Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-20
VERY boil ROBBERY
MERCHANT HELD UP By a NEGRO.
OCCURRED IN HIS STORE.
The Dcatl, of SIr:: j. z. Rockwell is.
Greatly Lnmentcd Important
Damage Suit Against The City
Much Litigation in the County.

| (Special)--A bold holG-up and robbery
occurred this morning at Church, Road
Station, in Dinwiddie county, the victim
being Mr.. w. A. Blanton. well-known
| citizen and merchant of that neighbor-
hood.
Mr.. Blanton went to open his store, S
usual about o'clock, entering the build
| ing through the rear door. 3 When
| he unlocked and opened the front
door from within, he found himself sud-
! denly confronted by a negro. who with
a shotgun, pointing in his face, demand
| ed his money under threats of death. Mr.
Blanton saw that the negro was in earn
est in his demands, and being alone and
| unarmed, and under command to make
no alarm he was forced to yield.
| Going behind his counter Mr.. Blanton
go. out bag containing about $40 in
money and handed it to the negro. stat
ing that was, all-he had. The negro took
it and ordering Mr.. Blanton not to move,
and still covering him with his gun.
| backed away and made his escape.
The negro was a stranger in the neigh
borhood and unknown to Mr.. Blanton.
He is described as a dark mula ito. about
| five feet, six inches in height.
| AS soon as possible Mr.. Blanton gave
| the alarm, and posse of armed citi-
zens was organized and gave pursuit
Much excitement was caused by the out
rage and if the fellow is caught he may
be roughly handled. Mr.. Blanton came
| to the city this afternoon to report the
| matter to the police.
! DEATH OF MR.. j. E. ROCKWELL
The announcement from Washington of
the death by asphyxiation of Mr. Joseph
| e. Rockwell, of this city, was great
surprise and shock to the many friends
| of tia gentleman. Mr.. Rockwell. accom-
panied by his wife left the city a few
days ago for a trip North. partly on
measure and partly on business. He ex-
| peclcd tc spend several days in Wa shing-
! ten.
Mr.. Rockwell had for many years been
| prominent in business in Petersburg, and
was universally known here. He has for
| some years been the head of the Rock
we'll Coal Company, large dealers in fuel.
ard was also interested in q large mil
| linery establishment He was a man OF
genial character and very popular in the
| community. He was a gallant Confed-
crate soldier, serving throughout the war
in the Twelfth Virginia Regiment, and
was che Of the Oldest members Of the
rPythlan order jim the city, and was a
Past Grand Chancellor. His remains will
be Brought to Petersburg for interment.
A telegram received later reports Mrs.
! Rockwell as very i'll.
IMPORTANT DAMAGE SUIT.
Judge B. A Hancock opened the Cir
cult Court of Petersburg to-day for the
| trial of the case Of ex-Poice Sergeant
! Ruffin VS.. the city of Petersburg. This
! is a $4,000 suit for damages, caused by an
| l1poeC defect of the streets Of
the city. On motion Of the plaintiff a
special jury Of twenty was ordered to be
| summoned for 2:30 o'clock P. NJ.
I The defendant city entered a demurrer,
which was overrllled and then moved
the. court to grant continuance. This
motion was also overruled, after full
/ argument
The object in asking for a special grand
| jury was that jurors free from any pos
sible objection from either side might be
! obtained. Some Of the regular jurors
/ who had been summoned were excused
for good reason. one of them being an
ex-councilman, and another a member OF
the present Council The trial will hardly
conclude before tomorrow.
LITIGATION IN DlNWIDDIE.
! Judge Hancock will be engaged all next
week in holding court in Dinwiddie coun-
| ty, where there are pending some fifteen
!, or twenty suits against the Norfolk and
/ Western and Seaboard Airline railways
for damages alleged to have been caused
by fires. 1t is understood that by agree
ment. all the suits against the Seaboard
| AIRLINE. will be continued to a special
term of the court to be held in Deem
1 Der. Some Of the cases against the Nor
folk and Western may be tried next
/! week
| During the past two days Judge Han
cock has been holding the Circuit Court
of Amelia, having been designated by the
Governor for that purpose Some twenty
/ chancery DEGREES and orders were enter
ed. being mostly in cases in which the
present judge of that circuit had been
! counsel, and therefore could not try
them
QUONG WAN PARALYZED.
l. Quong Wah, a Well-known Chinaman
/ conducting laundry on Bank street
was stricken with paralysis this morning
and his condition is critical. His physl-
clans, Drs. Booth and Powell. have but
little hope of his recovery.
Acknowledgement Stitl Boiling, com
handing the First Brigade of the Vir.
ginia Division of United Confederate
/ Veterans, has issued an order notifying
the veterans of the annual meeting of the
! division to be held in WytIevile,s on the
| ed of October. at the same time Of the
meeting of the Grand Camp. Confederate
Veterans Of Virginia. The OBJECT of tbs
i meeting is for the annual election OF
/ officers. and other business. Delegates tc
the meeting from the various camps. will
be in proportion Of one to every twenty
active members and one for every addi
tional ten,
GENERAL NEWS.
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