From the Richmond Dispatch, 7/18/1864, p.1, c 6

Mayor’s Court.— The following cases were before the Mayor on Saturday:

Richard L Bohannan, a young man of this city, who is generally regarded as an imbecile, was charged with stealing, on the 10th of July, a pocket book containing divers papers of value, the property of W. S Botte. The witness against him was Mr. Botte himself, who testified that about five o'clock in the morning the accused entered the building in which he was employed and went into an adjoining room to the one in which he was, where he had placed his pocket book. He heard him in the house, but thinking it was someone who had a right to be there, he did not think much of the matter, In a short while afterwards, however, Bohannan started down the steps on his way to the street, when be accosted him to know what he was doing in the house. He seemed to be very simple in his manner, and scarcely made any answer.— This excited Mr. B.'s suspicions, and on going to see if anything had been stolen, he discovered that his pocket book was gone. Subsequent facts proved that the prisoner was the guilty party. The Mayor remanded Bohannan for examination before the Hustings Court.

The charge preferred against W. F. Corkery, proprietor of the Spotswood Hotel, of selling liquor at his bar by the drink, to be drank in his house, was again taken up. The party who was discovered drinking at the bar failing to appear as a witness, His Honor dismissed the case, with the remark that the grand jury could take the matter in hand as well as if he himself had sent it on.

John, slave of Wm. W. James, charged with being a runaway, and having one shoat in his possession, supposed to have been stolen, was committed to jail. John was sitting on the platform of one of the cars of the York river railroad while the cars were in motion, with a basket containing a shoat, on Friday last. When within a few miles of this city, he was asked by an officer of the road, to whom be belonged— whereupon he replied that his master was inside the car. Doubting the truthfulness of his assertion he was directed to accompany the railroad man to the place where his owner was; but instead of finding him the negro, after going through two or three coaches, suddenly jumped off the train, and before it could be stopped, the fellow had gained considerable headway. He was finally captured, however, snugly ensconced behind some breastworks which had recently been put up by the Yankees, about three miles from the place where he sprang from the train.

Jordan, slave of Harall, Crenshaw & Co, charged with having a lot of meal, supposed to have been stolen, was ordered to be whipped.

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