Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-01-07
he KILLED HIS RIVAL
Plunged n Knifo Into III. Rrea., a,
the Wedding Dnnoo-Tncn Gus ri.
Way On,-Tho Governor offered
Reward ma Ai,or Fair rrin, tho
Mardoror Was scn,enocd TO Five
.1enrs' imprisonment,

/
tiary, and the centennial of Its occu-
pancy by the first convict ever entered
Within its white walls.
The penitentiary was built in accord
ance with an act OF the General AS
sembly, passed on the 18th day of jan
uary, 1886. The act contained As sec
tons. The 18th section required the
Executive tto purchase as much land
as is necessary to build Jail and pen
itentiary house. with suitable cells, ETC.,
sufficiently large to contain two hun
dred convicts.
In the 18th section the Governor by
and with the consent of the Councils.
was allowed the sum Of thirty thou
sand dollars, to be drawn from the
public treasury from time to time as
the work progressed.
| In the 2Sth section the convicts were
required to be clad in coarse material,
uniform in color and make, distinguish
ing them from good citizens of the
Commonwealth" and were allowed
only two meals per week OF meat and
two meals Der day of bread, Indian
meal or other inferior food
1t required nearly four years to erect
the building. or to complete SO much
or 1t as was necessary to safely keep
the prisoners to be confined therein.
In December, 1898. the first convict
was sentenced in the District Court OF
Prince Edward county.
| This court was composed of The
counties of Amelia, Buckingham, Char
lotte, Cumberland and Prince Edward.
! and has long since been abolished.
me jury was composed entirely of
citizens of Prince Edward, and were
empanelled ut the old courthouse. md
the prisoner tried there, which is seven
miles from It's present county seat.
| Farmville.
Although the prisoner was tried and
convicted In December, 1893, the build
ing was not ready for his reception
until January End. $780, at which time
Thomas Merryman. of Cumberland
county, entered to serve FIVE years for
the murder of Albert Jones, his sue
cessful rival.
a GENERAL MUSTER,
In those days general musters were
frequent and were held in different
parts of the county. At this time a gen
cral muster was held in beautiful field
at place called Talleys, five miles
from the county seat, at that time call
/ Ses S-i'''ohoii. az tu<il I10SlGC was
long line OF militia soldiers, without
guns. marched. and counter marched.
being commanded by n colonel who
wore U three-corncred hat. and who
was, in his own estimation, a greater
military man than the Father of his
| Country
What man in, that old county who
does not remember the time, sixty and
seventy years ago, whom the old drum
was beat by John Minor, the flfs blown
by Fleming Palmore?
/ y those ifTdppy tuyg there were as
many boys who attended the general
musters MS men in the ranks, Those
boys were as ANXIOUS to Join the soil
! diers and fight the battles of their
country as the old soldiers in line, and
never got enough OF it until the first
battle of Manassas.
Ladies in those days attended the
general musters, too.
The day referred to was bright and
| beautiful. There were very few fines
| for non-attendance 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 homeward. Others fingered to take
one more, a custom verw common In
! those days, and not altogether given
up in this late day. Many who had been
hopored with an invitation to a coun-
try wedding at the happy home OF
Farmer Minter, went there to pay the
tribute to the Court of Hymen.
A STORY OF LOVE.
The young lady. Miss SIinter. who
was Ito be the bride of the evening, was
lovely beyond description, and had
many admirers. among whom was
young Merryman. HIS proposition to
make her his wife was made time and
again. and was each time rejected.
With a broken heart he swore she
and left for parts unknown, but on the
night of the marriage 1t was known
that he had returned, though it was not
dreamed of that he would be at the
marriage on this occasion.
The officiating Clergyman was the old
and popular carpenter Of the neighbour
hood (Joseph Jenlsins). for whom
handsome church was built, In memory
Of his good name, which stands within
a few hundred yards from the old Min
ter 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
Iyet not invented the banjo) was begun.
and the leader cried out partners to
their places. One get had been danced
and as the fiddler struck the back OF
the fiddle with the bow. an old time
signal, the dancers took their seats.
ENRAGED WITH JEALOUSY.
| aJnst then the enraged Merryman
made his appearance upon the scene,
I1e walked up to the bride and was in
trodnced to the groom, who was Sit
ting by his bride
AS soon as IN opportunity was pre-