Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-04-03

citing Scene I'm Court.

The Trial of Land for nIurdsr-EI-
citing Scene in Court
The trial Of Walter Land. IN Princess
Anne. Va, for the murder of B. F. FlsnA-
gam, his broiher-in-lnw, now in progress,
excftes great Interest IN that county. Ez-
Gor Wise IS one Of the counsel for the
prisoner Land, It viii he remembered,
Ettpr committing :he deed with which lie
Is charged. made ms escape, with his wife,
IL Baltimore. where be WIS arrested
From report Of the proceedings Of the
court on Monday, published il the Norfolk
Dag BDok, we obtain the following:
Ex-Gov Wise made long and eloquent
speech. urging the admission Of Mrs
Lands TESTIMONY The CommouH ealth
finally consented. and the sheriff soon en-
tered with Mrs. Land leaning upon his
arm She Is only about 20 years Of age.
Her face Nas Corered with thick brown
we'd she WAS dressed in blue ami black
stripped silk. and appeared much affected
She took a seat IN the bar beside the pris
ouer. who 1T tina; moment covered his face
with 4 handkerchief She did likewise.
and both bowed their heads in grief She
sat beside him for Soma moments with her
left band claspcd in his. while tho court
aud audience appeared moved 10y deep
but quiet excitement until the clerk called
her to the stand 10 be sworn.
Her testimony was 10 the effect that
while boarding at Flanagans, in 1854 he
sedUced her. and deferred Der from SAYING
anything about Il, By saying that it would
be the means of bringing her sister his
wife and himself into difficulty. On the
4th of June, 1857, she married Land, who
subsequently complaining Of her cou1i-
ton she on the 18th OF June last told lin
ali about it. Her testimony then proceeds
rs follows:
s.After I told him. ne went the same day
10 see cousin Henry Wo0dnouse to consult
him about what had told him. Mr.. Elan
agau came TO my house on the morning of
the 18th of June last. Walter Land WAS
in tie field at the time lie arrived. Flana-
gan came before ! sent for him; seut Il
negro woman for him 10 Tell him what his
conduct had brought me to, and 10 advise
with him as TO what ] must do: he got
there between and g clock: he came in
ct the front door and sat down near il, and
attempted to draw me down on his lap by
force; this took place in the parIor; he used
force 10. draw me down. and WAS eDdeavor-
ing TO take improper liberties with me:
tried to get from him and screamed. Wal
Ter CLardj came in at that time and picked
mp the gun from the corner aud shot him
Walter did not occupy the same room with
Ii the night before; something had been
said about a divorce between US. Walter
did not carry any arms in the field; the gun
was against the corner Of the door, where
it usually sat. lie was in the habit of
shooting crows. and kept the gun loaded tor
that purpose. When he came in he had
no weapons with him, but picked up the
gun from the corner"
Cro5s-cxamned by the Commonwealth
My bus band was dissatisfied and com
planned of my situation month or two
after was married. ! did not acknowl-
edge to him my situation, but denied 10
him that there was any reason 10 find
fault of me as regards my virtue. / have
never stated to any one that he complained
of me for the first time on the 10th day Of
June last.
At this juncture letter was produced
by Marnaduke johnson, Esq. who was
conducting the prosecution. It was han
ded to Mr.. John Peters, who stepped to
the witness and asked her if she recog-
nized that letter as having been written
by her. She raised her head, looked at IT,
her eyes flashed, and as she grasped it,
she said, Yes. sir. do; that letter was
gotten from me by my brother Frank, who
told me that it was only to be uSed in case
my husband was taken from me, and it
was written for the sake of my family
Ii was written at the request of my broth
er." While saying this, the rapid manipu-
lation Of the paper betwee. two nervous
hands had staggered the commemorative
attorney, who turned to the judge, aAd, in
voice indicating establishment, said,
"She is tearing it up, sir" Meanwhile she
had torn it into 4 thousand pieces and
threw them upon the floor.
a general nurmer Of applause ran
through the audience, and we caught
several times the sound, Il glory in her
sprnk, :" II glory in her spunk"
The commonwealth here announced the
fact that they intended to introduce this
letter, which had been written by the wit
ness, as testimony to contradict her state
ment. aud that from its present condition
they would be unable to do so. In order
to enable the counsel, if possible, to paste
the torn pieces together, the cour; adj
journed for the day.