Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-01-19
CITY INTELLzGENe!E,

Tus Trial or RoBERr E. FORD, CHARGED
WIN KILLING Robert S. DlxoS-This case,
which has been changing fire" for some
months, was taken up in Judge Lyons Court
yesterday.
| i. will be remembered that Dixon waa
chief clerk Of the House Of Representatives,
and that Ford was his assistant or Journal
! clerk Dixon was native Of Columbus, Ga,
and Ford Was born in Ehzabetht0Tn Ky
The Causes of the grievances which lei 10 the
rencouuter are reported n haze been as fol-
I lows:
On the 22d Of April, lsG3. while Congress
was in session, Mr.. Dixon ielt constrained, by
the contaued.inattention Of Mr.. Ford, to no.
! t!fy him that his services would be no longer
! required Mr.. Di1on's ground Of complaint
was based on the fact that he Mr.. FordI neg
| looted TO write up the previous days Journal
il, time for the next days session. 1t YVES
after The assembling cf The House ON the
22i, when Ford was not ready with the
Journal, that Dixon spoke to him, and re-
proved him sharply, and finally notified him
tina. his services were no longer required
Ford, il is said, left the House with threats,
and, subsequently,, wrote Dixon letter or
ao:e. in which he avowod his intention to
| shoot him (Dixon) on sight, unless lie was re
ins;nted in his place on Thursday afternoon,
at sc clock. Mr.. Dixon gave the letter inSo
the keeping Of friend, Mr.:Lamar, and re-
marked perhaps .ioeJsely, that ii DO was
killed, to produce 1t, and If not. to return it
TO him.
On Friday the 2i:h of Ap.ilthe two man nat
on Capitol street. near Manassas Hall, when
,,,ta II IL, ha NJ
Dixon.
The trisl-haying been set Cor yno!cIday. tbs
accused was led to the bar in charge Of Sergeant
Dudley. The Commonwealth was represented
by LiItloton w. TazHwell. O., and Judge
Dougherty, of Georgia, while tue following
named gentlemen appeared as counsel for the
accused Gsnsra Humphrey Marshall, Judge
w. w. CTump, General W. Randolph, Con-
gressmen Burnett and Sims. of Kentucky anu
Major Allen 3 Msgrudsr, of Va.
The counsel for the accused moved 10 postpone
the trial till the next term OF the court, when
motion wR1 argued 1t length on both sides. Tic
| ,:iotion made Oh the ground that man
named John r. Clarke. al important witness for
the accused Was absent from this city, in B.lti-
rtnre. where he had gone for>tho pusposs OF
buying goods. for varin':s persons in this city
Judge Lyons after hearn. tha argn nens on
both sides! over ruled the motion OH the ground
that Ciar,e. tho witness IN question was without
the Jurisdiction Of the court and therefore he
had 40 power to bling MIN into Court.
4 motion was then made to delay the trial
till Il later day in the present term, on tie
ground that the witness miyht retcra. Inns
nlotonwes also argued at length, the iud &c final
iy deciding that it was impossible 20 delay tie
trial One hundred men had been tried since
Ford was indicted. lie did not think the
cusei had any right to complain. He doubted
~ In b,1l ff,
through with the case in {. week. II
Clarke, tile witness: referred to hy tac :oun-
eel for the accused, intcuded to return he
would doubtless arrive before Jury
could be impaunelcd, Us he thought it more
than probablc that he would have to scnd tho
Sergeant into the county to obtain 20 jury
lie was willing to GFyrd tho accused any aud
every opportunity possible, BUT the business
| of the court would not admit II any delay in
| the case.
The Jurors summoned, and the witnesses IN
the case, were then notified TO appear this
morning, Ut ten o'clock.
Judge Crump stated that he desired to er,;er
pea Of abatement. lie did npi think the
Commonwealth ought to further prGse.
cute the accused on the indictment lc!ore
tho Court. lie argued thai no magistrate
who commits or rem luds o prisoner Tor tria!
tor any offence, had right to sit AZ the exam
i,ins Court. Mr.. Sanxay, q magistrate OF
this city, acted as Coroner OF the occasion, and
that jury of inquest brought IN verdict that
the deceased, Dixon, wos killed by Ford:
| then, when the case was brought up before
the Court of Hnstings Of this city, Mr.. Snax-
az SAT DO: rthe bench as one of the tive mag
| istrates. The question was, whether Mr.
Sanxay, under these circumstances, was
competent magistrate. lie contendeI that he
! was not. lie also objected to MIR. Sanxay on
the ground that, after the commitment ot the
accused. Mr.. Sanxay went to the jail end de-
! bounced the killing of Dixon as malicious and
aiabolicsi, and further asserted that he was
| Shot with copper ball. The sitting of such
man On the bench was, III his opinion.
mockery. Sankey's opinion hasi already been
| given and published, and, therefore, he con-
tended that it was illegal for him to appear
as one Of the i've magistrates.
| Mr. Iazewell contended that Mr.. Sanxay did
not commit the accused, simply because he had
no mower; NO right uudrr the law. The ac-
cused WAS sent to the Court OF Hastings by tho
Mayor of the city. and, therefore, it was clearly
shown by the record, that Mayor Mayo commit
| ted him. This was the only commitment made.
md it was perfectly lawful II San1sy had com:
nit'cd the accused, he would have done so
without any authority. i'll fact. He, therefore,
thought there was nothing in the point made by
! his leaned friend.
The Judge stated that before he could deliver
| his opinion in regard to the matter, he would
| have to examine the records, which he would do
tn. night and be prepared to decide the question
| this morning.
The prisoner Was then remandod TO jail. and
the Court adjourned.
| -..&o-S~--
VI.
,hcid last evening, at which Mr.. Barr, chair
man of the Committee on Fin2nce, introduced
tho following resolution:
Rssolyel, That the Auditor Of the city be
INSTRUCTED no. to suspend payment Of .insrrosi
on that part of tho city dubt which Is past
duo aud not presented for payment.
| After considerable discussion, the resolution
was adopted. :,
Mr. Scott offered the following preamble
and resolution, which were adopted:
| Wbarnou tha franunpt rohhpriaS that have