Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-24
SIXTY COUPON SUITS.
AVAILABLE JURORS or PETERSBURG
ABOUT EXHAUSTED.
A whole Community Punishcd-A Baa
Poiloy--whste and Coiored Taxes-The
People Have Money in Pocket.
,cnrrc.pcnacpce Of the Richmond Dlspa,ca.I

IN
PETERSBURG. Va, December %. 1890.
About sixty Of the coupon suits against
the State were disposed of IN the Circuit
Court yesterday and to-day. and about thirty
remain 10 be tried. The Court, after having
exhausted the available jurors without in
reference with the businessmen OF the
city at this the busiest time of the year.
adjourned at an early hour this afternoon
until Monday morning next. at which hmo
the Sergeant was directed TO have the 800
additional jurors in court. TO try the re-
mainder Of the cases.
EVERYBODY SERVES.
In The cases thus far tried nearly every
lawyer in the city has served upon the
lures, "a also the entire police force and
mem ers OF the FIRE department, and most
OF the city officials. Some ore suggested
that oil of the male prisoners in the Jail oe
pressed into Jury service for the occasion;
but Of course no such suggestion was made
20 the Court. The service Of lawyers upon
jrrries has been of rare occurrence In TINS
city. They are more accustomed 10 speak
70 juries than to serve upon them.
QUICK WORK.
Ten cases were tried in forty minutes
YESTERDAY. an average of four minutes to
the case Not single case so FAR has been
contested. With two or three exceptions
fhe Commonwealth has been defendant IN
every instance In one case q venerable
citizen cut the coupons from ms oonds ~
the presence of the Court. he had held
these bonds for many years, and hsd m
vested his money in them as patriotic
citizen. Here the State was plaintih, ana
of course the verdict was against her.
The policy of Furnishing whole commu-
nitv because q few citizens prefer 70 pay
taxes in coupons is severely criticised.
THE TAXES OF CoLoRED PEOPLE.
The assessed value Of personal property
belonging TO the white citizens OF Peters
bure Il about So, 500 900. That of the pro
perty Of the negroes. who comprise 1ully
one half of the population. IL about SOL
OO0. and it ia said that large portion OF
the latter is annually DELINQUENT. The
tax-showing Of the negroes in Petersburg
is not very cTeditable one as compared
with their voting population.
Arrangements are progressing fayoraoly
for the celebration OF General Lees birth
day-January fqth-and the indications
are that the occasion will be made one OF
the most memorable in the calendar OF le-
gal holidays.
SUBSTANTIAL REASON.
An observant citizen while making his
way along one of our crowded business
thoroughfares to-day remarked that not az
any time in the last twenty-five years had
such great numbers Of people been seen IN
this city as during the present CHRISTMAS
season, nor has such Il bulk OF trade been
known. He gave his own reason by add
ing that the people have money IN their
pockets this year and are better on than
they have been for twenty-five years.
TIE STATE DEBT.
There is a hopeful feeling among the
thoughtful people here that the pending
negotiations will result in a satisfactory
settlement of the State debt, and the re-
moval of that troublesome matter finally
and forever from politics. An extra SEES
sion of the Legislature would be gladly
welcomed for the accomplishment OF such
m object.
ALL ABOUT A DRINK.
In the Mayors Court this morning
Thomas Brown and Samuel Jackson (col-
ored) were sent on Co the January term OF
Hastings Court to be tried for felonlous
assault and cutting Andrew Stewart.
Brown and Stewart are brothers-in-law,
and the difficulty between the parties
originated in the failure of Stewart TO in
yite the other parties to take drink with
him in bar-room. subsequently when
the parties met elsewhere Stewart was set
upon and beaten by Jackson and stabbed
IN the arm by Brown.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.
A FIRE broke out in the residence of ne
gro named Davis on Carter street last
night and totally destroyed 1t. Loss about
$500. The flames communicated 10 dou-
bic tenement, owned also by negro named
johnson, which was also destroyed. Loss
about $500. The negroes managed to save
most of their household effects. The orr
gin of the fire il unknown. small dwell
ing house had to be torn down to save
other buildings. The fremen worked un-
der difficulties, rs the fire was too Tar from
water for them to do good work.
2 PETERSBURG COLLISION.
A collision occurred this afternoon on
the Atlantic Coast Line road in this city
between the upper and lower depots. A
freight train was going north and one of
the large shifting-engines was running up
from the lower depot. Both engines were
considerably damaged. Engineer Chap
pell, OF the shifting-engine, escaped injury
10y jumping.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The travel on the railroads to and from
this city has been so heavy for some days
past that frequently extra coaches had 20
te attached to the regular trains to accom-
modate il.
A coal-dealer said to-day that not sc
much as q wheelbarrowful of soft Goa
could be raked up in the yards of this city
There has been no Chesterfield coal in the
market this season, no splint for some time
and Plattop coal has been hard to get
There is plenty of stove-coal in the hands
Of dealers. but great many people do no
use this coal in their CRATES, and the condi
ticn of affairs in thisrespectis very serious
Talk about your hunting stories: A gen
Geman of Nottoway county says that IL
one season several years ago two citizens o
the Courthouse killed 1000 cartridges.
RoRIS ADAIR.