Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-04-10

lower Temperature, filling followed by risiue
barometer.
A MYSTERIOUS CAsE.-The Baltimore Nc~i
has the tollowIng:-
About three weeks ago stranger 10 cat
boat, towing small guCning skill, saleo qulet
IL I'd Ocahanncck creek, Northampton county
Va. to it's head, where he anchored the larger
boat, and drew the skf up 90 shore, lurnlng; il
bottom upwards, so as to make shelter, under
which he slept at Light. the calboat haVlog no
cabin. He lived in this novel way several days
without molestiDg any of the neig hborlDg resi-
dents. although a great deal of anxiety and un-
easiness was created among them by his strange
behavior. When bis provisions were run out
he was 10 the habit Of going to the stores 10 the
vicinity and purchasing whatever! ne wanted;
paving for it 10 hard cash of which he seemed
to have quite o supply. Whenever any OF the
neiphbors visited bis camp be was very pleas
ant, but would tell no more about himself than
that be was native of Wisconsin,. and came 10
bis boat from Alexandria, Va tie Invariably
exhibited 10 all visitors three watches, one gold,
another silver and the third plated, and ottsred
to trade either one for revolver, although he
had two of those weapons already, which be
WAS also very fond of exhibiting. About two
weeks afer his arrival Captain 7. d. Davis
reached Ucaha1nock from the Great Wicomlco
river bringing information that the resld ence OF
the owner of the railway at that point had peen
robbed some weeks before, and several watches
and large sum of money carried off. The
stranger was at once put down as tho roooer
but the evidence against him was not strong
enough to warrant his arrest. The authorites
decGed to arrest him on another charge now
ever. in order to detsn him whllo the ROBBERY
was being worked up against him. A young
man was accordingly sent to his camp anu on,
tanned pint CT whskey from him, Tor winch
he was induced to accept pay after great aeal
of pe:suasion A warrant was then Issued tor
his arrest, charging him with selling liquor with,
out license. The stranger, however, got wihd
of the warrant, and the next day when Consta,
bic Geo. 4. Bull went to arrest MN ne lo mIll
the boat gone and the camp deserted. Inc
stranger next turned up lower down the creek,
on the land of Captain Samuel Fisher, where ne
again encsmpod. A few days after his arrival
there Captain Fisher paid him visit, and ieIt
him about o. clock in the evening, at whlcn
time he still had the watches, his revolver ana
large amount Of money. About two hours alter
Captain Fisher left him that evening, the near
neighbors to his camp heard four pistol shota IN
rapid succession, and when his camp was visited
the next morning it was found to be robeed or
everything except the boats. and the stranger
was missing. The marks Of pistol shots were
discovered on few of the trees IN the Wooas
that he was murdered and robbed and after
wards thrown overheard, as no trace OF nlm
could be found on lard No foot steps Leading
from the camp were discovered, which led 10
the opinion that his murderers spproached
by water. Justice Wr1. r. Fisher took charge
of the boats and instituted q search Tor MS oooy,
but up to the latest accounts neither That nor Inc
supposed murderers had been found"
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BURNED TO DEATH. -Mension was made 10
Monday Gazettee OF the burning to death Of
a oolored bog on the farm of MIR. Samuel Ma.
SOD, near Accotink. The following additional
particulars are furnished by gentleman living
in the neighborhood: The boy had been en-
ployed by Mr.. Mason on the previous Thurs
day. He gave his name as William Henry
jenkins: said he was fifteen years old. and
was born in Western Virginia, where his pa
rents are living, but the particular locality was
not ascertaned. He bad worked the past
year for Mr.. Messy, in Westmorelaud, and
had apparently invested his earnings 10 cloth.
ing, as he was we'll clad. Though quite
black, be was tidy and we'll behaved, and made
a favorable impression upon MIR. Mason aud
bis family, who are greatly distressed at his
untimey and dreadful fate. 1t was probably
not more than an hour from the time he left
his employers house, when the cabin was
discovered to be on fire and burning with great
rapidity. Nothing was seen OF the boy until
his remains were found among the embers.-
By what means the fire originated could not be
though it must by some accident
have been communicated from the hearth to
the building. Some, however, think murder
was committed and the house burned to destroy
the evidence.
The CANAL.-The water will DO turned on
all along the line Of the canal to day. 1t will
require some five days to fill all the levels,
when navigation will be resumed along the en-
tire line.
The first light boat of the scaaon arrived at
Cumberland on Monday, from Slack Water.
The Washington Republican says:
The Borden Mining Company yesterday
unloaded four coal boats at their docks which
arrived Monday. These are the first boats
that havo been discharged this season.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company
propose placing telephone on ono OF the
police telegrapbic instruments in the coec'
tors office at this end of the line, to connect
with the first lock, aud to this end have erected
poles along the line to Cumberland. II the
experiment works we'll to the first lock, the
telegraph will BIO extended to Cumberland.
RIVER NEws.-The w ashington Republican
ays:-A committee of captains of schooDers
trading at Georgetown waited on the Commit
tee on Commerce of the House of Representa-.
tives yesterday morning in reference to repeal.
ing the law regarding compulsory pilotage.
Captain French addressed the committee on
part of the captains and owners of vessels 10
advocacy Of the repeal OF the law, and the
committee promised to give the matter their
attention.
The schooner Ancroid from Savannah, Ga,
with lumber for the new Georgetown College
building, which has been aground on the bars
for several days past, arrived at the High street
wharf Georgetown, yesterday morning.
POLICE ITEMs.-The following cases have
been tried at police headquarters since yester-
day:
Thomas W. White, tramp, fer obtaining
breakfast from Mr.. D. G. Thompson under
false preteuces, was sept to the chain gang for
fifteen days.
Two oolored boys, for playing ball 10 the
streets, we're fined and discharged.