The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-08-27
HALIFAX.


coURr-pAY AND BIG CRowD-POLITIcAL
sPglKING-THE TRIAL OF A wFLL-KSowN
oIrIzES FOR HoRsE-srsALIss-THE
DROUGHT.
Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispiich.l
AUGUST a., 1881.
One OF the largest crowds assembled at
the court house on the 22d (court-day) we
have ever seen. The expectation OF po-
lIticsl discussion and the trial Of Joseph f.
Farmer for stealing horse from wilkins
Bruce, with little for the farmers to do, on
account OF the drought, bad all its influence
IN bringing together the crowd. Captain
Bohanon, OF Richmond, made bold and
fearless speech on behalf Of the Debt
PAYERS. He is a man OF 1Oe appearance,
with good voice, and at once commsnded
the attention OF bis audience. He was
closely listened TO through bis entire
speech by an appreciative audience OF our
best people. Colonel Hansborough repre-
sented the Rekdluslers. He made good
speech from bis standpoint. and was IRE
auently applsuded He told several very
good sneodotes, aud eulogized Malone ez'
tensiveiy.
The Conservative Convention to uomi.
nate q candidate for the Senate and House
OF Delegates meets on the 18th OF Septem-
Der. The people, as q unit, demand that
CAPTAIN Henry Edmunds shall ben csndi-
date for the Senate. tie has persistently
refused to allow the use OF his name, but 1t
c,pnot be believed that q man who has
served his country In peace aud war 40
Captain Edmunds has done viii refuse, 10
this political crisis, the unanimous voice OF
the people TO serve them.
The trial OF Joseph Il. Farmer was con-
cluded tonight, and resulted In hulg
Jury. He was ably prosecuted by Maior j.
W. Reilly, and defended With great nbllitJ
by Colonel Thomas S. Flournoy, Judge
Flonruoy, and Captain Henry Edmnnds.
This case has excited more interest In this
county than any that has been tried for
many wears. The ancestors OF Farmer have
lived in this county for moro than CEN
fury. They have always been known -
people Of strict integrity and high charas-
ter. He himself is man niy'thres
years OF age, with an interesting family
OF eleven children, and up 20 ths
time has borne an irTepr0schable character.
How man at his time Of life, with his sur
roundlngs, should have lesped across the
chssm OF honesty and high character to .
common horse-ihiei ls thing bard TO be-
lieYe.
Such drought az ne are now passing
through l hope never TO see again. Weeks
and months have passed since We have had
a voting rain. Streams are drying up; II
IL difficult to get grain ground at the
mills; whole 1elds OF corn are literally
burnt up; and tobacco little, miserable
stun that 10 many places will not be
worth cutting. Old people who remem-
Der the drought OF 1S45 ssy that this !.
worse drought. Colonel Wood, OF
Gainesville, informed your correspondent
that in coming 10 Halifax court, ct Nickops
ferry, on Dan river. be Just rode on through
the river. Colonel John Wlmbish, one OF
our oldest and most respectable citizens,
stated on the oourt-green Monday that the
late Judge william Leigh, OF this county,
who was soldier 10 the war OF 1872, told
him that the worst drought be had ever
known Wa. IN 1916; that In that year be
walked across Dan river without wetting
his feet. II ia not rs bad ss that vet, but
no man can tell wbst IL will do II IT holds
on little longer, and there Is no present
sDnearance of rain, l..