Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-22
TWO WERE DROWNED
CoLoRED BOYS APPARENTLY TIE
VICTIM OF A PRACTICAL JOKER.
THOUGH 1T MAY RE MURDER.
A Hampton Negro Responsible for
Their Lives-IIe JOlted the Bonf,
rest--ConI Schooner Lost.

w
cial.) Considerable excitement was caused
I'm Hampton to-day when it was learned
that James Robertson and James Smith
(colored boys, aged. respectively, u and
II years, had met death by drowning In
Rack river, and that George Robertson
also coloredD. aged % years, was respon-
slble for their death. Robertson Is now
locked up in the Elizabeth City county
! Jail. charged with murder.
When the drowning became known the
matter was reported to Sheriff Curtis,
who. in company with Officer Joe Diestill
| and Acting-Coroner J. w. Richardson
! proceeded TO the scene Of the tragedy. "A
large number Of colored people were on
the scene, and every person in the crowd
was Fighting mad" over the manner IN
which they allege the younger boys We're
thrown to their death.
A PRACTICAL JOKE.
From the evidence brought out at the
Coroners inquest, which took place last
night, It seems that George Robertson in
vited three colored boys to 20 out row.
ing with him in the afternoon. Benjamin
Robertson. James Robertson, and James
Smith accepted the invition and went out
with George Robertson. Some distance
out the prisoner commenced TO rock the
boat. The boys begged him to stop but
he paid no attention to their pleadings.
He told them. according TO the evidence,
that he intended to capsze the boat and
drown the whole lot Of them. This he
succeeded in doing. As soon as the boat
n leaving
the other occupants to look out for them
selves. Benjamin Robertson also made
his way ashore by clinging on the other
Robertson's shoulders until he reached
shallow water, although it is claimed that
George made every attempt to force the
boy 20 loosen his hold. The other two
boys went down
VERDICT OF THE CORONER'S JURY.
Young Benjamin Robertson gave the
alarm, and after searching for three
hours the bodies Of the unfortunate col
ored youths were found in Back river.
After hearing the evidence adduced at
the inquest, the coroner's jury returned
this verdict: 1--WE, the jury, find that de-
ceased, James Robertson and James
Smith. came to their death by drowning.
through criminal negligence at the hands
of George Robertson by rocking and cap
sizing a boat i'm which they were rowing"
Robertson was then placed under arrest
by Sheriff Curtis. and was locked up in
Hampton Jail. officer Diestll reached
Hampton with his prisoner this morning
at 4 o'clock Robertson claims that the
whole thing was an accident, but the Ro-
bertson boy who was saved says that il
was planned by the elder Robertson, who
has for some time been on bad terms with
Of no
be given a preliminary hearing to-mor-
row morning.
THE AUGUSTUS PALMER FOUNDERS
The coal schooner Augustus Palmer,
one of the famous Palmer fleet of YES
sells, which loaded coal at this port and
sailed on August 18th for Bangor, Me,
founded on the tail Of the Horseshoe. of
Thimble Shoals. Chesapeake Bay, about
IL o'clock Saturday night. Incoming ship
captains report that the vessel is under
water and the wreckng company which
made an examination of the ships hull
saws that the vessel must be a complete
loss. She is loaded with coal and this
fact alone would make it difficult to raise
the ship. even though an attempt to do
so were made.
CAPTAIN AND CREW ESCAPE.
The schooner sank In half an hour after
striking on the tail of the Horseshoe.
Captain Haskell and his crew were saved.
When they saw that the schooner must
go down they took to the boats and were
picked up by the Maryland pilot-boat
Pilot. The sea was very rought but there
was little or no wind stirring. The Pal
mer carried 2.125 tons Of coal from here
for the Maine Central railroad, TO be un-
loaded at Bangor. The Chesapeake and
Ohio Goals this road.
Another of the Palmer vessels is now
in port loading coal for the North. She
is the Nathaniel r. Palmer, named after
the owner of the fleet. This IS five
masted vessel, and the largest schooner
afloat. She will carry between 1900 and
400 tons Of coal. which will be the
largest ever sent out from here in sail
ing vessel