From the Richmond Dispatch, 7/28/1864, p.1, c 6 and 7

Mayor’s Court. – The Mayor yesterday had before him the following cases for his consideration:

James H. Marshall, a respectable looking white man, was charged with stealing a purse containing $9 in specie and $42 in Confederate money from Mrs. Mary Wade. The plaintiff stated that in her absence from home, on Sunday morning last, the accused entered her house and abstracted the purse and its contents. A warrant was gotten out and placed in the hands of Lient. Baptist, of the night police, for execution, whereupon that officer went in search of Marshall, but did not find him until Tuesday night, when he was overhauled in a ballroom on Oregon Hill. Baptist was not very mealy mouthed about making known his business, but as soon as he got his eye on the game he clamped him by the collar, and in the presence of the gay party assembled made known his business This disconcerted the accused, and for a while he manifested considerable consternation; but he afterwards recovered his composure and forthwith made a clean breast of the matter by acknowledging that he stole the money, and surrendering the pocket-book with a portion of the specie and bank notes which were in it when it was taken. The Mayor remanded him for examination before the Hustings Court in August next.

John Head, a semi detective and blockade runner, was charged with feloniously obtaining, under false pretenses, $1,500 from some person not known. It is said that the accused has been in the habit of putting persons across the lines for stipulated sums; that he has successfully conducted his operations until taking hold of the parties through whose means he is now under arrest, and that the complaint against him is receiving $1,500 in advance from some ladies to carry them beyond the Confederate lines, and upon a failure to comply with his contract he refused to return them the money which had been paid to him. The absence of important testimony induced the Mayor to adjourn the matter over till this morning, and the accused was thereupon admitted to bail in the sum of $3,000 for his appearance.

H. ***Klinck, a special detective in the War Department, was charged with feloniously obtaining a diamond finger ring, valued at $2,000 from a Cyprian names Abbey Howard, sojourning at Josephine Demerrit’s on 10th street. Miss Howard testified that about three years since she bought the ring in Memphis, Tenn. Through her permission Klinck had worn it till very recently, when, on his demanding of her the return of a breastpin which she was wearing belonging to him, she required him to surrender up the ring, which he did, but subsequently he called upon her and forcibly took it from her finger. Klinck contended that the money with which the ring was purchased was furnished by him, and that Miss Howard had only been wearing it because he loaned it to her in compliance with her request. Witnesses were called, who testified that the plaintiff had recently been very abusive towards the accused, and that a day or two since she armed herself with a pistol and proceeded to his room, with the intention, as they supposed of shooting him. – At the conclusion of this testimony the Mayor discharged Klinck, and deeming the ring his property turned it over to him.

Mrs. Mary Debell, charged with using threatening and abusive language towards Isabella Straub, throwing some of her furniture into the yard, and spitting in her face, was required to give security in the sum of $300 for her future good behavior. Mrs. Debell was excessively belligerent when officers Jenkins and Davis went to serve the warrant for her arrest. She put at the former with a broomstick and set her dog on the latter, which for awhile made the test a very *** one; but finally assistance came to the relief of the police and she was borne off in triumph to the upper station house, where she again struck out for liberty. At first she indulged in violent physical persuasion; but finding the bolts and bars of her prison abode too strong for her, she resorted to the bribing process, (which has hitherto worked such wonders in covering over crime,) and lustily shook at the officers a bag of “***” which she had in her pocket. All her efforts proved unavailing, however, and the consequence was a night’s sojourn in the station house and her appearance before His Honor yesterday morning.

Joe Harris was charged with burglariously entering the dwelling house of some persons unknown and stealing a lot of flour. In the absence of witnesses for the Commonwealth, the case was continued till this morning.

John Camp, a very bad white boy, charged with stealing $10 in the First Market from Geo. Taraves, was committed for want of security for his future good behavior.

Ella, slave of Richard James, charged with stealing meat in the Second Market, was ordered to be whipped.

Geo. W Bens, charged with buying meal in the Second Market to sell again was fined $20.

Mary Way*** was charged with unlawfully obtaining possession of a *** to which Amelia Cofield was entitled, but the Mayor deemed the case one over which he had no control, and therefore discharged the party accused.

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