From the Richmond Dispatch, 8/20/1864, p.1, c. 6

Mayor’s Court. – Quite a large number of cases were docketed yesterday morning, but as many of them were on uninteresting character, we omit them in the subjoined summary:

James Dawson was charged with robbing Robert H. Walton of $43 in Confederate States notes and threatening personal violence towards the plaintiff because he charged him with it. Walton testified that, about half-past 2 o’clock in the afternoon of the 17th instant, Dawson entered his room, at the Southern Express office, which he was in bed, and took from his jacket pocket a wallet containing $43 in Confederate States money and some important exemption papers. The witness saw the whole transaction and was willing to make any required oath to that effect. He afterwards pursued the accused to the counter of the Express office, and, in the presence of Mr. Sumalt, accused him of the theft; whereupon Dawson flew into a passion and threatened to whip him. For the defense, a witness stated that Dowson entered Walton’s room for the purpose of getting some smoking tobacco, and while he was in the room he (the witness) stood at the door; he did not remain in there over five minutes, and when he came out, himself and Dawson went into an adjoining room to smoke, occupying about ten or fifteen minutes in the operation. In the evening of the 18th, the accused was arrested by officer Carter on a warrant charging him with the offence. Dawson’s good character was also sworn to. Both of the parties were employees at the Southern Express office. The Mayor bailed the accused in the sum of $500 for his appearance to answer the charge before the Examining Court of Magistrates.

Jacob Hoeflich, charged with cruelly and inhumanly beating a little negro girl living with him, and who was committed to Tuesday to await the issue of the whipping, was again brought up for a hearing. The girl has since died. The counsel for the accused desired to offer the evidence of the physician who examined the child after its death, on Wednesday, to prove that death was produced from natural causes; but his Honor referred to the terms of the verdict rendered by the jury of inquest held over the body, which claimed that Hoeflich and his wife had been in the habit of inflicting excessive punishment upon the deceased, and that its death had been superinduced by said cruel treatment, which verdict, he thought, was of more importance than the physician’s opinion, and he therefore should send Hoeflich on to the Hustings Court for examination. The wife of the accused has recently departed for parts unknown, or she would have also been involved in the difficulty. Hoeflich gave bail for his appearance.

Granvill Montelle, against whom a charge of stealing two horses – one from Henry Debell and the other from the Confederate States – has been pending for several weeks past, was again in court of a hearing; but the absence of important witnesses necessitated another postponement till the 29th instant.

A charge was preferred against James, slave of Charles Talbott, and Samuel, slave of William H. Lewis, of burglariously entering the storehouse of William H. Cox and stealing therefrom two coats, three blankets and one lock, all of the value of $100. Witnesses proved that after the robbery one of the coats was found at a stable at which the accused stay; that Sam Lewis was seen on the street with the blankets, which he said was intended for Joe, a negro who sleeps in Mr. Cox’s store, and that the accused claim that Joe took the things from the store and left them in their possession. The case was continued in order to procure Joe’s attendance.

A fine of ten dollars was imposed upon Richard Reins for permitting his slave, Peyton, to go at large.

Fines of twenty dollars each and confiscation of purchases were imposed upon the following parties: William Kerlin, buying watermelons to sell again, and A. W. Hughes and Charles Grace, for buying Irish potatoes with the intention of reselling them at advanced prices.

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