Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-09
RlOTOUS NEGRO MOB.
ptPor AGENT AT MoSELEYs JUNO
TON AND OTHERS ATTACKED.
All OF the Leaders Convlcted-Most Of the
Criminals from Observation-Disclosures
Prospects Not Good.
Correspondents Of tho Richmond Dlspatch.I

Correspondence OF the Richmond Dspatch.l
PowHATAS, May 6.-The regular County
Court has been in session for the last two
days and has been an unusually important
one, as besides many county orders, as to
roads, administration, and probate and O
special grand jury. Nine cases of felony
were tried end convictions were had in all
cases but one. On the Easter holiday
(Monday) large body of negroes, about
thirty in number, most oil of whom had
been or were in the employment in the
tannery aud mandatory Of Messrs. Baker
Martin at Hallsboro, In Chesterfield, came up
10 Moscley's Junction for the purpose OF getting
whlskey, as none was for sale nearer.
DRUNKEN NEGRO MOB.
Infamed with liquor and heat Of impudence
and violence, after an unprovoked difficulty With
Mr.. Wescott, the depot agent, occasoned by m
decent conduct, large crowd Of them advanced
upon his house, threatening TO kin him, and broke
open his front door, one OF the party putting ms
hand In with cooked pistol Seeing this, Major w..
5. Whiting, superintendent OF the Farmville and
PowhataD railroad, and Captain W. y. sirother,
assistant manager Of the road, having Just ar
rived on train, ran over 70 the assistance Of
Wescott and his family
PURSUED AND THREATENED.
Strother was attem pting TO dissuade the crowd
from Iuftner violence NNFu several ttiIcu MN
and one Of them was striking him some severe
blows on his head when Mayor Whiting knocked
the man down, and he and Strother retreated TO
the store Of Berger near by, 20 which they were
pursued by body Of excited, violent, dan
gerous, and armed negroes, swearing they would
take their lives then, and II not then, at future
time.
ALL CONVICTED.
Arriving there, Berger's store was shut and
they became morecalm. The matter was inves-
tigated by Mr.. Reams, the Justice and several
were arrested, and SIX Of them having been in
fail for month or more, wore brought TO trial on
Monday. They were defended by Mr.; D. II.
Webb-Peploe and Mr.. Wilson, the cOlored lawyer
Minis having appeared for them nj the petit term
when they were indicted and arraigned. Colonel
y. F. Coleman, Of Cumberland, assisted the Com
nonwealth's Attorney All were convicted, TWO
OF them for two offences.
The court will try on Monday next savage
negro mother for numbering her newborn chiid'
PEAcBABLE PowHATAN.
For many months there have boen no criminal
cases In the county, and as all these men were
from Chesterfield there Is no evidence that our
people Of Powhatan are getting any worse. M
county had q worse record than ours Tor ten
years or more after emancipation, there being
about fifty felonics besides misdemeanors tried
every year, but Of late years there has been such
n large emigration Of our young cOlOred people
10 the cities and 20 the North and West, leaving
the older and more moral and conservative
classes behind, crime has greatly declined, and
We have as quiet and orderly community nov
as can be found anywhere IN Eastern virginia
GOOD OFFICIALS.
Neither political party has held any meeting u
nominate candidates for the county ohlc%s. we
have an excellent sheriff and treasurer and Com
mOnwealth's attorney, VINO are prompt, iallhiul,
and efficient, and they are the more prominent
candidates. The sheriff and treasurer have nc
opposition, but Mr.. Charles NJ. Wesson IS n can
didate against Mr.. Flanagan. There IL per-
sOnal contest over tho Office Of commissioner OF
the revenue, In which politics do not enter
FARMING PROSPECTS,.
The prospect Of tho farmers are not good. The
ground IL 20 dry and for long, after having been
| too wet for three months, and having the wei
| land baked by the suns Of April. and the ground
| Is not broken up 10 the usual amount, ana Dui
little corn Is as yet planted and the crops OF 70,
| bacco and corn are unusually small This cold
spell has greatly increased the tObacco-plant ny,
despite the protection OF canvas, and the cola
| night Of the 9th Qast night has given us great
| apprehension as 10 the fruit crop. The grass
| crop, in which our people are now more IN
| cned to engage than formerly, will be n fall
| ure unless IL rains within the next ten days.
| The health of our people Is now good, although
during the winter and spring there were many
cases OF IN grippe, ali comparatively mild
! except In the case Of the wiio OF our county
| Judge, whose life was dcspaired Of for some time
but who has recovered now, and rs at this time
| going about and comparatively we'll
JUDGE IRVING IMPROVING.
Although Judge Irving attended last month
| tho regular term Of his court, his health was
| such at the time that no disputed cases wore
tried, but Of them there we're very few. The
people are glad to hear that ne has improved q
great deal since he was here. He IL great
favorite as he practiced law in all our important
cnses and represented our county with Cumber'
| land In the Legislature in former days.
Although our clerks ofiice and treasurers
office have been fitted up with new shelves, and
our court-green greatly improved by green
grass and shady trees, there - no boom 50 lar
| for cur village OF Powhatan Courthouse.
The Farmville and Powhatan have put on ad'
ditional trains upon their road and are carrying
an immense amount Of ties and timber from the
county. ---e-tdft4