By the Governor of Virginia. A Proclamation.
--Information had been received by the Executive that seven colleagues convicts, who had been sentenced to the penitentiary and to labor on the public works, and who were employed in working on the Richmond defences, have escaped from the custody of them keepers and are now going at large; therefore I do hereby offer a reward of three hundred and fifty dollars to any person who shall arrest the said convicts and deliver them into the penitentiary, or fifty dollars for either of them; and I do moreover require all officers of this Commonwealth, civil and military, and request the people generally to use their best exertions to procure their arrest, that they may be brought to justice. Given under my hand as Governor, and under the less seal of the Commonwealth at Richmond, this 5th day of November, 1861.
The following is a list of the free negroes, convicts and transports, who made their escape from the fortifications near Manchester on Saturday night, the 26th October, 1861.--viz: Red Lee sentenced by Court of city of Richmond, for life, on 21st April, 1858, upon his third offence, was born in Richmond city; is 5 feet 101/5 inches high; is 32 or 33 years old; color black; hair and eyes black; a small scar on right wrist marked with small-pox in the face; very thick lips, which stand open and show the front teeth, the left side of the mouth a little higher than the right, and when at ease the head inclines a little to the left; a little humpbacked; his feet 11½ inches long each. James Henry Stevens, sentenced by the Court of Fredericksburg three years for grand larceny, and received January 11th, 1856; being second offence, five years in addition put on him April 21st, 1858. He was born in Spotsylvania; is 33 years old; 5 feet, 5¼ inches high; black color; hair and eyes black; a scar on nose. Fanny Peters, colored, received June, 7th 1859, from Rockingham county, under sentence for 7 years 4 months 2 days, for felonious burning; was born in Rockingham county, is 4 feet 11¼ inches high 19 years old, ginger-bread color, black eyes and hair. Tow small scars on the right arm below the elbow; one scar on left arm above elbow; a small dark mole on upper part of breast, a scar on left ankle; and a small scar on top of right foot. Morris, a transport, received March 27th, 1858, from Lynchburg; yellow complexion; black hair and eyes; 5 feet, 3½ inches high; 20 years old; sentenced to be hung by court of Lynchburg, for burning a tobacco factory and sentence commuted to sale and transportation by Gov. Wise. Harry, transport, was received 7th December, 1858, by Court of Halifax county, where he was born, is a mulatto; black hair and eyes; 5 feet 5 inches high; 33 years old; one small scar on the right side of the forehead; one small scar on the left creek, and also one small scar on the hand just above the first joint of the thumb finger. Augustus Head was received May 13th, 1858, from Gloucester county, where he was sentenced to sale and transportation for murder in the second degree; is gingerbread color; hair black, eyes brown; 5 feet 3 inches high; 22 years old has a scar on outside of right thigh and on each side of left knee. Rose was received September 2, 1859, from Campbell county where she was born, sentenced for murder; is copper-colored; hair and eyes black; 25 years old; 5 feet 2 inches high; one small scar on the thumb or the left hand; also one on the first finger of the same hand. Taken from record. nov 6--d&sw3t
