Arrest of suspicious characters.
--A man and woman, both in female apparel, were arrested at the depot in
Wilmington, N. C. on Tuesday, as suspicious characters.
It shown one kind of the proceedings of blockade runners after they reach
Charleston.
It seems the blockaders had been to
Richmond, and had every opportunity for gathering information.
The
Journal says:
‘
The person taken up as a male in female clothing gave his name as
Robert Bishop, of
Glasgow.
Said he came out in the Garafle some six months ago to
Wilmington.
He had been to
Richmond with some one who was to engage him as a substitute, but did not. He had recently gone to
Charleston, but wished to return from there to
Wilmington and
Richmond.
The alleged reason for assuming female apparel was that, being unknown, he could not get a passport, but as a woman could go without one.
He guns his age as 16 or 17, and we should not think he was more.
His accent is broad Scotch, and, indeed, his account about coming out in the Garafle was corroborated by a gentleman connected with that vessel.
The woman gave her name as
Nartha Johnston from
Johnston county in this State.
Had lived in
Richmond and
Charleston.
As a matter of course she had gone by different names at different times, as papers and other things showed.
Had known the young man
Bishop but a short time.
Asserted that they travelled independently, but that she had let
Bishop have some money, which he was to repay when he got to
Wilmington.
She said that she had remonstrated with
Bishop about trying to travel in female active.
She answered all questions intelligently and was evidently well and we think gave her real some, as the young men did. The
Mayor remanded them for further examination.
’
