The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-01-11
LOCAL MATTERS.

LOCAL MATTERS.
E1aminasion of Czas w. Snead charged 9th
cutting the throat of his ris, Am L. saead, piA he
In the County Court of .Henrico, yesterday morn
ing, Justices Haynes, Savage, Stubbs Nuckolls and
Gardner presiding, Charles w. Snead was set to
the bar to be examined on the charge OF cutting his
wifes throat, with the intention of killing her,
when the following evidence was ELECTED, Judge
Crump appearing for the defence, and Mr.. John B.
Young for the Commonwealth
Mrs. Ann L. Snead, sworn.-0n Wednesday
night, the I'd of January the prisoner, my husband
came to brother Johns house In Sydney, where
was staying, and knocked at the door. My broth
or advised me not to open it, but did not want
to wound his feelings insisted upon letting him in
and my sister-in.law opened the door for him.
When he came In he looked iangry, and sat down
near the door. invited him to go into the next
room where my brother and family were, but he
declined doing SO, and pulled me down in his lap
He then remarked to me, so you have been after
the magistrates and constables to have me arrest
ed" told him that had not and began pleas
ant conversation with him, to soothe and calm his
temper He told me that he had seen three of our
children that day. and began to feel in his pockets
as if in search of tobacco, and soon after placed
knife against my neck. and said to me ''your ter
mination is near,y at an end did not know that
saw it, and called brother John, telling him that
Mr.. Snead intended to cut my throat. Brother
John and Mr.. Hendrick came into the room imme
diately, when got out of Mr. Snead's lap and in
their presence told him that could never live with
him again. With this he seized me and cut my
neck on the left side When saw him have the
knife supposed his object was to frighten me, and
nothing more.
Cross-examined-We have not lived together
since August last. Brother John, his wife and Mr.
TJon ndric iY,f ha hop
me. Soon after he made the lick, said, brother
John, he has cut my throat. Brother then seized
his arm, after which Mr.. Hendrick took him away
with tears in her eyes, the witness then looked
upon the prisoner, and sobbed out, "Ilove him bet.
ter than anything in the world and he knows it')
The knife he used was small pearl handle pen
knife We have been married sixteen years, and
have five children. We lived happily together until
he began to drink, though sometimes thought that
he bore too hard upon me- In May last he had fits
and was then insensible. He could not bear trou
BILE, and when he began to get behind hand, would
sometimes say that he believed he should go crazy
On the evening of the I'd inst his countenance did
not look natural had him bound to the peace on
the 7th of June, for striking me with q stick.
had to leave him in August account of his intem
perance. Some time before that he seemed absent
minded, forgetting the days of the week, and gave
up business After left him did not see him for
some time. Our first meeting was on the Brooke,
where he appeared very kind, inquired about my
health, and talked with me and my two youngest
children for two hours The next time saw him
he came to brother Johns, where ] was staying.
and appeared very furious, but then succeeded in
soothing him He visited me regularly at my bro
theirs for two weeks, and at times seemed as kind
as ever. When he cut me had q white handker-
chief around my neck. The handkerchief was
exhibited to the court, containing several holes,
and stained with bloody did all in my power to
make him happy, and begged him to endeavor to
bear up under his troubles, as others had to do.
telling him that we could not expect to pass thro'
life on bed of roses" When he cut me did
not think him drunk, but supposed that he had Ia
ken drink or two.
John Phillips. sworn.-The prisoner came to my
house in Sydney, about o'clock in the evening"
When he knocked at the door / advised my sister
(Mrs Snead) not to open it for him, but she insist
ed on doing 80, and my wife opened the door. Mr..
Snead took q seat near the door. In about ten
minutes after this, sister called me, and went into
the room where they were. She was sitting in
Sneafs lap, and he holding her by the arms. She
told me he had a knife to cut her throat with
Snead denied having any knife, and insisted Mr.
Hendrick and myself to search him, which we de-
clined doing. She asked him If he was not ashazn-
ed to make such denial and said he had 1t in his
hand then. With this she got out of his lap and
told him she could never live with him again He
replied that he did not wish her, and advancing two
steps, seized her with the left hand and drew the
knife across her neck with the right one, apparent
ly endeavoring to cut her throat from ear to ear
as the skin was marked on the right side. i'm.
mediately seized his arm, and held it down, and
then saw the knife. As soon as saw my sister
had been cut, started in an adjoining room for my
gun to shoot him, but Mr.. Hendrick carried him
away.
Cross-examned.-He tried to cut her on the right
side OF the neck when l caught his arm. think
he was sober when / first saw him, but looked
mad. When sister told me he had knife to cut
her. he denied 1t, and told me to search him-re.
marking 1T the same time that he would not hurt
her He came to my house to see his wife on the
Sd 4th of December, and visited her steadily for
two weeks. did not object to it, because wished
them to live together happily, If they could.
Dr. F. W Hancock, sworn-I was called to see
Mrs Snead on the Sd of January, and found her
with cut on the left side of the throat about an
inch and a half long, down to the carroted artery
1t seems to have been made with a sharp iRstru-
ment did not consider II dangerous, though had
1t been the 10th of an inch deeper, 1t would have
cut the jugular vein and produced death at once.
There was also slight scratch the right side Of
the neck, made with some sharp instrument, but it
was too trifing to require dressing Ihave known
Snead for two or three years. / attended him in
Nav last for delirum tremens also attended his
child before that time. He seemed much affected
at the illness of his child, and should judge was
susceptible of quick Impressions by distress in his
family for he is man of quick impulse and liable
to excitement.
Cross scxamined.- first time attended him.
about twelve months ago, he was laboring under
He always appeared warmly attached TO his wife
and children. attended Mrs. Snead in July last
when she had received blow from him with q
stick He then expressed great anxiety to know
if she was seriously injured. have never observ-
ed any permanent arrangement of his mind.
VIM j. Hendrick, sworn.-I was eating supper
with John Phillips when Mrs. Snead called him,
and went into the room where she was (He con-
firmed Phillips statement about the cuttng) Snead
had peculiar expression about the eyes, carried
him away from the house. He said nothing to me,
but was muttsring to himself as he walked along.
After going 200 yards / left him.
Fleming Phillips, sworn--On the morning of the
Sd inst. Snead came to my house, and seemed to be
very much distressed Said he expected he had
killed his wife. Iasked him how. He answered,
with a knife-I have cut her throat" / asked
him why he did it. He answered, II do not know. >
then went to see Mira. Snead and finding that her
wound was not dangerous, returned home. Snead
said be had been on spree the day before. He
seemed very much detected. He remained there
until he was arrested
Cross-examined--Ih have known Snead all my
life His character was As good as any mans In
tho State; and all who knew him loved him for
his winning manners and correct department. He
was devotedly attached to his family, and was
steady and industrious until within year or two
pas. For some time have thought that hts mind
was impaired, because he talked wild and at ran