The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-10-02
LOCAL MATTERS.
MRS. ANNE Z. KIRBY.
HER CASE BEFORE JUDGE BURN
HAMS COURT.
Tie Examination Postponed until
To-day.

The interest which was first taken in the
case of Mrs. Kirby, who, on the goth OF
Novcm Der, 1865, shot and killed her hus-
band in the Second market-house, seems
not to have abated in the least, for the an
nounccment that her trial was to take
place on yesterday before Judge Burn
ham attracted large number Of persons,
who, long before the hour of trial, filled
all the available space Of the spacious
court
The case of a negro named David Goodc,
charged with felony, was first called, and
after an examination of an hour and hall
he was declared innocent, and discharged
Then Mr.. n. A. Sturdivant, Common
wealth's Attorney, announced that be was
prepared to 60 on with the case of Mrs.
Kirby, and requested the sergeant to call
the witnesses. The sergeant did so, and
all answered to their names excepting Ma
jor Croft, formerly chief Of Richmond po-
lice, and another, who, on inquiry, was
ascertained to be dead.
Judge W. w. .Crump, Colonel Marina
duke Johnson, and Captain A. B. Guigon
appeared as counsel tor the accused, and
requested the Judge to postpone the trial
until Thursday, by which time Major Croft
could arrive. They stated that in answer
to kilograms sent to him at Norfolk he had
| replied that he could not possibly arrive
before Wednesday night (to-night).
Much discussion ensued upon the mo-
tion Of the counsel of the accused, which
was suddenly interrupted by Judge Burn
ham, who said: Judge Crump, will you
be ready to commence the trial to-mor-
row."
Judge Crump.-No, sir; we will not be
any better prepared tomorrow than We
are to-day, for we must have Major Croft
here and / would again ask that the ex-
animation be postponed until 10 o'clock
| Thursday.
Judge Burnham.-The case will be con-
tinued until 10 o'clock tomorrow (to-day).
| will send after Major Croft.
| The witnesses and jurors were notified
to be present at the hour named; after
| which another case was called, and ma
| j0rity of the asscmblage left the court
| room.
Mrs. Kirby did not make her appear
ance in the courtroom, but stood near the
door inside Of the clerks office; from
which point she could hear and see all that
| w.
tokened great mental suffering. Her
counsel stated that she was very anxious
for the trial to be proceeded with, and was
hopeful, having been encouraged by her
friends to believe that she would be &C
quilted.
INCIDENTS OF TIE MURDER.
AS the incidents connected with the
murder may have passed out of the
memory Of some Of our readers, and may
be new to many others, we reproduce
them:
Between and O'Clock on the goth of
November, 1865, while the crowd of attend
ants at the Second market was at its fullest,
Mrs. Anne E. Kirby, wife Of Robert T.
Kirby, Well-known vender Of fish and
oysters, shot her husband at his stall with
a small pocket pistol, inaicting wounds
which caused his death few moments
afterwards. After some resistance, Mrs.
Kirby was disarmed by Mr.. Tyler, clerk of
the market, and locked up in the Second
station house. About II o'clock the same
day Coroner Little empannelled a jury
and held an inquest. From the evidence
there given it appeared that Mrs. Kirby
was of very jealous disposition, and fire.
quently accused her husband of infdclity
to his marriage VOWS, aud sometimes went
into the market-house and abused him
Mr.. Kirby, who was regarded as most
peaceable man, to give her employment,
and thus prevent the disturbances in the
between Second and Third streets
opened a restaurant, and placed heI
in charge of it. On the day pre-
vious to the tragic occurrence Mrs.
Kirby went to the market-house and
abused her husband, scratched his face,
and threw chair at him, to all of which
he said nothing more than to ask her to go
away. The same evening she went to
the bakery of gentleman opposite the
market, and finding his wife gone, told
him she was satisfied his wife had gone of
with her husband. The next morning
she went to the market-house and accused
her husband of criminal intimacy with the
wife Of the gentleman above referred to-
While Mr.. and Mrs. Kirby were quarrelling
the lady in question came to the window
of her husbands shop, having her hand
upon her mouth. This Mrs. Kirby thought
was a sign to her. husband, and became
more enraged than ever, drew pistol
and aimed it in the direction of her sup.
posed rival but she Immediately turned
and fired three barrels Of the pistol at Mr.
Kirby, who was leaning against the avn
ing post in front of his store. Only one
ball took effect, and that struck between
th windpipe and carotid artery, passed
entirely through the neck, and lodged
AGAINST the shoulder-blade. After receiy.
ing the wound the unfortunate man walked
| - ctons ctorrarad and fell into the
arms of Mfr. R. Reid, who placed him in q
wagon, in which he was carried to his resi-
dence. He died just before reaching
there.
After the occurrence Mrs. Kirby stated
that her husband had neglected hersel
and children to spend his time with othel
women; that she had frequently asked
him to come home, but he had refused.
On the 3Oth of November, Mrs. Kirby
attended by her counsel, Messrs. W. w
Crump, NJ. Johnson, and Z. I. Cannon
, appeared before Recorder l.. 7. Chandle
for examination. While in court she KEEP
up an incessant chattering of number o
incohent sentences, jumping from one sen
) tence to another; first fancying herself
bride, then market-woman, then an ap
plicant for divorce from her husband
then little child who recognized IN ont
of the reporters present her long aosen
father. Her counsel requested her dlS
charge on the ground that she was insane
when she committed the deed. The cas'
was sent to the magistrates court, ant
thence before Judge Lyons, Who' ieeHD'