The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-27
.ROBBEDA| RESIDENCE
IN BROAD [. Al DAYLIGHT D ".
Skeletons Dug Up on coxendaIe
Farm Near Dutch Gap.
Parker's Battery Was Stationed There
During the Defense Against Butler.
Five Young Foxes Found in
Hollow Of Tree.

ESPECIAL dispatch to The Timcs.)

CHESTER, VA, May 26.-Some one
entered the dwelling OF Mr.. T. W. White,
one of the incorporates of the Chester
Lumber Company, Sunday afternoon. and
robbed him Of q Smith and Wesson pis-
tol and q new suit Of clothes. Mr.. White
and family had left the house for a
stroll, and, perhaps, were away for one
hour. When he left the premises, he
saw man like a tramp sitting on the
opposite side of the road but little ex-
pected there would be any attempt TO en-
ter his house by any one, in the day
time. Some parties saw a lnan going in
the direction of Petersburg and not Tar
from the house about twenty minutec be-
fore Mr.. Whites return. and it is gen
orally believed that the same man he
saw lettering there, when he went out,
did the robbery.
Mr.. White got gun and tried to get
permission Of the engineer on a passing
train to allow him to follow the man,
but was refused. He then telegraphed
to the Petersburg officials to be on a
lookout for him. Mr.. White had sold his
interest in the Chester Lumber Company
to embark in another business and was
contemplating removing his residence in
a short time to some other part of the
State.
SKELETONS FOUND.
A find, which may be of interest to the
historian, or some of the memorial as
sociations Of the deal soldiers of the
Civil War. was brought to light by the
plow of Mr.. w. H Thompson, at Cox
endale farm, a few days ago. Mr.. Thomp-
son was blowing the ground lately report
ed as the scene Of the discovery Of In
dian arrowheads, an Indian pipe and
large number of round bullets, on this
farm near Dutch Gap, where the late
freshets had removed a considerable por-
ton Of the top soil, when the pillow turn
ed up a human skeleton: a little later
he turned up three, buried in one pit,
and not very deep The question OF
interest and wonder is whether the bones
are those of Indians or Confederate SOL
diers. Captain w. w. Parker. of Rich
mond, had part of his battery near this
find, Smelling Butler'ss forces. while ex
cavating Dutch Gap in the war, and it
is said by some that brother of Cen
eral Stith Boiling, of Petersburg, was
killed by the explosion Of a. shell from
Buffers side on this farm, but Fhef
owners of the farm have never known
that any Confederates were buried on
the place. and it is known that none of
the Union forces were ever on the farm,
and that the Parker men were the only
men who ever fired a gun there
1t is taken for granted that if any of
his men had been killed there, they
would have been removed, and buried
within the Confederate lines, fully half
mile west of this spot. or in one of the
two graveyards on the farm, and that
they would have been buried singly and
in better shape.
INDIAN SETTLEMENT.
Another idea is advanced, that in light
Of the finding of two Indian pipes, a large
quantity of arrowheadS and the seeming
flint rife bullets, this place might have
been an Indian settlement, and these
bones those of Indians. There We're pieces
of Clipped stone found here also. seeming
to be the fragments Of the manufacture
of the arrowheads Mr.. Thopson intends
to see if he can find any other relics, so
as to identify the dead. The teeth Of the
skeletons are in marvellous preservation
and perfectly sound, which would seem to
Indicate those Of Indians.
Perhaps some living member Of Parker
Battery, or some other veteran, may be
able to solve this mystery. Some Con-
federate soldiers were detailed to manu-
facture sorghum molasses on this farm
during the war, but these soldiers came.
I think from local camps, and if they
had died by disease, would not likely to
have been buried in this fashion and out
in a field that was cultivated. If Con-
federates, their bones should be removed
to some of the veteran cemeteries.
Mr. Charles E. Friend, a druggists, of
Manchester, stopped here last night on
his way to Mr.. r. S. Hatcher's, on James
River, to look after an apiary which he
has there, and returned this afternoon to
Manchester by the electric road.
MANY FOXES.
Mr.. z. A. Swineford, of Drewry's Bluff,
was in the village this morning. and In
company win T. H. Friends, went to
Coxendale to fish for carp.
Mr. Walter Robertson of this county.
in searching a hollow tree found FIVE fox
cubs, which he Gagged, and is keeping for
his amusement Three other cubs are In
keeping in this town, found under a rick
of wood and one of them, getting away
in a yard killed nearly three dozen young
chickens before being apprehended. The
party gained dear experience by making
a pet of an inveterate enemy OF the chick
en- tribe.
Rev. T. W. Osborne preached here.
Mr.. Manning Bruised.
Mr.. w. j. Manning, who was Knocked
down by n runaway horse saturday night
at Second and Broad Streets and pain-