in minute
or two he breathed hie last. Will you ac-
COMPANY me to the surgeons tent. where
the remains Of Captain Summerville are
lying?"
The Squire proceeded with General Per-
kins and other officers to the surgeons tent.
There they found the brigade and reSi-
mental surgeons engaged in trying to eN,
tract the bullet from the terrible wound
which the poor captain had received in the
back part OF his head. Among the by
ISLANDERS who watched the sickening pro-
ceeding with the most visible marks OF grief
was First Lieutenant Scoresby.
ooh, my poor captain!" he groaned
again and again.
Several officers stepped up to him and
consoled him. He burst into tears and
sobbed convulsively.
'My poor captain 20 he sighed again and
again. :,
at this moment the surgeons extracted
the bullet. They looked at it, and were evil
IDENTIFY greatly surprised.
IA nictnt hullat ~ exclaimed the
brigade surgeon.
Squire Window and General Perkins en-
amined it.
eyes, it is horse-pistol bullet" said the
General. "Who could have fired it,"
The Squire announced that he wouldnow
open the inquest. A jury, consisting OF
number OF officers. was impannelled. Larry
Boothby, the colorcd marker, was lnfor-
mally examined.
He stated that just as Captain Summer
vile had arrived in front OF the target q
shot had been fired at him flom behind the
last tree to the left. The negro added that
he had not looked ut anybody but the
wounded captain, whom he had raised up
in his arms. A minute later Lieutenant
Scoresby arrived on the spot. Captain Sum-
merville merely said, 81 know who did
this" and he then expired.
Lieutenant Scorcsby confirmed this state
ment, except that he said Captain Summer
yillc'S last words had been " / don't know
who did this?
The surgeons declared that death had
been brought about by pistol-shot, and
the jury found that the shot had been fired
by some person unknown.
Squire Window had then long, conf |
dental conversation with General Perkins,
who, ut its close, ordered the whole brigade
to be formed in line.
AS soon as this was done the General said |
to the soldiers:
81 order those Of you who have pistols to
deliver them to me for inspection"
Large numbers Of officers and men STEP |
ped forward and produced their pistols.
All Of them were carefully examined, but
none OF them were found to have been re-
Gently fired.
"Is there any officer or man who has not
yet shown me his pistol?" shouted the Gen
eral, after the examination was over.
There was no response. The soldiers
were sent back to their tents. Squire Win
dom took the remains of the murdered Off
Ger in charge. An escort, commanded by
Lieutenant Scoresby, accompanied them to
Winchester.
The terrible and mysterious event had
thrown pail over the whole encampment.
In the evening large party OF officers
was assembled in the tent of General Per-
kins. As o matter OF course, nothing was
spoken OF but the death Of Captain Sum-
merville. During the conversation mes
senger arrived from Lieutenant Scoresby,
bringing the following letter to General
Perkins:
"Dear Sir,-Allow me to ask the ques-
ton whether OF not the second lieutenant Of
our company, Andrew Hersey, showed his
pistol to you this afternoon? He had 4
large horse-pistol, and one of the men of
our escort private SaXe) told me Just now
that Hersey's pistol was not in his belt this
afternoon, and that during the examination
he manifested the utmost agitation. shall
be in camp at daybreak tomorrow with fur
ther information on this subject, which I
dare not to entrust to paper just yet. Very
ERNEST SCoREsBY,
'First Lieutenant" :
The General showed this note to Colonel
Pinkney. .
The latter. after reading it, whispered to
the General, "Lieutenant Hersey is pres ;
ent." ,,
The General stood up, and said in loud
voice: "Will Second Lieutenant Hersey
step forward"
A tall, handsome young officer responded.
He looked pale, and there was in his eyes
visible expression Of uneaSiness.
"Lieutenant Hersey," said the General
to him, have you no pistol"
81 had until this afternoon, General" he
replied in tremulous voice; ssbut when I
fhe TARGET ftrip0 commanded T fnok off NV !