Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-28
THE WORK OF FIENDS.
ATTEMPT OF YOUNG TRAMps TO
WRECK A PASSENGER TRAIN.
4 scheme 70 Plundsr she Passengers ri
Money and vaiuablcs-Dcath Of an Old
surveyor-An Aged Citizen.
rccreepoudencc Of the Richmond Dlapasch.l

ger train which left this city at II o'clock
Sunday morning for Richmond narrowly
escaped being wrecked at the Belmore
curve. between Port Walthall and Chester.
by the act Of three young tramps whose
confessed object was the plumber OF the
passengers. The three parties were ar
rested In the afternoon by Sergeant Rufiin
about one mile from this city while on
their way here. They gave thor names
o.:
Hamilton Duncan, aged seventeen years,
whose parents live ut No. 1i6 Monitor
street. Jersey City.
Theodore Hawkins, aged nineteen years.
OF Washington.
William Wallace. aged fifteen years. of
Salisbury, n. G..
Duncan is white. the others are negroes.
SCENE OF THE OUTRAGE
They started south from Richmond on
Saturday evening on tramp. The scene
of the attempted wrecking was upon an
embankment in sharp curve OF the roah'
and the spot seems to have been well Sc
lected for the work. Some fsh-bar plates
and other pieces Of iron. which they say
they picked mp on the side Of the road,
were placed upon the rails on both sides OF
track and the bows then concealed them
selves near by 10 await the result OF their
work. The engineer could not and did
not discover the distractions until close
upon them.
JARRED.
The train was considerably Jared by
striking them, but fortunately they were
knocked from the track by the engine
without accident. AS soon as the crash
was heard the boys ran out TO see the 70.
suit. but they found no wreck. lnforma.
ton of the fact was sent to this city ss
soon as the train reached Chester. and the
arrest of the boys followed. Theodore
Hawkins, the elder of the negroes. says
that William Wallace placed the obstrnc-
tions on the track, and that he told MN
not to do so. but that Duncan advised
otherwise. saying that they would wait
until a tram came along and then they
could each get some pOcket-books from
the passengers.
PLAN TO PLUMBER.
By their own confessions their plan was
to plumber the unfortunate passengers and
in the Jail here. and to-day were turned
over TO the Chesterfield authorities for
trial.
DEATH OF AN OLD SURVEYOR.
Mr.. f. A. Pillow, an old and we'll known
citizen of Petersburg. and for great many
years prominent civil engineer, died on
Saturday ut the asylum in Williamsburg.
His remains were brought here to-day for
interment. Mr.. Pillow leaves wife and
six or seven children, most OF them grown.
EARLY CANvAssISG FOR OFFICE.
Candidates for municipal offices TO be
elected next spring are already announcing
themselves, and canvassing Is gong on
very briskly. The election is long way
of, and many things NAV happen In the
interim. 1t has never before been known
that electioneering of Office has been ac-
lively commenced so lar ahead OF time, as
in this case. There are three aspiraDts IN
the field for the Office of collector of city
taxes-Mr. w. ii. Camp, the incumbent;
CAPTAIN John X. Patterson. POSTMASTER I'M
der President Cleyeland's Administration :.
and Captain James L. Tosh, auctioneer OF
the Tobacco ExchaDge-all gentlemen, OF
the highest standing and popularity, Ihe
friends of Colonel Hugh X. Smith are
pressing HIM for the mayoralty, ana lion lon
Charles 4. Collier. who now so ably DIS
charges the duties of that Office, Will
doubtless aspire to reelection.
HosPITABLE yIsIToEs.
The members of The Lark Camping Club,
of Columbia. Pn., now encamped on the
farm of Mr.. John J. Cooke. in Prince
George county, are having a delightful
time They are good fellows. all of them.
and have met with the most cordial recep-
ton at the hands of our people. The club
is social organization. entirely independ-
ent of the Grand Army of the Republic
and of politics. They keep open house "
daily. and receive greatly many visitors.
Yesterday the camp spread an excellent
dinnerfor over one hundred persons from
this city, and supper for about fifty more.
They brought a liberal supply OF condl:
ments from Columbia. but purchase Oil
their meats and provisions in Petersburg.
They are literally supplied with money
and are profuse in their hospitality. They
will probably fold their tents ON the last
day Of this month, and visit Norfolk and
Old Point on their way home. These Penn
sylvania gentlemen have made many warm
friends here.
PERSONAL AND GENERAL.
The Petersburg Grays. who returned
home at late hour Saturday night from
their weeks encampment at Wrlghtsville
n. c.. speak in glowing terms OF theil
pleasant visit.
Major L. 4. ID. Myers. of Richmond, was
one Oh the visitors in the Mayors Court
this morning, being there to witness the
proceedings against the alleged train.
wreckers on the Richmond and Peters
burg railroad
Mr.. s. Y. Gillian. of the Internal-Reve
nue. Department, Is Just out after Ions
and severe spell of illness.
Colonel James ID. Brady, collector or in
ternal revenue. has been spending some
days with his family at Ocean View.
The venerable mother of Sergeant
George w. Eanes was taken suddenly ant
seriously i'll to-day. Sheis between seven
ty and eighty years OF age.
SERIOUS JOKE,
The letter in the Sundays issue of thu
DISPATCH from q stan correspondent con
corning soldier life at Camp Fowle wa
read. like the previous ones, with grea
deal of interest III Petersburg. But, how
ever, IT aroused the indignation o. the col
ored man referred to as the "slickes
party" in the camp, and as the "adlutan
of colored battalion who knew th'
ropes" and who. while mixing watel
and whiskey and passing the same iron
tent 70 tent, kept the men posted
Your correspondent had reference to JOIN
II. Stokes, q well-known and respectable
coiored barber in this city, who has re
Gently been appointed adiutant of thu
newly-formed colored battalion. Stoke
was employed by the Petersburg Grays q
barber for the company. and remained witt
them only two DAYS and nights. lie doe
not appreciate the yoke OF your CORE
have been mistaken. The incidents III
stanced, he says, never took place unles
they happened during his absence, and thei
that the " slick darky referred to, if there
was one, must have been the other colore,
man who accompanied the Grays as stew
ard. and not the adjutant of the coloret
battalion, who went Us the barber. Stokes
said 10 your correspondent to-day: "Yo,
know barbering is my legitimate occupa
ton. ! went to Camp Fowle with TIT
Grays upon their request. and becaus,
I knew and believed all OF til,
members of the company to be perfec
gentlemen. knew that they did moi
want any sharp fellow TO act in the ca
pscity Of spy and as far as was con
cerned personally they could not have
paid me TO act IN such capacity while
was at Camp Fowle. Every member Of
the Grays conducted himself in soldierl,
and gentlemanly manner, and there wa,
no necessity for spy The two night
was there the occurrences indicated die
not happen. nor did take part in any.
thing which could be so reported. Tha,
what | have said IS true are can be proved p'
thirty members OF the Grays and others.
Stokes feels much aggrieyed and thinks
that the Joke" II not corrected, is Liable
70 do him injustice.
lQur correspondent in referring to tn,