Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-26
PETERSBURG.
CAREER CUT sHoRr-ARREsr OF A
PREACHER DOCTOR"
The Strange Conduct Of Pedantic Negro
Sentenced for False Pretences--
Personal Mention.
,oraence Of tbe Ilicbmond i,lsnatcb.


PETERSBURG, VA, Feb. Is, 1883.
A colored man, rather pretentious in
manner and appearance, entered the
police station this morning, and, repre-
sentinQ himself as DIR. James Hur, re-
ported that he had been robbed Of
valuable gold watch, which bad been
presented to him in England, and said
| that he would give reward OF $40 for
its recovery. The police started TO work
on the case. AT later hour the same
party returned TO the station and
stated that il the officers worked
hard 10 get the watch he would be
willing to give them $40, whether they
we're successful or not 1t was subse-
quentIy leaned that "Dr. Hur had
gone TO o neighboring druggist, where
he said he was preacher as well as doc
tor, and that the title he bore as preacher
was Rev. James Hercules" He left
several prescriptions with the druggist to
be compounded, saying that he would
pay for them on his return. AS
proof that he intended to locate in
| Petersburg the Doctor showed receipt
ed bill Of $276 for furniture he had pur-
chased from one of our large dealert for
his office. During the day the druggist
was kept busy answering the inquiries OF
different negroes who came to his store
with prescriptions written by "Dr.
Hur" all of them declaring that the
doctor assured them that the drug
gist would put up the medicines without
charge, arrangements to that effect hav-
ing been made. Investigation was then
made about the receipted furni-
ture bill, and it was ascertained
that the doctor" had only priced
but not purchased the furniture He
had the bill made out, and probably re-
ceipted it himself. The doctor"
stated that he had passed an examine
ton before the State Medical Board
The house where he boarded and where
he claims to have been robbed was visit
ed by the police. The proprietress
stated that he did not sleep there last
night that he had been boarder at
her house for several days that when
he first came be informed her that he
knew her son that the latter died re-
Gently in Cuba and left her q handsome
sum of money and that he (the doc
tori would at once take steps to see
that she got this money. The woman
was much distressed to learn of the death
of her son, about even whose sickness she
had heard nothing, but agreed to board the
doctor" free of charge if he would in
terest himself in getting the money and
be pretended to her that he had written
letters to Cuba about the matter.
All these circumstances coming to the
ears of the police, it was deemed best to
check the course of the gay Doctor by
arresting him. His arrest was accom-
plished this afternoon. He acknow-
| lodged that he was the Rev. James Her
cules. whofgured recently in Richmond,
but denied that he had done anything
wrong in that city or here. A loaded
pistol was found in his possession, and
he will be held until Monday to be tried
for carrying concealed weapons. The
man had an engagement to preach at
one of the colored churches tomorrow.
In the case of j. +. Gardner, the
Young men charged with obtaining small
amounts of money from various negroes
under false pretences. the mayor this
morning sentenced the accused to fifteen
days Imprisonment in jail on each OF
the four warrants against him, and dis
missed the remaining charges. Ten
days was allowed the accused to appeal.
PERSONAL MENTION.
Captain W. FitZhugh Carter, now OF
Baltimore, but formerly citizen of Pc
tersburg, has received the appointment
of United States inspector of steamboat
! hulls In Baltimore. A fine salary at
taches to this Office, and the appointment
is most worthily bestowed. Captain
Carter has followed the sea " for many
years in nearly every capacity. He is a
brother of Captain Robert Carter, OF
Shirley, on James river
Mr.. William II. Brown, for many
years ticket agent OF the Petersburg rail-
rosd. who was several weeks ago para
! lyzed, is still confined to bis bed without
any favorable change of condition.
Mr.. Alexander Wilson, a prominent
grocery merchant. has been quite sick
for several days.
Mr.. J. Il. Williamson, q well-known
Bank-street merchant, has been i'll with
pneumonia.
Mr.. L. Il. Moore, another of our most
respected merchants, has also been con-
fined to his house by sickness for a week
or more.
Misses Mary Jones and Mary Tanna-
hill, who have been guests in the
family of Mr.. H. l.. Plummer, left this
week for North Carolina.
Mr. Edward Williamson and Miss
| Margaret T.. johnson were married this
week. The wedding was a very quiet
and transformations one.
Mr. Il. A. Featherstone, prominent
citizen of Amelia county died this week.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES.
During the present week some %, 900
or more bushels of meal have been
shipped south by the millers Of this city.
/ Trade in this particular article is very
large in the course of year.
The receipts of cotton at this port
during the week were 2S6 bales, making
total of 1898 bales received since
September LIST, or about 5000 bales in
excess of the corresponding period of
last year.
/ Receipts OF loose tobacco continue
| large. The sales this week aggregated
527, III pounds, Or over 100, 900 pounds
for each selling day. The receipts of
priced during the week were SOB hogs
heads.
During the week the shipments of
manufactured tobacco from this city for
export amounted to 10, 657 pounds.
A great many improvements are in
progress in this city, and there is
strong, healthy business boom, which
promises substantial results during the
year.
There are gratifying evidences OF i'm
migration to the South-Side section this
year. Many inquiries for lands have
been received from the North, East, and
West. ROBIN ADAIR. =
CALVIN and Servetus.
TO the Editor Of the Dispatch:
SOma DAVIS e,Jo thera aDneared An arti- !