From the Richmond Sentinel, 11/7/1864, p. 1, c. 7

THROWING STONES IN THE STREETS. - Emmett Ruffin and Thos. S. Dodge were yesterday evening arrested, by officers Chalkley and Griffin, on 6th street, near the Second Baptist Church, while with a good many other boys, they were engaged in a rock battle with some “basin cats.” None of the “basin cats” were arrested, as they fled to their fastnesses on the approach of the officers.

This practice of throwing stones in the streets has become an intolerable public grievance. - Every evening a crowd of boys collect on Navy Hill, and, with slings, stone every negro that passes within two hundred yards of them. We expect to hear of some of the negroes being killed, as even a very small boy can throw a stone from a sling with sufficient force to break the adamantine skull of a negro.

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