From the Richmond Dispatch, 11/6/1862, p. 1, c. 4

Mayor's Court, Nov. 5th - Jas. Pearson, charged with assaulting and beating Arthur B. Sadler, at Rocketts, on Tuesday night, was committed in default of surety for his good behavior. Defendant said he belonged to Drury's Bluff. Sadler, a nurse at one of the hospitals, was brought up for being drunk on the occasion, and unable to take care of himself. His case was continued until to-day. –Pearson made the assault, as he said, because he thought he recognized in Sadler one of four men who had met him, torn off his shirt, and taken four dollars from him.

Maria Robinson and William Robinson, husband, and wife, were arraigned, the first for getting drunk and falling about in Clay street, breaking the glass of a carriage in that street, and beating children she chanced to meet, with a stick; Wm. Robinson, while also drunk, had fought with his wife and disturbed the peace of the neighborhood in which he lived, near the corner of the Second Vegetable Market. Officer Crone deposed that after he had looked up the woman he let her out, hoping she would attend to her child and stop her noise. (Mrs. Robinson appeared in Court with an infant at her breast and a black eye in her countenance) Instead of subsiding, she behaved worse, and the officer had to arrest her again. He also carried to the lock-up four gallons of brandy found in her house, which he deemed the cause of the disturbance.—Both parties committed for want of security.

The case of Catharine Richards, for stealing $10 worth of spoons, knives, and forks, from the Spotswood Hotel, was continued for the evidence of Mr. Hoeninger, the proprietor of the house.

Peter Allen, charged with assaulting and beating Charles Madison and wise in their own domicil, was terminated by the defendant's being sent before Gen. Winder.

A case against Gilmer A. Lumpkin, for forging the name of S. H. Owens & Son to a check for $700 and drawing the money on the same, was continued until this morning on account of the lateness of the hour at which it was called up and the business engagements of the Mayor. The witnesses were recognized to appear and testify against Lumpkin.

Samuel H. Wyvill and John Tankersley alias Percival, were brought to the Court to be examined for forging soldiers' and officers' pay lists, drawing the money, and thereby defrauding the Government out of large sums of money. Prisoners were first arrested by order of the C. S. Government, but it being found that they might escape punishment by reason of the meagerness of the Confederate law on the subject of their offence, it was deemed best to turn them over to the civil authorities — the law of Virginia being specific in its allotment of punishment for all kinds and descriptions of forgery. The C. S. District Attorney appeared to aid in the investigation, which was set for this morning at 9 o'clock. Wyvill is small in person, wiry-looking, with side whiskers, keen hazel eyes, and resembles a dapper New York dry goods clerk. His companion has a melodramatic phiz, and a countenance strongly expressive of low cunning. He looked a good second to a daring leader.

E. Hunter Taliaferro, a youth aged about seventeen, and Doorkeeper of the Virginia State Senate, was set to the bar for examination on the charge of forging the names of J. M. Bennett and J. S. Calvert, 1st Auditor and Treasurer of the Commonwealth, to a warrant on the Farmers' Bank for $164, payable to E. J. Turner. Prisoner was arrested by officer Jno. W. Davis, in Fredericksburg, Tuesday, and appeared with Wm. W. Crump as his counsel. In the check, for forging which he was arrested, the words "for payment of services as Senator" were erased, and the words "payment for a horse killed by the enemy." Besides the above check, sixteen other forged ones were exhibited in Court, the signatures to all of which were very neatly executed. In the aggregate they summed up over $14,000. Witnesses testified to the falseness of the various signatures, and to a resemblance between the handwriting of Taliaferro and the filling up of the checks. Also, that he had opportunities for getting the blanks enjoyed by hardly any one else, and that from being "hard up" for money, he became of a sudden possessed of several thousand dollars, and paid off a bill of $250 for board at the Powhatan House, where he exhibited large rolls of $100 and $50 notes. None of the State officers who testified would swear to the handwriting being that of Taliaferro. The money was drawn from the Farmers'. Exchange, and Bank of Virginia, on checks printed for the especial use of the Auditor, having on one side the Auditor's warrant on the Treasurer, on the other the Treasurer's check on the bank. To obtain money upon these, it is requisite for the Auditor to sign the warrant before it goes to the Treasurer, who, upon finding the signature genuine, signs the check. The forged checks and warrants were upon the blanks in use for the General Assembly, in payment of the members of the Senate and House of Delegates. They are usually kept in the desk of the Auditor, and are only accessible to persons familiar with the office. The portion of the printed form which specifies that payment is for "services as a member of the General Assembly" was marked out in each instance, and some other claim alleged. The forgeries were detected on Monday, by Mr. John S. Rady, Chief Clerk in the Treasurer's office, upon whom devolved the duty of examining the returned checks. The following witnesses testified in the case: Messrs. J. S. Calvert, John S. Rady, and E. L. Calvert, of the Treasury Department; and Messrs. J. M. Bennett, Auditor, Henry Neeson, A. W. Dunnavant, and Joseph J. White.

The case was continued until Friday, on account of the absence of important witnesses.

Catharine Wood was brought up for constituting herself a nuisance to the neighborhood in which she lived, and also for assaulting Bridget George. The latter exhibited half a brick in support of the fact. Committed for want of security.

Richard, slave of Jos. Hierholzer, was ordered thirty lashes for running away from his master. –Mr. R. W. Oliver's clerk had given the man a pass after hiring him as a free man, which the Mayor told Mr. Oliver was a findable offence.

Sylvester Flood was charged with being drunk and firing a pistol in the street. Capt. Pleasants, of the night watch, testified that, while standing near the corner of 14th and Cary streets, about 3 o'clock Tuesday morning, he saw Flood emerge from a house opposite Fry's old store, where a ball was in progress. He was very drunk, and had in one hand a large bolster pistol, and in the other a breech-loading gun. Flood got on a box near Fry's store, but soon fell off on the pavement. He got up and discharged the pistol, and the officer took him in custody. Prisoner said he was a guard at one of the Government stores, and the arms had been put in his possession to keep off the rogues. The Mayor sent him before the Provost Marshal.

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