Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1896-12-26

warfare is being waged on the neigh
0or's wood pile, old dilapidated build
ngs. barns, trees and ell combustibie ,
must be made to contributed
10 the geneval conhagratiOn tonight.
The bon-fires will be lit at dust and
the clans will meet amidst the footing
Of horns, the bursting of baby-wakers,
tOrpedCes and cannOn-crac ers, and
there await the coming of the glorious
dawn. The small boys have been look
ing forward TO Christmas Eve. night
with anxious hearts, and for this great
event, they have been making their
very quietly of course.
Their mode of operati ms is as follows
The Both Street (section) gang for the
past month have been hauling wood
from every source, and stored it away
This gang has wood piled up several |
feet in height, with plentiful supply !
of kerosene which will be hauled out |
adjust tonight.
The Field gang like the above men
toned are also wide awake the people
in the meanwhile complaining bitterly
against their depredauons. Large
quantities of fireworks are on hand
and they will celebrate with vim.
The Paramount gang is little better
behaved, yet the evidences of their IN
feeling regard for other peoples fences
is manifest everywhere.
The other gangs have Christmas
wood-piled high which was question
able obtained. Some gang raid each
others wood pile, and when discover
ed fight very quickly ensues. Every
thing is ready for the confisgration,
and bon-fires will be lit at nearly ev-
cry corner.
cHRlsTMAs PERSONALS.
Mr.. A. w. Richardson of New York
is in the city visiting his parents and
friends on n. 32nd st.
Rev. II. r Williams has "a bright
eyed boy for Christmas compliment.
AT THE OTHER CHURCHES.
We regret our failure in not secur-
ing the programmes in detail from the
other schools, but at the Asbury, Good
Shepherd and Cedar Street Churches,
special Christmas programmes have
been arranged and all who attend are
sure to be provided for. At the latter
named church, they, like the Fourth,
will get the brick boxes for the little
ones and hope to excel all OF the
churches in every thing except attend
ance as this is a very small one.
The Good Shepherd Epis. School
always has an excellent programme
and aside from giving the children
candy, substantial presents in the
shape of winter garments, shoes, hats
and other necessary article are always
distributed.
and stores are all doing a rushing bust
ness In the market mass of surglng
humanity seem in a vain struggle with
each other and the huckster as well to
get in a good position and to get
! Christmas turkey at or per cent ols-
count.
The grocers afe doing we'll, especial
" the first-class and wide-awake ones
like Mr. W. G. Singleton whose place
of business is stocked with a large va
riety of Christmas goods. The confec-
TONERS are busy filling many orders
for candies, cakes and confectionarles
The butchers are not exactly in 1t
alongside the hucs sters, grocers and
confectioners; the reason for this. Is
that many of our frugal coloreo folks
in lieu of turkey will have a young
shoat of their own raising TO grace the
table Everyone is making some prep
arations at least for tomorrow and es-
pecially our Juveniles who are cele-
brating "Crismas" in de rale ole fash
ion way.
HEAD ALMOST SEVERED.
When the PLANET correspondent az.
rived he inspected the body which re-
vealed the CHASTITY fact. that the head
of the youth had almost been severed
from the trunk; the face had com
menced to swell terribly. The right
arm was broken in at least three places
and torn from the socket while severa
bruises were found on the back The
body was frightfully mangled. About
p. M, the coroner was summoned
but it was at very late hour before he
responded.
WHO is. TO BLAME?
The preliminary investigation wa
conducted by coroner Taylor, at Is
Police Station, but owing to the scarei
. ty of any definite information, very
few people having witnessed the acci
dent, it was decided to postpone the
: inquest until Tuesday morning.
At the hour of our going to pres
the engineer had not been arrested
; and when seen, denied in the most 20
sitive manner that he knew anything o
! the boys death until told of it later.
: As to who is to blame for the acct
. dent it is now almost impossible Il
! say. The body was carried home, No
: sic Concord Street, the house being 10
? Gated at few hundred yards from TIT
: scene of the accident The Brow
Brothers, underta kers, prepared thu
: body for burial. and the funeral wa
r held yesterday at IL O'Clock.