Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-05
A DESTRUCTIVE FIRE
THE HOME OF TREASURER DAVIS,
OF BUCKINGHAM, BURNED.
CONYICPS DEPREDATlONS,
He Enters Freight tears and stores
Away His Booty In n Cnye-Aftcr
Long Pursuit the Scgro In Cap
tured In buckingham County.

sCOTTSVILLE, VA. February A.
Especially News reached here yesterday
that the residence OF MIR. Jen. Davis.
Treasurer Of Buckingham, was destroyed
by fire, with all 1t contained. a few nights
ago, the family barely escaping with
their lives. Ii seems that Mr. Davis had
a gentleman boarding with him. who
taught a school nearby; and he, with
two Of Mr. Davis's sons. occupied a
room I'm the second story. They had built
up large fire to study by. and about II
o'clock J.. NJ. they all left the room
for awhile. but soon discovered that the
house was In flames, and before they
could save anything, except themselves,
the fire was beyond their control.
Mr.. Davis barely saved two of his lit
tie children in room upstairs. by rush.
ing through the hall after the fire
had crossed H. Two minutes later they
would have been cut off. and have per-
ished. His house was insured Tor $500,
but that was far less than his loss.
A HOT CHASE FOR A THIEF.
4 few days ago, during that very cold
spell. negro svas captured at Hard
ware by Richmond detective. who
proved TO be an ex-cOnvict. 1t seems
that several freight-cars had been broken
open and robbed while side-tracked at
Bremo Blur, and the railroad company
procured the detective to ferret out the
robber In searching around the cliffs
near Bremo Bluff he discovered cave,
and mans tracks in the snow that
led into IT, The officer and his assist
ant entered, and discovered a large
amount OF merchandise. which had been
taken from the cars. They, then. having
struck the trail, traced him to the Mount
Airy" farm, at Hardware. where they
found that the man was there, working
for Mr. Joseph NJ Seay. When the de-
tective was introduced 10 Mr.. Seay, in
the presence of the negro. as an officer
from Richmond, the negro dropped the
basket Of corn he had ia his hand 1nd
fed, the officers and others In hot pur-
suit Refusing 10 halt when ordered,
the detective fired, wounding him In one
leg; but that seemed only to accelerate
his speed. Away over the hills they
flew. some stopping 10 get horses They
spied the fugitive as he reached Hard
ware river, and. in attempting to cross
on the ice he broke through, and sank
in ten feet Of water; but he reached the
opposite bank safely.
In the mean time, the mounted men
had found a place below to cross. and,
pushing on they again sighted the negro
near Kids Mil, recrossing the river
in a boat. but he again got away, and
before his pursuers could cross was out
OF sight; but they again came In view
Of their game on the farm of Major j.
". Anderson. Now the chase became
exciting. Under whip and spur the Of
ficers dashed on. confident OF success
this time; but Just before they came up
with him he dashed into a dense thicket,
thus eluding the officers for some time.
Here some Of the pursuing party had to
turn back and warm, as 1t was getting
fcarfully cold.
PLUNGED INTO THE RIVER.
The detective kept up the search. and
AZ last saw him as ne crossed the meadow
Of the adjoining farm. Before they
could overtake him. however. he plunged
into the river and swan across. and
escaped up the cliff. Night coming on,
IT was now too dark to pursue him fur
Their. so the searchers returned. and
spent the night at Mount Airy" Early
next morning. as Mr.. Seay came out,
the fugitive came up covered with icicles,
and his clothes frozen TO him. and begged
him TO let him warm. Mr.. Seay had
fire built in an clubhouse, and told him
to warm there. Meantime, he had in
formed the officer, who came out and
captured his man. and took him to
BremO.
PERSONAL NOTES.
Mr. J. V. Pereria returned Sunday
from Baltimore
Mr.. George W. Toland returned Mon
day from Richmond. where he had been
on a visit Of several weeks.
News was received here to-day by pri-
vate letter that Captain w. c. Staples.
formerly of this place, was very sick,
at his home. in Washington, >. c.
Mr.. G.. Walker Gilmer, Of Towards
Vile. who was badly wounded In the eye
during the late war. has just had deli
cate operation performed. by DR.. Bur-
nett. Of Washington city, and a fattened
ball one fourth OF an inch thick. and
the size OF a half-dollar. was chiselled
out Of the bone near the eye. His bro
ther. Mr. y. Lee Gilmer, lives In our
fqVn