Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-04-15
STRANGE SCENE IN A COURT ROOM.

In the rst district court Of New Orleans the Goth
March, JAMES PATTON, who once occupied an enviaoie
position in society," put upon his trial for the murder
Of Col. WALTER TuRNBULL.
The occurrence took place the Sd Of December last
Mr.. Turnbu was standing with friend st. Mary's
market and seeing omnibus approach he halled ana
it stopped AS he went towards It TO get 10 the prisoner
who had previously occupied seat IN the omnibus rose
and fred pistol at him through one of the windows
The sAot took effect in the left sde Patton then stepped
out the steps Of the omnibus and again fired at Turn
bull This time tho shot took effect In Mr. Ts right SIDE
After being thus wounded Mr. Tnrnbul staggered to-
ward the tagging Of the market and fell In few nal
nutes be was corpse Before dying, however, he re-
cognised named Kelly, who standing over him,
and in to the question, whe shot youW y he an
swered Mr. Patton He also said that he had had no
previous difficulty with Patton. After firing the two shots
Patton got the and placed the pistol in his
pocket. He then arrested. These we're the FACTS
proved by the prosecution which conducted by the
Attorney General and District Attorney.
For the defence Messrs GRIMES, SETH, B1RIoy, and
DUHAAa mA-s srsrl.5ed d. tHcm tho fiaa VI lisan.y
set up and witnesses were introduced to subStanate
the plea The evidence went TO show that Patton was
insane but he refused to let his counsel put in that plea
He had been jealous Of his wife, and employed counsel to
procure divorce butt as he could produce no evidence
against her. her counsel refused to carry the suit and
it directly after this refusal that the murder
nitcd The closing part Of the trial is thus reported in
the New Orleans Courier:
The attorneys for the defence submitted letters tho court
that had been written by the to them TO show the
court that he insane. -t .'.
Mr. Barton id he had proof if the State would allow him
TO crit that would show beyond the possibility of doubt
that the prisoner insane and that IL he found guilty
twoua be nothing short of judicial murder fihey found
him guilty God help and have mercy judge jury and all
| connected with the
Mr. Patton this stage of the proceedings demanded that
| his lawyer should stop. a..+
Mr. Grimes then demanded of the court that they should
be allowed proceed and the prisoner kept que when Mr.
Patton interrupted hm by saying that he had commanded
him to stop. ....s.. >.
The Judge said that he must his counsel The pri-
IHln gnil bn ha1H HIechs rwplt ham
Mr. Patton then and addressed the jury. He said
that he had beet bera by his counsc that ho then
taken by surprises that he had expressly forbidden them
making any such plea they had done that they had abu-
proof in their possession to taye proved first
ton and ussble homicide but that they had doiged the
question and sacrificed him. that they had en- insgated to
it by others that they had attempted to insult the ntel
gencs OF the jury by making such plea that il he mad
there was ethod in his madness " that the three shots
clearly proven that he had killed him. and that he had pre-
sumed that he must be offered holocaust to satisfy
tho Of Col Turnbul that he killed him. but that he
had cause but this had been kept bach by his counsel
the purpose of sacrificing him. that hey had tried
him mad mad had cause to be mad but there
method in my Madness and there bit two verds
bring in murder acquitta You cannot put in
the State prison death in preference. To put
there would be to mako object of Executive cle.
mency account Of insanity and will out Of the
prison with the impuaton that had just in killing
Colonel Tunbun. an not object of Executive clemcn
cy; have had just prorocation have made streets
flow with innocent blood. No, not mad killed the
mau, and die for it. will leave Louisiana but in
ways by the gaows by acqnitta. have been be-
rayed by my counsel for ulteor objects Gentlemen, there
loose somewhere If have made your streets fow
with innocent blood ready to expats my offence with
| my life; that kills another can also die"
The prisoner seemed have ho Of the State prison,
more for the Executive ceency would be
osed t5wards him than any thing else.
The case being brought TO perfect stand by Mr. Paton
conduct there alternative but submit the jury
who returned verdict Of guilty, without capital punish
I,ment" sSa-. .tsr4 ststsas
When he heard the verdict the prisoner seemed surprised
excited and attempted to speak the foreman of the
jury, wEo stood him. The jaior however prevented
him from rising and stole into the eyes Of many
those present they bhed the agents of the law place
feons snaces the hands Of the althy polished
and high minded gentleman, the convicted criminal