_The History of Old Alexandria, Virginia From July 13, 1749 to May 24, 1861_
by Mary G. Powell (Richmond: William Byrd Press, 1928) notes:

"An old English magazine at the Alexandria Library, dated February 20, 1768,
gives an account of an execution of some slaves at Alexandria who had plotted
to poison their overseers, some of whom died in consequence.  The slaves were
hanged and their heads put on pikes on the chimneys of the Court House and
jail where they long remained, a revolting spectacle, and warning to evil
doers.  In the memory of some of our older citizens these pikes, which were
on the jail chimneys for the purpose of exposing the heads, still remained
until the jail was remodelled for a police station."
-- Powell, page 41

Someone suggested the title might be "Gentleman's Quarterly" but we do not
have this magazine in our manuscripts collection.  At this writing, we are
unable to locate any references to this incident.  The Alexandria Gazette
didn't begin publication until  1784.  It is not mentioned in the Virginia
Gazette Index under "insurrections" or "poison*."  Meanwhile, we are working
our way through about 20 cites in Swem's "poisoning, by slaves."

Has anyone on the list ever heard of this particular incident -- or of
judicial beheadings elsehwere in the state?

Many thanks.

Leslie Anderson Morales, Reference Librarian
Alexandria Library, Special Collections
717 Queen Street
Alexandria, VA 22314  USA
Phone:  703.838.4577 x 207
FAX:  703.706.3912
Special Collections Gateway:
http://www.alexandria.lib.va.us/lhsc/special_collections_home.html

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