Mayor's Court, yesterday.
--William, slave of
Samuel Fauntleroy, and William, slave of
A. F. Gooch, were charged with robbing
Mrs. Mary Harris of two black bombazine dresses, valued at $200.
Mrs. Harris testified that after retiring on Wednesday night she was waked up by a noise in the first story of her residence, her chamber being in the upper or second story.
She very cautiously got out of her bed and went to the head of the stairs, and looking over the railing espied a man stooping down taking things from her wardrobe, which was sitting in the passage.
As she did so the fellow raised up, and holding to his face a lighted torch, she was enabled to see that he was a negro.
This so much alarmed her that she screamed out, when he immediately ran out, taking with him the dresses alluded to above.
After he had gone search was made about the house, when there was found at the back door, which had been broken open, three pairs of shoes and a hat, and in the yard by the fence an English carbine, a sabre, and a crowbar.
These facts lead to the conclusion that there were three persons engaged in the robbery, although only one was seen.
Mrs. H. fully identified
Mr. Fauntleroy's servant as the man she saw in the passage.
In addition to this testimony, three little boys, living in the neighborhood, saw the two
Williams and another negro whom the police have not been able to arrest, standing within twenty yards of
Mrs. H.'s house on the evening of the robbery in close confab, and occasionally they would point towards it as if it was the subject of their conversation.
On hearing of the robbery next morning those negroes were suspected, and the boys determined to watch for them.
Towards the close of Thursday evening the prisoners and another negro were again discovered in the neighborhood, talking together in an under tone, which they continued to do until accosted by the boys to know if they did not commit the robbery, when they immediately took to their heels, two of them running into a store a few squares off, and the third taking a different direction and escaping altogether.
Deeming it best to have an officer, two of the boys stationed themselves where they had a full view of the store, while the third went in search of one, and soon after returning with
officer Moore, they succeeded in arresting the prisoners.
One of the boys identified the hat which was found at
Mrs. H.'s back door as that worn by
Gooch's negro the evening of the robbery, which leaves no doubt about the fact that he was concerned in the robbery.
This testimony left no doubt on the mind of the
Mayor of the guilt of the accused, but in order to see if the third party cannot be arrested, further consideration of the matter was postponed.
[The letters "W" and "R" are cut on each side of the breech of the gun, and on the barrel at the end are the figures "1,326." It is an English carbine, and looks as if it had been in use sometime.]
Martin Wagner, a soldier, was charged with being drunk and disorderly in the street and resisting the watchman who arrested him, all of which was fully sustained by the evidence; but the
Mayor, in consideration of the fact that he could be of some service in fighting the
Yankees, turned him over to
Capt Coke, to be sent to his regiment, in preference to committing him to jail in default of security for good behavior.
Wm D
Quinn, a paroled Yankee, was also arraigned for drunkenness.
When asked by the
Mayor what he was doing here, he replied that he was working at the shoemaking business for
Major Maynard, who gave him the privilege of walking about the city after six o'clock in the evening.
He had been a
United States soldier, and was brought to this city a prisoner.
Recently the privilege was offered him by the Confederate Government of returning to the
North, but he preferred remaining here, and therefore declined the opportunity.
The
Mayor committed him to jail for further inquiry into the matter.
Mary C
Jenkins, a white girl about twelve or thirteen years of age, who stated that she was an orphan and had nowhere to stay, was sent to the poor house to be taken care of.
J H Church was charged with riding his horse on the sidewalk.
The party not appearing, the case was continued.
