The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-09
Supreme Court.

The following cases were dlsposed OF
yesterday:
Hickson against Rucker. From the
Corporation Court OF Lynchburg. Affirm
ed, Judge Lacy delivering tho opinion.
Carr and others against Mead's eXecufrlx
and others. From the Circuit Court Of
Loudoun county. Affirmed, Judge Rich
ardson delivering the opinion.
Powell, who sues, against Tarry's adj
ministrator, No. q. Argued by Robert
stiles for plaintiff in error and Judge Will
liam j. Robertson fof defendant in error,
and submitted.
Dey, receiver, against Martin, No. %.
Argued by James Z. Heath, ESD, for APP
pellant.
James f. Heath, Esq, was allowed to
practice as counsel in this court.
HUsTINGs CoURT.-The attendance at this
court yesterday continued large, and the
African interest made itself manifest in the
many ways that are peculiar to ITSELF The
throng OF lazy loaiers and idle vagabonds
that hang around the Hastings and Police
Courts are pronounced nuisance, and II
is from the midst OF such material that
most Of the iail-bird ammunition Is drawn
by the conseryators OF the law.
One reason that these people come to
these courts is that they want to know
something OF law and learn how to dodge
the issues when committing offences. 1t
would be happy accident IL some steps
were taken to rid the court and those who
are compelled to attend its session OF the
presence Of such disagreeable audience.
The pressure yesterday was go great that
Commonwealth's Attorney Witt obtained
from the court authority TO put an officer
at the gate in order TO keep back the
crowd.
The first case disposed OF was that Of
Mat. johnson (colored), charged with steal
ing 4 gun. The case came up from an APP
peal from the Police Court. The evidence
showed that doutle-barreled-s Shotgun
was standing close by barrel on which
Johnson was sitting, and that il was last
seen while he was in the position named,
and that when it was missed search dis
covered it in Johnson's possession. The
Jury found him guilty, and he was sent to
Jail for sixty days. Henry Cary, the owner
of the gun, took his property, aud when
asked what he intended doing with it said,
"Gwine shoot some robins soon rs dey
come bout"
Indiana Smith, for making 4 malicious
assault upon James samuel with knue,
was found guilty and sentenced TO the
penitentiary for three years.
Ellen Harper, terra-cotta-colored wo-
man. who has but a short time been ont OF
Jail. was up for feloniously cutting Samuel
Thomas, who, it appeared from the evil
dence, is 4 kind Of MonSOlian Marvin.
Ellen had no counsel, and was allowed to
plead her own case, and in doing so dis
played considerable tact in cross-eXamining
witnesses, many OF her questions having as
much point rs the majority OF those put by
the average POlice-Ceurt lawyer. sam.
Thomas ayerred that he was badly cut, and
that he "bled two stew-pans and bucket
full OF blood" Evidently from this Sam.
imagines that he is n blooded man. Ellen
denied the severity OF the injuries inflicted,
stoutly declaring that she only rubbed the
knife against Sans forehead. She was
sent to Jail for five days and fined one cent.
Somebody remarked to Mr.. Witt, Com
monwealth's attorney, that Ellen was n
better lawyer than he was. "Yes," said
the Attorney, " She has had more criminal
experience"
Court meets again at II O'clock to-day.