The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-19
LOCAL MATTERS.
a SUNDAY SCENE.

\ SUNDAY SCENE
Two violent Prisoners and the Trout
bic They Made. .-.
MEETING OF THE POLICE BOARD sATUR-
DAY EVENING THE DISTURBANCE OF
SUNDAY LAST ESTIGATED-REPORT-
ERs ADMITTED TO THE MEETING-ELAB-
oRArE TESTIMONY PRO AND CoN-UNAN-
ImOUs VERDICT OF THE BOARD.
A meeting OF the Board of Police COM
missioners was held Saturday evening, with
all the members present, for the purpose Of
inquiring into q complaint as to illtreat-
ment OF two prisoners by members Of the
force. Attention was first drawn to the
matter by published communication
Thursday evening, OF which Mr. r. T..
Daniel, Jr., avowed himself the author.
The prisoners referred to were james Grant
and Lewis Stuart, Scotchmen by birth, re-
Gently arrived here from Maryland, and
now employed and living Mt the Philadel-
phia quarry, on the north side OF the river
above the First locks. Grants forehead,
over the right eye, had signs OF severe
had no marks or scars OF consequence.
THE REPORTERS ON HAND.
Mr.. Daniel from personal knowledge
knew nothing OF the occurrences. He
thought, from the statements made to him.
that it was his duty to draw attention to
the matter, and having done that he be-
lieYed that 1t was incumbent upon him TO
do no more. He manifested no ill-feeling
towards any one. He stated that when he
wrote the card he did not so much as know
the names of the policemen involved.
There were examined to sustain the COM
plant Messrs. Otway Warwick, F. V.
Sanuels, W. Shelton, and William 81.
Grant, citizens; Stuart and Grant, the pri-
soners; William Scott, boarding-house
employe at the quarry; and for the de-
fence, Messrs. j. w. Lockwood, j. T.
Keesee, James Goode, c. B. Spence, and
Thomas Hatcher, citizens: Sergeants An
gle and Perrin, of the police, and Police
men Hobson, Fensom, Charter, Skinner,
Walton, Toler, and Sweeney.
For the first time in the history OF the
Police Board the newspaper reporters were
invited to be present-an opportunity o1
which all the city papers availed themselves.
Mayor Darlington presided, with Police-Jus.
tice White on his right and Judge Meredith
on his left. The examination was thorough
and complete. and the privilege OF asking
questions of witnesses was allowed police.
men, reporters, spectators, and all who were
interested enough to do so.
The testimony was in some respects con.
Trajectory. Different persons saw the affair
from different points and in various lights
To some Of these it appeared that Grant anC
Stuart were outrageously treated. They
were honest and reasonable in their opin'
ions about the matter, but could not know
the whole story as it was told and explained
Saturday evening.
TIE CASE.
The evidence, boiled down rs much q:
possible, was to the following effect: Abou
6 O'Clock last Sunday evening Policeman
Hobson saw, on Main street near Ninth
Grant and friend walking along. Grant
was pretty tight and unruly, and had his
coat off. Stuart and another man were
following behind them. Near Briggs's
bakery Grant tried to get away from hi:
friend. The friend tried to get him to &C
home. Grant acted so badly that Hobsor
went up to him and admonisbed him to be-
have himself. Grant didn't regard the adj
vice at all, and Hobson took him into Gus
tody, and proceeded on the way to the
Second station-house with him.
A FLANK MOVEMENT. .s -*
When near the woodward at the corner
OF Seventh and Main streets Stuart attempt
ed to pull Grant from Hobson. Grant about
that time asked to be allowed to put on hi:
coat. Hobson loosed him to allow him to
do so, Stuart caught hold of Uobson's
club and held it, and Grant ran OFT vi
Seventh street. Hobson thereupon toos
Stuart into custody. Stuart laid down on
the pavement, swore he would have to be
carried off in hack, and behaved very
badly. Hobson called upon Stuart's two
friends to help him {Hobson), which they
refused to do. Stuart was SO violent that
Hobson had to call upon Mr.. Thomas
Hatcher for assistance, aud Mr.. Hatcher die
all he could. When they got Stuart on hi:
feet again, Stuart fought SO that he threw
Hatcher 10 the ground, or, as Mr.. hatcher
expressed it, "1 managed to throw Stuart
down by falling myself, andWe all three
went down in a lump Hatcher declared
that Stuart was the strongest and actives
man he ever saw" Stuart was drinky, but
not drunk like his friend Grant.
. OFFICIAL FoRBEARAScE.
Mr. Hobson says that he would have fell
justified in striking Stuart with his club
but the two friends were near at hand
ready for the rescue, and Grant was not fal
of. He hoped by gaining delay that Police
man Flnnegans would soon come up, ane
they would then recapture Grant.
Every witness who saw him testified te
the foFbearance, courage, and gentieness oi
Hobson. In the crowd which was collected
about the corner there were some who in.
sisted that Kobson had the wrong man and
ought to let HIM (Stuart) go.
So violently did Stuart resist, Hobson and
Hatcher were about fifteen or twenty min.
utes getting him to the corner OF Seventh
and Franklin-iust one square. At that
point Hobson, finding himself followed by
crowd, and Stuart's friends lurking around
for rescue, raped for assistance.
-, REiNFoRCEAENTs.
AT TINT moment the night relief under
Sergeant Perrin was coming down Seventh
street. The men ran forward to Hobson's
assistance. When Policeman Charter came
up Stuart had hold OF Hobson's club with
both hands. Policemen Fensom and Char
ter started ON to the statiou-h0use with
Stuart. Grant was recaptured and put in
charge oil Policeman Skinner, and they. also
went forward.
On their way up Seventh street with
ctuork Efaorf v,oda husfc anI EsoEs ~ ff,o