Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-28
MANCHESTER NEWS.
A BUSY SESSION OF THE SCHOOL
BOARD HELD LAST NIGHT.
Course I'm the High school TO he
Made Three Years-Dlack Released
ON n writ of Habeas Corpus-Per-
sonals and Driefs.

| and a great deal OF business was trans
| acted.
Mr.. johnson, representing the b. r.
! Johnson Company, of Richmond, ap-
pcared before the board in the interest OF
| the Peoples Encyclopaedia" and urged
| its adoption In the schools OF this CITY,
| but no action was taken on the matter.
| The Superintendent read his report
| which was approved by the board. The
| Grade Committee reported that 1t would
| be inexpedient to have commencement
| exercises I'm the white schools this year,
| on account Of the session being reduced
| from nine to eight months. The report
| was adopted This COMMITTEES also re-
ported that the course in the High School
il now too short, and recommended
| that 1t be extended year longer, thus
| making 1t three years. which is custo-
mary In the graded schools OF most
| large cities. This arrangement was
adopted by the board. with the under
standing that 1t was not to go into ef-
| feet with respect to the present gradu-
ating class The work OF the classes
| following will, however. be changed at
| once, so as to cover the three-years
| course.
The board referred the matter of plant
| ing trees in the yard Of the school build
| ings to the Committee on Buildings,
with power to act The meeting then ad-
| journed.
BLACK GIVEN HIS FREEDOM.
| Frederick Black, the man who was ar
rested so unceremoniousy a few days
| ago and committed to the Manchester
| jail. was given his freedom yesterday by
/ I,,Af nnfn N a hah4ag
| pus, sworn out by his attorney, Mr..
| Ernest II. Wells, of this city. Black Is
| a mineral prospector by trade, and by
| the means of certain highly magnetic
| Instruments, which he has In his pos
| session, claims to be able to locate any
| treasures which may have been buried
| in the ground scores of years ago. SO
| penetrating are the workings OF his In
| struments that he can even draw carpet
| tacks out of the floor from distance OF
several inches. While manoeuvring
| around Swift creek, near the locality In
which the cotton-mils stood. for the
| treasures of man who died forty
| years ago, he was unceremoniously picked
| up upon a warrant, charging no Of
| fence under the laws OF Virginia, and
| committed to jail The young prospec-
| tor halls from Michigan, and claims that
| his process is well founded. Judge Clop-
| ton promptly released Black when appli-
| cation was made. but 1t Is understood
that several friends advised him to leave
| the community, as the neighbors did not
seem to fully appreciate his magnetic
| powers.
DICKERsON TAKEN TO GRANITE.
| James Dickerson, the negro who was
brought from Richmond Wednesday on
| the charge Of stealing lot of tools from
Mesers. p. Donald & Son. quarrymen, at
| Granite, was before Mayor Maurice yes
| terday morning While the preliminary
hearing was in progress the negro made
| several desperate attempts to free him.
self, and gave the police no little trouble.
| This is not his first attempt to secure
| his liberty, as Wednesday. when Qfhcer
Avis was committing him to the jabsr. he
made dive for the officer. and had not
assistance been readily at hand there lie
no telling what might have been done.
The Mayor sent the case on to the Coun-
ty Court.
The little son of Mr.. +. o. Andrews.
while playing Wednesday afternoon. was
| bitten by dog. Yesterday morning in
| the Mayors Court his Honor ordered the
dog to be killed or at once taken out OF
the city. Mr.. Brockwell complied with
the latter request.
Several young white men were before
the Mayor yesterday morning. charged
with creating disturbance or the streets
about $3.50 o'clock Wednesday morning.
They were each fined 81 and costs
AN OLD RUMOR REVIVED.
A wild rumor was afioat in Manchester
yesterday that the shops here were 10 be
removed to Salisbury. N. c. The rumor
| started from telegram from Salisbury,
stating that it had been decided to locate
the central shops at that point, and
that the company were making extensive
preparations at that place. No credit is
given to the rumor that Manchester
will be at all affected by the location
Of other shops on the Southern railway.
| Mr.. w. II. Owens master mechanic OF
the Manchester shops. when asked about
the matter. said that he did not know
anything about the proposed shops al
Salisbury.
The Ladies' Auxiliary of the Old Do
minion Hospital will meet at Bainbridga.
Street Baptist church this afternoon a. 4
o'clock to make final arrangements for a
sociable next Tuesday night. The public
are cordially invited TO attend the
meeting.
The Bell Telephone Company, which hos
been In operation in this city for long
time, has a force Of hands at work dis
tributing poles, which. II is said will be
substituted for the old ones now In use.
An oyster supper was given last nigh,
by the ladies Of the Presbyterian church
in the lecture-room. The ladies' met with
success In their undertaking. and a hand
some sum was raised.
PERSONAL POINTS.
Mrs. F. f. Fitzgerald, of Slate River
Mills, Buckingham county, is visiting
Mrs. II. Maurice.
Miss Goldie Clements, OF Washington
ID. c., is visiting her cousin, Miss Ruth
Fitzgerald. No. 500 Hull street.
Mr.. T. II. Betty is on business trip to
Cincinnati.
Judge French was out yesterday morn.
ing for the first time since his recen,
Illness.
Miss Bessie Reid. of Perry street. who
was quite sick Tuesday, was reported
better yesterday.
There are three candidates to be mi.
tiated at the next meeting Of Liberty
Council, No. 3, Junior Order United
American Mechanics to be held Thursday
night.
Mrs. Mary Baldwin. of Manchester
accompanied by her granddaughter
Miss Pearl Brewer. Is visiting Mrs. j.
w. Philips. In Petersburg.
Miss Sue Porter has returned 10 the
city. after a long visit to her sister al
Hallnboro