The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-07

iurs Court Yestcrday-A Colored Prisoner
Makes a speech--A Witness Detained Port,
DAYS I'm JaiI-A Fool or a Client. &c., &c.
Thieves 10 be Tried To-Day.
In the Hastings Court yesterday morn
ING. Judge Atkins having taken his seat
1pon the bench, the case OF Captain Biz
zard. a sea-faring man, was called to an
swer an Indictment charging him with
feloniously assaulting the schooner's cook,
William White (colored). The difficulty
occurred on December 28tb, and the Com
monwealtl,'s Attorney stated as one OF the
bardsbjps OF the law that while White,
who had been badly beaten with
a poker, had been locked up in
iail for his appearance rs witness
being unable TO give bail-accused had
been out on bail and attending to his busl.
ness. Afr. Foster defended Blizzard, and
m iiufained that he acted under great
proyocation, and that the trouble was
brought about by White. He thought that
he had been punished enough In being
charged with this crime. Dir. Wit'
warmed up beautifully in indignation
about the outrage upon the poor CO.
| lored man. The case was given 10 the
Jury and they were out 80 ABOUT nan
an hour, and upon their return, through
Mr.. w. Plumer Gretter, asked Tor ,nsruc,
tions as to the penalty OF the offence, ana
were told that they might assess his lmprl'
sonment ut not more than twelve months
| In jail and his fine at not more than 5000
[Mr. Witt did not ask for conviction for
| ieIony.l Having received this Information
the Jury again retired and soon thereafter
brought in verdict Of guilty OF assault,
and ascertainad his term OF imprisonment
at one day and his fine at five dollars.
The witness white was thereupon dis
charged from the prisoners box, ana lhe
Court allowed him fifty cents day for his
attendance while in iail-about forty days,
all of which was charged up IN the Cap
tain's costs.
MIXED JURY-A FOOL OF A CLIENT.
The next prisoner, John Coleman (col'
ored), pleaded guilty Of assault upon George
Norfolk. another colored man, and jury,
consisting Of nine white and three colored
men, were sworn to ascertain his punish
mcnt.
Coleman, who is quite young, acted as
his own attorney, and by his cross-ques'
| tioning Of complainant endeavored TO show
that be (accused) was drunk when the
| trouble occurred. The evidence showed
| that the two men met in snack-house
and that having had words, provoked by
accused, they were put out by the pro
prietor, and at the door Coleman strnch
Norfolk with stick, giving HIM two ol
more severe blows.
The accused made brief speech, saying
that he had not been out OF the peniten
tiary more than five days. Since he hat
been out he had been trying to behay,
himself and be a good boy; but it seemed
that everybody wanted 10 pick quarre
with him. He claimed that he was undel
the influence OF liquor when the alterca
ton occurred, and begged that his punish
mcnt might be made as light as possible.
The jury never would have known tina
he had been in the penitentiary II he ha'
not volunteered that Information, provin!
the truth of the old saying that the maj
who is his own lawyer has fool for
client.
The jury gave him twenty days in iai
and fined him twenty cents. Upon hearing
the verdict, Coleman got up from the Da
and marched himself into the prisoners
box as snonchalantly as lead-horse puts HIN
self in position for the street-cr he see
coming alOuR'
FREEZING FAMILY.
Mr.. Witt asked permission OF the Judg
TO enter nOlle pr0S6qui in the case
Caroline Cole.
This poor colOred woman, he stated, du
ring the last bitter cold weather, having
family OF children suffering from want
fire, went by woodward and took stich
II was to save her family from freezing
Though a technical violation, the Polio
Justice thought ii proper case for tn
merciful administration OF the law, and No
being permitted to enter q nOlle prOScq,
in his court, asked that It be done here.
Judge Atkins assented, and the accuse
was discharged.
ASSAULTED WITH A BUTCHERS SAW.
C.N. Wood. white youth OF aboI
, fourteen, was put upon trial before iur
. composed wholely OF whites, and pleade
. not guilty TO 4 charge Of fclOniously a
, saulting Benjamin Twyman with butcI
e,'s saw on January 1st. Twyman is
colored boy OF fifteen OF sixteen. lie snl
he was in bed nine days, and that Il
, wound was inflicted with the back OF Il
saw.
I The evidence showed that the difficult
: occurred on Brook avenue; that Woo
was going along with the saw in his banC
= that Twyman attacked him with sno'
I balls, and afterwards used very foul ial
! guagc to him. The jury returned We
: dict OF not guilty without leaving the
e seats. q.
+ To-day the court will bc occupied Wi
: the trial OF house-breaking and larcei
c cases.