Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-30
STANTON.
Drowning or a CoIorcd Man-The New Ma
sonic Block.

sonic Block.
Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispstch.I
DECEMBER 90. 1884.
The colored portion OF this community
was thrown into much excitcmement early
this morning by the report that james Bel.
a wellknown colored restaurant.keeper,
had Just Just been drowned in the lake at
the fairgrounds.
Ii turned out that Mr.. Joseph +. Tonne
hill had hired force OF colored men 10 get
ice OFF the lake, and commenced to work
about 9 O'Clock in the morning. Bell un-
dertook, for extra wages, TO 90 out upon
the most dangerous part CT the pond,
where the water was twelve or fifteen feet
deep. his point WAS some fifteen or
twenty feet from The shore, and when he
got there reported that the water was run
ming over the Ice. Mr. Tonnehill cillei TO
him. telling him be would better come
back; but he aid not heed the warning,
and soon he was seen 10 break in
and disappear. Rising, he clutched the
edge OF the ice. which, breaking of, let
him down again. Rising the second lime
and making another frantic effort to pull
himself out, the ice again broke. aud the
man. having OH a heavy overco 4, and gum
boots. went down for the last time. All this
could be seen hy moonlight from the shore.
but the men there were afraid TO venture
out TO the aid OF the drowning man. VIII
liam Smith. another colorcl man, ran 10 the
loaf. which was at another part Of the lake.
and, breaking the ice before him. pushed
his boat 10 the spot where the unfortunate
man had disappeared and finally succeeded
In riii>ing hin TO the surface OF the water
with an textbook. The body was IN
standing position. having sunk up to the
knees in the mud, bu. had been IN the water
three quarter Of an hour. Deceased was
about sixty years old. and left widow and
six children, several Of them small.
negro man named Vincent Smith was
arrested Saturday for stealing beef.hide
? from Hamrick X Co. Strangely enough,
he took the hide right To the firm from
which had stolen It and tried to sell IL to
Dir. Hamrick. A negro man there, who
had trimmed the hide few days before.
recognized ii, and thi. led TO his arrest
He wa, brought before Mayor Gordon this
morning and got three months in iul.
The new Masonic block here has been
completed. and i one Of the handsomeSt
and most valuable blocks IN stanton. Mr..
). Howard Wayi, treasurer OF the Building
Committee. 10 which gentleman the whole
improvement was committed. made = re-
pelt 10 the Lodge Friday night. which was
very gratifying. The building is sub
stantial three-s,ory brick, tin roof, with
three fine stores and an office on the ground
floor; the lindiCQt0r office and an M
surance on the second floor; and on the
third hail for the Blue Lodge, hall
FOR the chapter and commandery, and
a banquet-halI. The rentals OF the
Lodge amount TO $1,000 year. and.
together with the dues. make up an
income Of over s2,700. There is only one
other Masonic lodge in Virginia which has
a larger annuity, and that is Roman Eagle
Lodge OF Danyille. which reaches $1,000 q
year. Saunton Lodge. No. IL, has also
next to the largest number OF members Of
sny Masonic lodge in the state. numbering.
as il does. ISL. Marshall Lodge Of Lynch
burg i the largest, and reaches 2l0. The
Building Committee OF Staunton Lodge are
entitled 10. and have received from tn fra
terniiy here. much credit f5r the good
management which they have displayed IN
the conduct Of the Improvement. The
committee consists OF the folowing-nlmed
gentlemen: McssrS. William 4. Burke, j.
4. Cochran, and J. II. Mayt The pro-
perry is worth about S2j 900. YOX.