Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-23
A BADLY-MlXED JURY.
A Goochland Verdict in tho Case OF
Drowned Negro.

n oOo'hAahu III tho Ne'S - -
Drowned Negro.
To the Editor ofGIe Uspdtoh:
send herewith copy of special YER
dict rendered by Goocbland jury when
Richmond town" was but i've years old.
The case seems to have been holly con-
tested and the jury sadly puzzled. Does
its antiquity entitle it TO space In your
Sunday edition. Very truly. p. e. H.
At o court held in Goochland county the
2lst day OF May. A. D., l747.
Nunncry The jury formerly sworn
In this Cause now bring In
their verdict which, on the
plaintiffs motion, IL or
dered to be recorded. and is
Williamson. as folioweth:
In the action Of 1re5pass on the Case.
We find there was q bell missing OF
Joseph Greaks horse IS he was running IN
the field OF Thomas WillIamson's where
the said Grcak. n blacksmith, dweiD;
that upon enquiry one of the SAID William
sons negro boys said he saw negro boy.
as he supposed to be Peter Nunnery's
runaway, walking about the old hald
among the horses and had bride and
supposed no had ta&on the bell of Greak's
horse; whereupon tic said Gresk with
Thomas williamson and brother OF VII
liamsons all agreed to follow the negro
tho way the boy said he raw him going.
and accordingly did on the tract Of the
said negro follow him some miles down
the road over Mr.. hnrshaps mill,
near AppamatoI River, nj the lower end
Of Goochland County aud some distance
in Henrico County, where they overlook
negro boy, whom thoy asked whom he be-
longed to. the boy answered he belonged
TO Mr.. Legion whcrcupon Inos. Williamson
told him he believed he was liar and be
belonged TO Peter Nunnery, and that he
was runaway and by calling him -
ask't him where the bell was he had taken
of q horse az such n place, the negro at
first deny'd the fact, but on some sharpe
words and threats tho negro said Master,
if YOU wont whip me. ] will go with you
and give you the bell. for / have hid it III
heap OF old loggs by the mouth of DC
netoe": williamson the defendant, on
some occasion left tho negro with the said
Greak and his brother. Geo. williamson,
to 60 mp the road TO get the bell and he
himself went another way: When the
negro had ledd them to the SAID place
ne said the bell was hid. and had pretended
to search among the said loggs, he turned
himself 10 them. thomas Williamson
then being come up with Greak. the negro.
and his brother George Williamson, when
the negro after searching about the loggs
turned TO them and said with laughter
that he had made fool of them. and that
the bell was not there but was hld in
fother stack fsrtherup; whereupon Thomas
Williamson said: lyon -; what, do you
make a fool OF us and lsu7h at us. too 2"
And theroupon struck him two or three
strokes over his clod,hs with q s!nali riding
switch, when the negro said =" Pray. mas
ter. don't whip me, and / will lot mako q
tool Of you no longer, but will give you
your be,i"; then he, the said pegrQ, led1
them up to the fother stack and tho boy
went in 10 get the bell, but after pre-
tended search he turns again to the COM
pany and said ne had made fool OF
them again, and the bell wse't there,
Williamson's anger, and he ordered LIS
brother 10 go out and cult some switches
and he would whip the rascal, but when
he had got some switches tho boy said
that If he would not whip BIN he would
not make o fool Of them no more. when nc
threw away the switches upon the negro
promising that he would certainly GO and
shew them the boil, for il was hid in a
hollow stump by tho river side; Then
Greak said he would not follow the -
no moro, for he could mako o bell sooner
and would not concern himself no more
with him; bur ihos. williamson faid be
WOuiu NOV itJ III It u Lahc hlli
and carry him TO 6 Justice Of Peace and
send him home to his master, and that he
should get two hundred pounds OF to-
bscco and that would holp 70 pay tue sur
veyor; When they were folding the boy
to the place be said he had hid the bell.
Some Dogs fell on somebody's by the way
side, and whilo Williamson, tho dofen't..
and others were rescuing the hogss the
BOY kept on toward the river side, where he
said he had MD the bell; tho company
observing the boy to mend his pace. they
followed him. and just as he came TO the
river side he ran quicker and jump't into
the river When the company al ran to
the river side and saw tho boy swimming
about, and the SAID dsfen't Williamson
called TO the negro and bidd him come out
or be would DO drovn'd, but laughing at
him sunk Ia their sight, and they saw him
no more. Now If these circumstance Is
sufficient to proyeys pPff Nunnery agood
property in this negro, and th.t the said
defeud't Williamson Wa. execary TO the
said neCros death. We find for the SAID
plaintiff twenty pounds current money,
but if not wee lind for the defendant. \.
B.-We don't find that the defend't knew
tho negro any further than by comon fame
10 be Nunnery's or whose. lSignedl "Ro'
bert Hughes"
Tie Arguments on which are to be hoard
al the next court Ana.