Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-11-24

VIRGINIA NEWS.

The Baptists have made all preliminary
arrangements for the establishment of
female high school in Staunton.
There is to be caucus Of the democratic
members Of the Legislature in Richmond
next Tuesday night for the purpose Of
selecting candidates for officers Of the body.
The Abingdon Tirginian says that Judge
Ward so seriously wounded by DIR. VIM. Y.
White shortly before the election, is report
ed to be slowly recovering. AS soon as the
Judge is we'll enough to be moved he will
be taken to Winchester, where his father
resides.
There is said to be much dissatisfaction
among the oyster dredgers because of the
restricted territory allowed them by the
State laws to pursue their business. With
view of influencing legislative action
| meeting Of the dredgers has been called to
meet at Hampton, on the 2Sth inst, to dis
cuss the subject and appoint committee to
place the matter before the Legislature.
Annie Dickson, q young lady sixteen
years of age, living in Atlantic City, a sub
urb of Norfolk, was accidentally killed Sun
day afternoon by her batrothed, Thomas
Moses young man about twenty years
old. The gun was thought to be unlcaded,
and the young man playfully threw it over
his shoulder, when it went of, the contents
striking the young lady, who was behind
him, in the neck, and intlcting wound
from which she instantly died.
The death of Ann Clarke, the wife OF
George Clarke, which occurred in Peters
burg on Sunday night, was one of the most
cold blooded murders that has ever been
committed in this State. Last Thursday
night, according to Carkes own statement,
he went home under the influence ofliquor,
and finding his wife absent, he laid down
at the foot of the bed and went to sleep.
His wife on her return home prepared sup
per, and then awoke him, which angered
Clarke SO that he seized an axe and struck
her on the head with it. inhicting a wound
which crushed the skull in a horrible man
ner. and finally resulted in her death.
Clarke, after committing the act fled to
Norfolk, where he was captured on Friday
last, and was taken back aud lodged in Jail
The people are very indignant, and threats
are made of lynchng him. The sergeant
Of the city, being apprehensive that an at
tempt would be made to lynch Clarke last
night, was at the jail in person, prepared to
defend his prisoner should there be any at.
tempt at mob violence.
The board of State canvassers, consisting
of Governor Cameron, Acknowledgement
Blair, Treasurer Barksdale, Secretary ofthe
Commonwealth Flournoy and Auditor
Marye, met in Richmond yesterday, and
began the work of canvassing the votes for
Acknowledgement and members Of the Gen.
eral Assembly. Little or no interest was
manifested in the work of the canvassing
board. The returns from Bath county were
not properly certified to by the clerk of the
court, and the returns from Northampton
indicate that H. G. Wood instead Of L. S
Blair ran for attorney general in opposition
to Rufus A. Ayers. This is evidently a
clerical error. The total vote for the candi-
dates for Attorney General-Ayers and
Blair-cannot be ascertained untilthe errors
in Bath and Northampton are corrected
Special messengers have been dispatched to
those counties, and the completion of the
count will be deferred by the board until
their return, which will be in lew days
The votes for Governor and Lieutenant
Governor will be counted at joint session
of the two branches ofthe Legislature which
meets OH December 9.