The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-04-07

FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT: A NEGRO BLOWN TO
PIECES BY A 32-POuND STIELL-RELIGloCs
TATTEEs-A STOICAL TRAMP-EXPoRTs OF
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS RECEIPTS-THE JAIL
BREAKERs-No DECISION TX THE SEWING
MACHINE CASES-DR. w1THERS.
rCorrcspondcncc Of the Richmond Dispatch.I
APRIL ), 1879.
frichtful accident befeIl colored man
named Alex. Benn to-day ut bis home, Ill
Rlandford. lie was at the time making
arrangements to burn piece OF wood from
the eve OF an axe, and to do this and pre-
serve the temper OF the metal lie drove The
blade OF the axe into the ground. The IN
strument used for driving the axe was o.
pound Parrot shell thrown from one OF me
Federal batteries during the siege OF &c
tersburg, which did not explode in
| its fall and which had only been par
tiallv uhloaded. 1t had been brought
there about week ago by relative
OF the family living in the country, and they
were cautioned to be careful: in handling IT..
In striking the butt OF the axe with the
npcy OF the shell the latter exploded with 4
| loud noise, and the fragments were scat
Tered i'm different directions. Both Of Bcnn'S
hands were blown off near the wrists, and
his left leg was crushed and broken in three
places, and, if his system sufficiently re-
covers from the shock, the limb VIII have 10
| he ampu:ated. The larger portion OF one
of his hands was picked up one hundred
yards from the place OF the accident. There
seems to he little probability OF the mans
recovery. Benn is about tWenty-onc years
OF age.
=. S.-Bcnn died this evening about
O'Clock.
Tomorrow afternoon the quarterly union
meeting OF the Baptist Sunday schools OF
the city will be held 1T tie First Baptist
church, and at night the ordinance Of bap-
,ism will be administc cred TO 4 number OF
candidates. ,fhc series OF meetings at this
church will be continued throughout the
week, and Or. +. W. Warren. OF Rich
mond, who has been preaching there this
week with great power, will remain all the
week with DR.. Eaton. There have so far
been twelve professions OF conversion.
The white man who Was run over on the
Petersburg railroad night before ms: Just
beyond Stony creek is carefully provided
for by the railroad company at that station.
lie still refuses to give his name or TO tell
where he is from. lie assigns As the reason
therefor that il be dies he does not wish his
family and friends to know about it.
The exports of manufactured Tobacco !
from TnlS CITY curing tue "cch cuQluS W.
day amounted to 69,aS5 pounds.
The internaI-revenue receipts in the Pc
tersbury district during the week were
$40, 705.30.
The cotton and tobacco receipts in the
city per the Petersburg railroad during
the week were 1853 bales OF the former, and
&C hOgshcads Of the latter.
| The six negroes who attempted to break
| Jail few nights ago by cutting through
The wall Of the building were brought be-
fore the Mayor this morning. and sent on
to the Hastings Court to be tried for the
offence.
The Mayor did not render his decision
this morning in the test case brought be-
| fore him, involving the question Of whether
the sewing macline agents doing business
here are liable TO pay Il specific icensc-taX
to the city for the privilege. They all eX-
bibt 4 license from the Auditor OF the
State, showing that their companies have
paid tax OF 500 to the State, which gives
them the privilege Of selling their goods
by sample anywhere in the State without
additional taxation. Decision will be rem
dercd next week.
There was q smart frost on the ground
this morning, but 1t is not believed that the
fruit has been injured.
DR.. Thomas Wlthers's condition is still
unchanged. He has been unconscious for
some days, and is only kept alive by opatcS
and stimulants. Death, it is believed, is
only question OF very brief time.
.-* ROBIN ADAIR.