Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-18
IHE MEN HUNG BY MosBY.
AMI. aontios's Act OF Substituting
certain cnpitves for Execution
,ot sanctioned by na.onry-A
ffsning Contest in which Prc.i-
ssnt Cleveland Figured.

+ sar6aN-scDool Work IN the town of Lees
tr,rs. IS on every occasion of public cere
roaials OF any kind. ane particularly
tbst 81 the celebration OF ST John, the
s,.sarel;st.s. day, may be noted liberal
.oIlse;3cn ana contribution for such pur-
,.se Invariably the orators of the dav
f7- each and all Of these public festivals
-7sre made recipients OF q vote of thanks
nm the lodge for their efforts In remov-
rs from the public mind the -'prejudices
.n3 oaiU-ations" existing against the
-srse of Masonry. On, the ST Johns
nay occurring in 1920. Mr.. McIlwany. the
,-s-br Of the occasion. was thanked for his
o-1ate, ingenious. and classical Grafton.
ss was also the Rev. Mr.. Birch, pho had
followed with & relation of his thrilling
.xpe-ierca whilst sojourniug III Ireland,
chan he was among q number of others,
~ an intrepid band Of Masons from
r;-,a.ion OF extreme peril resulting from
t-slrrtction.
THE MEN HUNG BY MosBY.
II This busy age Of progress men have
mi little time and energy to waste in
tp-e3udice and objurations'' against any
~ he secret orders. Yet ccasionally some
circumstance will occur by which the or
5s- al Freenasonry may be at least To-
-.yy affected. as was notably the case in
2 certain official act of Captain Mount
3oy. CT the Confederate States army.
CAPTAIN a. E. Richards. OF Mosby's COM
msn6 having captured twenty-seven
7rsoners. compelled them, in obedience
10 his instructions. to draw for the death
ballot for seven of their number to be
hung in just retaliation for a like num-
Ter Of his own command who had been
-Hhlcssly murdered by the enemy at
front Royal. Lieutenant Ed. F. Thorn:
sen. having been placed in charge Of the
s3uad Of men to be executed at a certain
point On the Valley turnpike. in passing
t.-cush Ashby's Gap. met with Captain
Nountioy on his return from Shenandoah
Valley. with other prisoners. The latter
officer. by virtue of superior rank in
commission, assumed the responsibility
al substituting two Of his own for like
number Of prisoners who had fairly and
Invariably drawn the death warrants.
History is silent as to the motive which
MAJ have controlled Captain Mcuntjoy
n the preparation Of an act of such
apparent injustice and wrong, and in the
absence OF any explanation I have no
comment TO make other tnan to assert
that neither the teachings nor obligations
cf Masonry can bind one to the COM
initial OF q deed of such nature.
SOME PERSONAL POINTS.
MANY OF the members whose names
hftge already been mentioned have been
recorded as having gone TO other sections
Of country, in the upbuilding of which
they no doubt made their energy and in
iuence felt, and as concluding the roll as
far as obtaiaahle, submit the following:
Presley Foley. r T. Fitzgerald, Lewis
Douglas. VIM. Jenners. II. B. Powell.
James NcIlweny. Captain John Moore,
Or. Charles Gulatt, J. P. Love. f. RI.
Laye James jenkins, and John Thomas.
Whenever the necessity for expulsion OF
@ member occurred the Genius OF lib
erty8 was asked to give publication to
the same. with the request that every pa
par in the United States favorable to
Masonry might copy. James jenkins must
nave been a success as an author, Tor
by unanimous vote the lodge for the sum
Of six dollars purchased OF his copy
Of mis- Treatise on PenI1anshlp. / learn
from Mr. John Norris, who is now nearly
g years OF age, that Mr.. Jonn Ihomas
was an honest carpenter. under Whorn ne
had served his boyhood apprenticeship,
and that by his thrift and industry nad
reared and educated an interesting fam
ly one Of whom was the late distin-
flushed Judge II ". Thomas. OF the
f-audoun circuit He was at very carry
date the owner OF the Big Spring estate,
lis name having been taken from an au-
52ceut body Of water rather OF the ui-
Inension Of a pond than OF spring. ms
sprinc. living across the road to Whites
y.
OF Jackson's corps Of Lees army en-
route 10 his first Maryland campaign.
IS an object of pleasant remembrance tor
the thousands OF Confederate veterans,
lis !tupid water having relieved the burn
ing thirst OF SO many wearieu and 1901
sore soldiers 1t is the head water OF
little stream finding an Quiet in the 70
Iomac, & favorite resort OF the sHNerg
trout
CLEVELAND FIsHED THERE.
On several occasions has this stream
been the objective point Of President
Cleyeland's fishing excursions, Wnen Me-
81 company with members OF his Gapl-
ret. could snatch q few hours OF respite
from weighty cares OF state, and coulo
live for the time at least as other men.
The eS-Presicent is indeed an expert
fisherman TO have been so successful
captor OF the wary trout as he then
proved himself to oe On one of his shSh-
ing excursions here a number OF gentle
men OF the community conSpired TO nave
him beaten, and Mr.. Thomas Worsley.
ot the town, q famous expert, was sworn
in for the purpose. Outside betting on
The result ran high. but on the count
at the end of the days sport MI Cleve-
land scored one ahead. Forseley, Old
Free Silver" as he was Familiarity called,
never did submit gracefully to his defeat.
ont has ever maintained that however
much he may have differed with air:
Cleveland on the subject of free silver.
the laws OF hospitality and common
courtesy alike forbade that l,e shou.d
do otherwise than permit the Chief Ma
cistrate Of the United States to beat
him ahshing.
COLONEL THOMAS SMITH WEBS.
! an now called upon to chronicle
solemn and sorrowfrl event. The lodge
IS called in meeting, and it is announced
from the East that the room must be-
draped IN mourning. that each member
must. for period OF one month. wear
upon his left arm q badge OF the same in
co1amegaorston of the decease OF "a
great and good brother, Colonel Thomas
smith Webb. author of the s.Masolic
Monitor, 9. G. Il. P. and G. G.. r. A.
c. OF the United Stares From thu tan
gfbie nature Of services rendered by SOL
diers, Statesman, and scientists it sell
dom IS their lot TO be forgotten py q
grateful nation. Yet. If the exalted viz
tues of one, actuated only by principles
&C piety and charity in every act Of life
are worth much, surely Colonel Thomas
Smith Webb should be classed amons
The greatest rnen OF the republic. Whilst
his memory may have departed from the
minds and hearts Of those now living.
sfet it is recorded of him that .'the high
principles of his life were not confined
10 word only, but carried into complete
PRACTICAL effect by almost every act OF