Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-04-02

TIE PRINCESS ANNE MUhDbh ihlhh'
The trial of Land still continues at Princess Anne
Court House Last Wednesday Mrs. Land, wife oil the
prisoner was examined and by her testimony it's hoped
IN give complexion TO the affair, in some respects SINH
lar TO that of the Sckles tragedy The counse LOT tue
Commonwealth, however, after she had testlheu pro-
duced letter which she acknowledged 10 nave oeeh
written by herself but when presented to her Tor recog
milton was Immediately torn by her into fragments. Inc
statements in the letter of Mrs. Land said to be ex
actly contradictory to her oral testimony
The next day-Thursday-F NJ. Whitehurst was on
the stand to dsprove his sisters statements which he did
most decidedly We COPY the following from the exam
nation
O. State the advice you gave your sister, the language
she used
Objected to by defence upon the ground that that had
been before repeated and difference arose about the
transposition of the words truth and perjury. Mr..
Wise used strong terms relative TO to the prosecu
ton and accused them of using professional triekery
Mr.. johnson arose and indicated himself by assert
ing IF trckery referred TO him, 1t was an untruth
! (strong indications Of Il stormy time)
Gov. Wise then commenced his examination of the
previous question and taking down the witness reply,
| which follows:
Not TO a lie; not perjure herself; and adj
vised her to tell the TRUTH but cannot say what or
der this was said to the order in which you
have taken it down. will that her reply was not
made 10 that phrase-tO tell the truth"
Here Mr.. Taylor and made explanation in re-
gard to the little misunderstanding between Sessrs.
Wise and Johnson and appealed to the two gentlemen
TO make it all right Mutual explanations then took
place. apologies accepted hands shaken, and things put
| on a square again.
NJ. Wise. Did you in December, 1859, or not pro
pose by letter TO your sister Anna plan by when 10
wipe out the faint alluded TO?
| remember little nothing about them this let
ters.) | am willing for them to be shown and wish you
would ask me no more questions about them
! Mr.. Wise. NO doubt no doubt; but l NIL ask you
repeat the question"
! A. | remember but little about it. l say have
done with it.
q. What your plan?
A. My plan was to state the truth of the whole affair."
and intended TO the satementltaer the trial but
you, sir Ito Mr.. Wise) have driven me in court.
Here Mr. Wise became excited, using severe language
to the witness questioning his integrity in style OF most
whitening rebuke and bitter sarcasm. The witness
writing under the torture caused by assertion of Mr.
Wise that he had perured himself already, called the
Governor lar. Mr.. Wise now gave the witness the
renewed force Of his powerful battery, repete with bitter
invective and scorching sarcasm.
The Norfolk Day Book has the following;
Ex-Gov Wise made a long and eloquent speech, urg-
ing the admission of Mrs. Lands testimony The Com
monwcalth finally consented, and the sheriff Oon enter
ed with Mrs Land leaning upon his arm She is only
about 20 years of age. Her face covered with a
thick brown veil; she was dressed in blue and black
striped silk and appeared much affected. She took a
seat in bar beside the prisoner, who that
covered his face with handkerchief She did likewise
and both bowed their heads in grief She sat beside him
for moments with her left hand clasped in his while
the and audience appeared moved by deep but
quiet excitement until the clerk called her to the stand
to be sworn.
Her testimony was to the effect that while boarding at
Fanagan's in 1854 he seduced her and deferred her
from saying anything about by saying that would be
the OF bringing her sister This wiie) and himself
into difficulty On the 4h OF June 81, she married Land
who subsequently complaining Of her condition, she on
the 18th Of June last told him all about it, Her teSti-
mony then proceeds as follows
After told him. he went the same day to see cousin
Henry Woodhouse TO consult him about what had told
him. Dir. Flanagan came 10 my house on the morning
of the 18th of June last Walter Uand in the field
at the time he arrived. Flanagan came because | sent
for him; ! sent negro woman 10 him TO tell him what
his conduct had brought me to, and to advise with him
as TO what | must do; he got there between and
o'clock he came in the front door and sat down
it, and attempted to draw me down or his lap by force
this took place in the paror he used force to draw
down, and endeavoring 10 take improper liberties
with me; tried to get from him and screamed. Wal
ter Land came in az that time and picked up the gun
from the corner and shot him Walter did not occupy
the same room with the night before; something had
been said about divorce between Walter did not
carry any in the field the gun was against the
of the door, where II usually set. He was in the
habit OF shooting crows and kept the gun loaded for
that purpose When he came in he had no weapons
with him. but picked up the gun from the corner"
Cross-cxamined by the COmmonweah.-My husband
was dissatisfied and complained of my situation month
two alter / married. dlu not acknowledge TO
him my situation but denied him that there any
reason to find fault OF me regards my virtue have
never stated any thai he complained of for the
first time the 10th day Of June last
At this juncure letter produced by Marmaduke
Johnson ESD who conducting the prosecution. 1t
was handed 10 Mr. John Peters, who stepped the wit
nes and asked hef she recognized that letter having
been written by her. She raised her head looked az IT,
her eve, flashed and she erlsped it, She said Yes
air. / do that letter gotten from me by my brother
Frank who told that it only to be used in case
my husband was taken from me and it was written for
the sake OF my family. written at the request Of
my brother While saying this the rapid manipulation
of the paper between hands had staggered
the commonwealth attorney, who turned the Judge
and in voice indicating astonishmert, said, she is
tearing It up, sir" Meanwhile she had torn it into
thousand pieces and threw them upon the floor.
A general murmur Of applause ran through the audi
ence and caught several times the sound II glory in
her spuuk' 81 glory in her SUNK
The commonwealth mere announced the fact that they
intended 10 introduce this letter which had been written
by the witness testimony to contradict her statement
and that from its present condition they would be unable
TO DO So In order enable the counsel possible to
paste the torn pieces together the adjourned for
the day
THE HARPER'S FERRY AFFAIR