Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-07
THE Gagged
THE STORY or THE REMARKABLE
KING GEORGE FIND CONFIRMED.
Description Of the Iron Prison-In-
tcrcsttrG Legends and Traditions
The Northern Neck Railroad
Scheme. t.l
Scheme.


VA. July 6.-Historic King George has
again given TO the world startling Gu
riosity, and this time one OF the most
wonderful little affairs OF modern times.
Mr.. W. H. II. Cawood. widaly-known
citizen. and surveyor OF section of
public road here. Is the happy possessor
Of the curiosity and for day or two
past his home has been visited by more
people than usually visit a country home
in a whole year--all eager to behold the
great sight" A few days ago. while
Mr. Cawood was repairing the public
road, with n force of men, at point
near the courthouse, what was first sup
posed TO be an iron man" was unearthed
BY one OF the workmen. a more deliberate
examination of the find. however. proved
It to be perfect human skeie-
ton. most ingeniously encased In
an iron cage. composed OF huge
strips, running around and up
and down the entire form. The iron cage
itself is quite similar TO the skeleton OF
a large man. Strips OF sheet-iron run
parallel with each arm and leg. ana q
foot or so apart are iron bands, or Guns
around the limbs. these being roushy
riyetted. The skull of this skeleton Is OF
immense size. and fits quite well In an
iron cage attached to the other. huse
bolt attaches to the iron plate on the
top of the skull, and It's peculiar arr
rangement shows that the whole man III
this iron suit was, some day in the long
ago, dangled in the air-suspended by
the bolt above the head. The feet rested
on broad sheet-iron slippers-or rathrr
slipper- bottoms, similar to the shoe IN
the stirrup OF oid-fashioned slde-sadd!es'
these slippers being attached by Dolls OF
rivets to the main cage. IL cage ~
may be called. This skeleton was directiy
on the side of the public road. the 1eet
extending quite out under the wheel
tracks. while the head lay buried deep
under the ditch-bank. few feet away
from the wheeltrack.
a TRADITIONAL STORY.
Who tho man was. when and by whom
he was buried al that spot and in that
iron suit, no living man to-day knows. III
is all a mystery. and there is scarceIy
brain in all this section that Is not puz-
zled TO solve the wonderful problem. Al
first soma wise men suggested that II WAS
the skeleton OF big Indian but the skeie-
ton is that OF a sure enough neSro-the
skull proves that. 4 traditional story mas
come down through several generations
10 this effect: Many years ago-probaDly
nearly or quite, a century ago-a blS
negro named Emanuel murdered wh''e
man in this county, and, alter the lapse
of considerable time and many difiicul-
ties he was captured at constructing
one dark night. tried, and hung. EInanuei
being the worst OF many desperate char-
acters here at that time, the authorities
determined to make an example OF hiil'
so that after he was hung, the old story
goes. he was put in an iron outfit ana sus-
pended in the air. close by the roadside,
as a terror 10 evildoers ana as warning
to all men. Very old citizens state to-day
that the body of Emanuel there dangied
IN the air until II attracted vuitures ana
worms, and. finally, became so offensive
10 the sight and smell that citizens Sc
rretly cut II down-or, at least II suddenly
disappeared. and was lost sight OF from
that day. The skeleton found by Mr.. Ca
wood being almost at the spot of lman-
uers execution, and being In irons similar
to those said to have encased the BODY OF
Emanuel. il is supposed by some that
Mr.. CawOod has found nothing more nor
less than the desperate malefactors ue-
caylng remains.
ANOTHER LEGEND.
This theory. how yer, is hooted at by
many. and some claim that early In Colo
NAL times the King had rebeilious SUD
ject "cruclhed" in an iron jacket, ana
hung out 10 terrify and warn other rebels
against his Majesty" BE all this as IL
may the find Is certainly very wonder
full sight and there must be some extra
ordinary history connected with il.
The Dispatch correspondent Is making
a vigorous search for that history, ana
if ancient records contain anything 10
throw light on the subject the Dispatch
readers will have the benefit OF 1T in the
near future. Words are inadequate to de-
scribe the old skeleton and the curious.
rusty. old iron jacket enveloping II.
The immense size of the skeleton alone
makes il wonder. Prominent parties
who have gone to Mr.. Cawood's TO see
The sight" think that Mr. Caw0od has
almost a fortune in his old curiosity, and
Mr.. Cawood himself is very enthusiastic,
end hopeful OF getting big money out
Of IL in some way.
THE RAILROAD SCHEME.
An enthusiastic meeting was held at
King George Courthouse on Thursday in
the interest of the proposed Northern
Neck railroad. The occasion was County
Court-Day, and citizens from all parts OF
the county were present. The meeting
was called 10 order by Hon. John Il. Ma
son, who stated its objects and announced
the speakers of the day. Captain q. w.
Grigsby was elected chairman. and DR..
j. Sydnor Massey secretary. Judge {.
H. Ashton, OF the county, made a
ringing speech in advocacy of tn road
and the proposition for King George to
subscribe $4,000 10 the stock. and his
timely address had splendid effect on
the people. At the conclusion of the
Judges telling effort Hon. W. Med.
Lee OF Irvington. took the stand. ana
made most admirable exposition OF the
facts connected with the railroad scheme
and the plans of the company. Mr.. Lee
explained by facts and figures just how
a railroad through the Northern Neck
would develop the country and pay the
counties which are asked TO subscribe to
the stock.
Mr.. s. Wexford Corbn and DIR. V. ..
Caruthers, who seem in opposition TO the
proposition. propounded many questions
10 the speaker and. although some or
them were apparently far-fetched, Mr..
Lee showed himself fully equal to the
occasion, and, upon the whole, gained a
victory for the cause. Judge Brown. of
Charleston. W Va. who is visiting rela-
tives in the county. followed MIR. Lee In
q very practical and appropriate railroad
talk, which added interest 10 the meeting
and strength TO the cause. Judge Brown
told the story OF West Virginia S struggle
for a railroad from $50 10 1870, and con-
trasted tho West Virginia OF 1910 with the
West Virginia OF today, t..
ONE or THE OBJECTIONS.
One of the objections urged against
road here by fcsiee Is that foreign labor
will be brought here 10 build the road
and then turned loose upon the country
as tramps. Mr.. Lee met this objection by
assuring the people that the company
a. IL 40 f.a,.lA Ia