Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-13
ROBBED AND BEATEN
A sHERiFFs STORY OF A muRDERous
ASSAULT IN NoTToWAY.
Arrested and Escaped--A Specimen Teie-
gram to the Governor-A Batch OF
visitors--Charters Filed.

Mr.. J. L. Powell. sheriff of Eottoway
county. was at the Capitol yesterday and
reported that on the night Of February 5th
Mr.. Hugh Hammock, highly-respected
citizen of that county, aged about seventy
years, was met by two men on the highway
who demanded his money.
Mr.. Hammock being in no condition 10
defend himself gave up what money he
had with him, about $50, and was then
knocked down by the robbers and left for
dead. When be recovered consciousness
he made his way 10 the house of negro
man and was afterwards taken 10 his home.
Mr.. Hammock's skull is fractured in two
places, and when Mr.. Powell left Hottoway
his recovery was considered very doubtful.
ARRESTED AND ESCAPED.
Suspicion pointed to Scott Bishop. q ne
gro as one of the assailants. Scott had
served term of thirteen years IN the
penitentiary for assaulting Mrs. Hackett,
and was discharged November 10, 1887.
Scott was arrested on the 9TH, but while
being taken 20 Blackstone on horseback
behind the officer who had him in custody
managed to slip his shackles and escape.
The way be managed to get free was to
complain that his overcoat was slipping
down and he was getting cold, and every
time the officer would reach back and
catch the coat by the collar and pull it up
the irons which were on his arms would
move towards his hands. This operation
continued until he had nothing to do but
throw them ASIDE and spring from the
horse and take to the woods. The officer
fred on hun several times. but without
effect.
DECLINED TO INTERFERE.
Yesterday Governor Mckinney received
a telegram from the Mayor of Blackstone
which stated that a party was in that
neighborhood who had committed high
way robbery and probably murder and
that oil efforts to arrest him had been un-
availing. The telegram then went on to
ask the Governor if in case a description OF
the fugitive was sent him whether his
Excellency would offer reward for his
apprehension. The telegram doubtless re-
ferred TO the Hammock case, though no
names were mentiond, and the Governor
finally replied in the negative
In this connection it may be mentioned
that the Governor frequently receives re-
quests of this nature from justices of the
peace, constables, and others, but his al
most invariable reply is that it is the duty
of the officers all over the State to make
these arrests. In extraordinary cases, how
ever, he exercises his discretion in making
a charge for arrest upon the contingent
fund.
PERSONAL.
W. II. Howell, sheriff of Hansemond; f.
o. Rawles, deputy sheriff of the same
county; II. r. Hughes, sheriff of Washing;
ton; frederick Bland, sheriff of King and
Queen. and J. w. Word, sheriff of Buck
ingham, were at the Capitol yesterday.
Treasurer Harman and Auditor Marye
went to Ashland yesterday to attend the
funeral of Colonel Beirne.
CHARITIES FILED.
The charters of the Virginia Manufac-
turing and Investment Companyo of Staun-
ton and of the Strasburg Steam Flour
Mills have been filed in the Office OF the
Secretary OF the COMMONWEALTH.