Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-08
CITIES BY THE SEA.
SYKES, THE NORFOLK PRISONER,
DECLARED SANE.
That the Verdict OF n Jury-Thc
Councils Hunting Revenuc-A Row
in Porfsmoutb--Dfchm Mum
Saved from Drowning.
Saved from Drowning.

NORFOLK. VA, July 7-(SpeciaL)-
For the first time probably In the MS
tory of Norfolk has jury OF tweNe
men decided whether or not prisoner
mt the bar+was a crazy man or not. This
was done in the Corporation Court To-
day IT will be remembered that Nat.
Sykes, with many aliases, was arrested,
charged with the theft Of a bicycle
There were against him many other
charges. He was confined in jail, where,
feigning insanity. he attempted suicide
twice-once with a rotten rope and again
by suspending himself with his under
clothes. He was blue in the face when
cut down the last time. II was then
that Sheriff Lawton lost his patience,
and ordered him placed I'm a strait
jacket. Sykes suddenly became sane.
and complained Of being warm. Then
the strait Jacket was removed. Not
willing to try crazy man. Judge Han
exile ordered a jury to decide whether
he was crazy or not.
The prisoner was brought over to court
to-day. and was represented by Mr.
Shullice. while Commonwealth ttorney
Duncan looked after the Commonwealth
interests. After argument by each, the
case was submitted. and it did not take
long to decide the matter the jury de-
claring that Sykes is a sane man, and
that his insanity was all feigned. They
were discharged, and another jury VIII
try Sykes next week.
AFTER REVENUE.
The councils of this city seem deter
mined to collect revenue from every
source in sight. Some time since the
charge for liquor licenses was cut down,
and to make up the deficit partially
caused by this action. many industries
previously assessed. but only nominally,
were made to pay higher taxes, and the
newspapers of the city were assessed
license-tax. The Common Council has
now adopted the ordinance drawn by
Councilman Davis. a prominent attorney,
imposing on railroad canal, steamboat,
steamship steam ferries, and sleeping
car companies a license-taX Of 800 per
year.
The railroad people affected say that
the tax is unreasonable, and II is pro-
bable that they will fight ii. They claim
that IL every city through which their
roads pass took similar action. they
would have to go out of business. The
newspapers some time since secured an
Injunction against the collection OF the
license-tax from them claiming conSu-
tutional exemption.
PORTSMOUTH ROW.
Two Portsmouth men became involved
in a row over trivial matter. They
were Peter Faulty and John Jones, ana
Jones now lies at the point of death
with a fractured skull. Faulty is under
arrest.
Edward Mclaughlin, the life-guard at
the Virginia Beach lighthouses. is being
praised by many who were at the Beach
yesterday afternoon and saw him rescue
a young man from Richmond. who was
about TO drown. The screams of the
young man. who was some distance from
shore were heard by the guard in the
bath house and rushing out into the
water. he Just reached the drowning
man i'm time to save him. The brave act
was seen by every one on the beach. The
name of the young man could not be
learned.