Richmond Dispatch, 11/19/1862

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From the Richmond Dispatch, 11/19/1862, p. 1, c. 5

Mayor’s Court, Tuesday, Nov. 18th. – …The case of the parties arrested at the house of Ann Thomas, on Saturday night, was called up—Mr. Seal, policeman, being sworn, testified to his knowledge of the house, which, he said, was of evil fame, as well as the proprietress. Seal detailed the circumstances of the visit of the police after they heard of the murder and prior to the arrest.—The Mayor, in answer to a question of Mr. Gilmer, prisoner's counsel, said he was trying to investigate the criminality of the house. Mr. Seal learned that Hiltsheimer, a witness before the Coroner's inquest on the murder of Whitmell, had intimate relations with some of the parties residing in the house, and was not let in on his visit, because accompanied with a crowd. The police took seven men and ten women from there. Lieut. Crone testified to the local and State reputation of "Mulberry Grove"—Thomas M. Hiltsheimer, Jr., said that the party who went to Ann Thomas's on the night of the murder, proceeded from No. 100 Main street. He had been invited to supper there that night, and first met with those he accompanied. Did not know whether No. 100 was a house of public entertainment or not. Some of the party that started could play on the piano, and suggested that they could find such an instrument either at Ann Thomas's, Alice Ashley's, or Josephine Demeritt's. Witness had often been at Ann Thomas's, and the party decided to proceed thither. Most of the witnesses examined before the Coroner repeated their testimony, throwing no additional light on the subject of the murder of Whitmell. The case was concluded by the Mayor holding Ann Thomas in $500 ball to appear before the Grand Jury to answer an indictment, and each of her boarders in the sum of $200. The men found in the house were discharged on their personal recognizance to appear next Thursday.

[remainder of cases were not transcribed]

 

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