The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-02
NuRDIE:5:RI !: .AluSED ,.||.:I|..
BY JEALOUSY
story Of the First lL:<;. Convict m
in the { 2 Z enltent1hMry. t i al
He KILLED HIS RIVAL
Plunged Knife lny His Breast al
The Wedding Dance
THEN He eu77F's WAY OUT.
The Governor offered Two Hundred
Pounds Rc,sard and After
Fair Tsial the Murderer
Was Sentenced to
ITire Years Im-
prisonment.
~
THEN He CuI1Rls WAY OUT.

January End, 1900. is the centennial of
the op.ning Of the State pcnitentiary,
and The centennial of its occupancy by
the first convict ever entered within its
white walls.
The reni.entiary was built in accord
ance with an act Of the General Assem-
bly,. passed on the 18th day of January,
1886 The act contained as sections. The
nth section required the Executive to
purchase as much land as is necessary to
build jail and pcnitentiary house, with
suitable cells, etc, sufficiently large to
contain two hundred convicts-
In the 18th section the Governor by and
with the consent Of the Council, was
allowed the sum of thirty thousand dol
lars, to be drawn from the public treas
ury from time to time as the work pro-
gressed.
In the 2Stl1 section the convicts were
required to be clad in coarse material,
uniform in color and make. distinguish
ing tIlcm from good citizens of the Com
1nonwealth." and We're allowed only two
meals per week of meat and two meals
per day of bread, Indian meal. or other
inferior food.
1t required nearly four years to erect
the building, or to complete so much OF
it as was necessary TO safely keep the
prisoners to be confined therein.
In December. 1899. the first convict was
sentenced in the District Court of Prince
Edward county.
This court was composed of the ccun-
ties of Amelia, Buckingham. Charlotte,
Cumberland and Prince Edward, and has
long since beer abolished.
The jury was composed entirely of citi-
zens of. Prince Edward. and were en-
panelled at the old courthouse, and the
prisoner tried there, which is seven miles
from its present county tv-seat, Farinviiie.
Although the prisoner was tried and
convicted in December. 11a9 the building
was not ready for his reception until
january End 1900. at which time Thomas
Afcr, ;yr1all of Cumberland county. en-
tered TO serve five years for the murder
of Albert Jones. his successful rival.
A GENERAL MUSTER.
In those days general musters were
frequent. and were held in different parts
of the county. AT this time general
muster was held in a beautiful field at 4
place called Talleys. five mills from the
county-seat, at that time called Etflns-
ham. At that muster was 4 long line of
militia soldiers, without guns. marched and
( counter, marched, being commanded by
a colonel who wore a three-ccrnered hat,
and who was, in his own estimation, a
s greater military man than the Father Of
1lfs Country.
What man in that old county who does
not remember the time. sixty and seven
ty years ago, when the old drum was
beat by John Minor, the fife blown by
Fleming PaiInore?
In those happy days there were as
many boys who attended the general
musters as men in the ranks. Those boys
were as anxious to join tho soldiers and
fight the battles OF their country as the
ts old soldiers in line. and never got enough
Of ii until the first battle of Manassas.
Ladies in those days attended The gen
cral muSters too.
The day referred to was bright and
Beautiful. There We're very few fines for
ron-a:tendancea on this occasion.
The sun began to sink behind the hills.
The lines were broken. Some who had
drilled were tired, and made their way
l,omeward. Others fingered to take one
more, a custom very common IN those
days, and not altogether given UP in
this late day. Many who had been hon
ored with an invitation to a country we'd
ding at the happy home of Farmer Min
Z ter, went there to pay the tribute to the
Court Of 11ymen.
"A STORY OF LOVE.
The young lady, Miss Minter. who was
to be the bride of the evening. was lovely
beyond description. and had many ad-
= mirerS. among whom was young Merry
man His proposition to make her his
+ wife was made time and again, and was
each time rejected.
With a broken heart he swore she
should never be the wife Of any other.
ard left for parts unknown. but On the
$ night of the marriage IL waS known that
he hao- returned Though it was not
3 dreamed OF that lie would be at the mar
rinEe on this occasion.
The officiating clergyman was the old
and popular carpenter of the neighbor-
= hood (Joseph Jenldns), for whom hand
some church was built. in memory Of
his good name, which stands within a
few hundred yards from the old Min!er
house.
After the old parson had performed
the marriage ceremony which made Miss
Minter and Mr.. Jones man and wife. the
sweet strains of music from the violin
Gold Joe Swinney having as vet not in
vented the banjo IVES begun, and the
leader cried out partners to their places.
One set had been danced and as the fld-
dler struck the back of the fiddle with
{ tie bow, an old time signal, the dancers
took their seats.
ENRAGIsD WITH JEALOUSY.
Just then the enraged Merryman made
: his appearance upon the scene. He walk
Cd up TO the bride and was introduced
TO The groom. who was sitting BY his
fsiae.s
AS soon as an opportunity was pre-
& scnted he asked the groom walk With
him and zee the moon which was lust
rising in the east. The two walked out.
Mesr'xt,,an leading the Nay. which led
I TO the Old corn crib where the grind
stone stood. upon which both had seen
the farm hands grind the axes with
4 home OF Alinter.
Il Merryman had long been absent from
! The county bnt he vel! knew where to
find the Erindstoae.
IA iYy,rE . ,en,fAst