The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-13
REMARKABLE CASE
OF CR|M|NAL|TY
---- --------
APrisoner Who Made Excursions
With Jail as Headquarters.
DUPLICATING HIS OWN CRIME
A Steamer to be Placed on the Potomac
for Freight Traffic = Frederick
Downing, of Richmond Co.,
Appointed to West Point.
tspec.n, Dispatch to The Timcs.)

Especial Dispatch TO The Timcs)
FREDERICKSBURG. VA, June Il
One eff the most remarkable cases IN me
records of criminalitY has come to light
in Caroline county. Matthew Blackburn.
q colored prisoner now in the county Jali
vas indicted tried and sentenced 10 the
penitentiary for the term OF TWO years, IN
the County Court Of that county. Attor-
ney A Is. Chandler defended the prs
oner. and took great interest IN ms case
because the prisoners mother was once
an cmpIoye of his. so after the con-
yfction MT. Chandler filed a petition with
the Governor asking that the sentence
be committed to twelve months in the
county iail This was finally granted and
the taller In the day time would allow
the prisoner the freedom of the hall out
side of the cells where he could take
some exercise AT odd time the pris-
oner worked on the little trap door,
Through which he was waited upon and
In some way secured file, with which
he filed in two one Of the window bars
and soon arranged it SO that he could
slip this bar out and after he was con-
fined for the night he would remove
the window bar and come out and go off
to spend the night with some friend, go
ing back into the Jail the next morning
before the jailer arrived. In this way he
spent number of nights with Ia
borer on a, nearby farTn-
STOLE HIS FRIENDS WATCH.
This laborer owned watch, which
the prisoner had seen and when last he
went to call on his friend. which was
Friday night the labo-er was absent from
his home and the prisoner being In an
investigating frame of mind, transacted
the premises He came across the watch
and at once appropriated It, The Ia
borcr upon his return home discovered
his loss. and suspected the prisoner IN
Jail He, therefore, went to the jailer
and requested him TO search the pris-
oner for the watch. When asked about
the matter, the prisoner Indignantly de-
MED the charge and expressed surprise
that he should be suspected of commit
ting n crime outside of jail. during his
confinement there
He was searched. however. and the
watch found and then the prisoner ac-
knowledged the trick. This is probably
the only case on record where prison
er in Jail under sentence for housebreak
ing and larceny should set out of jail.
commit t. same kind of offense again
and carry the stolen goods into the gan,
which was his headquarters
The steamer Lilly and Howard which
was recently sold by Mrs. Fannie e.
Flatford. of Stafford county, to Carter
and Clarke. of Washington. for 5000
is being thoroughly repaired and overhaul
ed for continued service OIL the Potomac
River in the general freighting between
Washington and lower river points.
TO WEST POINT.
Frederick Downing, of Richmond coun-
tv. a graduate, this session at the Virginia
Military institute has received the ap-
pointment TO West Point from TINS con-
Gressionai district. He was thir din the
contest for this position. but the failure
of the other Two young men TO meet the
requirements of the rules. gives him the
appointment. and he will report in July.