Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-11
VERY CRUEL CUTTING.
a WHITE YOUTH ALMOST DIsExBoW-
ELLED BY NEGRO SAILOR.
Exciting Chase After the Latter ana hs IL
Shot and Caught Esar the
Gas-Works.

ming, near the corner Of Seventeenth
and Richards streets, which is near the
Chesapeake and Ohio grsin-elevator,
colored man named Joe Woodbridge al
most disembowelled white youth
named Emmett Branzell. Realizing tue
enormity OF his offence Woodbridge
turned and fled. Many persons pursued
him as he took his rapid course over
Church Hill and down to the river-b bank
below Gillies creek. Here he darted
under the wharf.-the second one below
Gillie's creek-and was lost to the sight
of the crowd which had followed hlm
and those other persons who had gather
cd from that immediate neighborhood.
THE sEARCHERs.
From the First police-station Sergeants
Whillock, Howard, and Matthews, and
| Policemen Robert Brown. John Brown,
Parkinson, Curl, Kerse. and Holdscraft
were sent down, and with lanterns they
set diligently to work to discover wher"
Woodbridge was concealiDg himself The
work was an extremely difficult one, os-
pecialiy after darkness came on, and
| Policeman Holdscraft in the earnestness
of his endeavors made a false step and
fell into the mud and water, doing him
! self no great damage, but seriously
marring the appearance OF his suit
HE COMES OUT.
Some time about 9 o'clock Woodbridge
broke from his cover and ran away from
the wharf in the 'direction of the gas
works. lie was naked, except that
strip of his drawers hung about his
waist He had gone about three squares
when his course WAS checked by Il
colored man: but before that several
shots had been fired at him. Now seeing
himself surrounded by a great bowling
crowd armed with pistols, shotguns, and
everything else that would kill or wound,
Woodbridge was glad TO find shelter with
the police. He was ont OF breath, naked,
and scared to death. There were mum.
Der of calls for "rope," the meaning OF
which was that the crowd believing, that
the boy was dead, wanted to hang the
murderer. But the police were too ac-
tive and numerous for any successful de-
monstration Of that sort.
HIS NAREDSEss COVERED.
The street-car people were kind
enough to furnish the police with a
BLANKET. This they threw over the
shivering wretch and took him to tine
First station-housc. Here he was seated
in chair by the stove and a stiff drink
OF whiskey given him, and then he gave
the name of Joe Woodbridge, and said
that lis age WAS twentysix. Later he
stated that he had been employed upon
Captain John Edwardss oyster-boat
until two weeks ago. when he was put OIL.
WOUNDED.
Seated bv the stove, the blanket hall
off his shoulders. Woodbridge, who could
not or would not speak much, pointed
out that he was wounded. WhEt ap
peared to he a bullet mark was seen or
the heshy part of the arm near the rl8h
shoulder. Later, when ne was put IN {
cell. Woodbridge stated that he was sho
on Seventeenth street This may be so
but some are Of the opinion that no wa
shot at Rockets.
Woodbridge threw off much OF hi'
clothing in his flight; the remaindel
he rid himself OF while under the wharf
Possibly his purpose was 70 swim th'
river If opportunity occurred, but IN
never got the chance. and for severa
hours was exposed to the cold. Unde
the wharf where he concealed himsel
thero was little or no water.
The accused is a yellow-skiDned maj
of medium size and seems to be well
! KNIT and sinewy.
, AN ACCOUNT or TIFF CUTTING.
Mr.. r.. II. PraDzell, the father OF tn
p wounded boy, was seen by Il DisP1tc'
reporter laet night about II o'clock q
his residence. He is an employee of tn
Chesapeake aud Ohio Railway Company
and lives at No. 1000 north Seyenteent
/ street three doors north OF Richard
3 street. which is two squares beyond th
Grain elevator "AbOut o'cloc
/ this afternoon" said he, cor 500
z after. while was Ill Mr. Gii
forPs store, just at the corner belo'
nv honse, Robert, my older boy, cam
1 in and told RE that colored man ha
his brother Emmet down and had almoi
5 killed him. | went out hastily and IL
1 hoy had been released. | approacht
tbs negro and asked why be had seen Fl
= to treat my little boy SO roughly, and &
s the same told him that l slwuys correcte
} nv children when any OF their nisdeed
= were reported to me. He humble
s something in reply, and ali tina
S | could hear was to the effect that til
= bows on this street iuterfered with tb
= negro in passing. He turned his bac
e ON me and continued mutterng some
j. thing that l could not exactly unde
e stand. Just at this juncture Emm'
g stepped up by the side of the negro an
e the latter reached around and made tw
i strikes at the boy. After the second m
son slapped his hand to his abdomen
bent Gs if injured in the stomach, an
screamed. At this the negro took to h
, heels and, realizing that my son had bee
badly cut, [ followed the fugitive, an
a number OF others joined III the chas'
y ! including Mr.. Wright, friend OF min'
u who is a fireman on the road. We ra
until nv breath gave out and fell
II the payemert as if dead. Persons net
{ by came to my assistance and used WI
ter and other restoratives, and in abor
II fifteen minutes | regained cOnsciousne
Il = and was brought home"
=. OUT or HIS BOOTS.
l "This." continued Mr.. Branzell, "wi
/ near Oakwood, | think, but | really d
! not know. 1t was an entirely strane
+ neighborhood to me. When on the hi
[ the negro. seeing that | was gaining c
him. ran into house. Mr.. Wright al
| endeavored to gain admittance, b
were refused. Finally, when we were
r. the side OF the house, the negro, wi
Ie had gotten out of bis boots, ran out
t the front:door and started OF again
Ie post-haste. We followed and | gain'
If rapidly, but had not gotten far when
d fell"
)f no SHOT HEARD.
N Mr. Branzell had heard that the neg
>; >: had been caught, but he did not knc
d ANYTHING about it. When asked wi
10 sbS4 tba vvretch he renlied that he knC