The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-06-30
Mr's. L. A. Pollard I'm Court-.-Sfe In
Sent TO Jnff.--A Scene.

4
1t will be remembered that on the 2sth
of January, 1868, Mrs. Maria n. Pollard,
wife of L. A. Pollard, was arrested in this
city on the charge Of shooting with intent
to kill Or. George a. Moore, : druggist,
doing business on the corner Of Hanover
and Hill streets. After remaining in jail
for some days, she was discharged on her
own rccognizance to appear when wanted.
In the mean time tho grand jury found m
indictment against the lady for common
assault. The case has been postponed from
term to term, and the community seemed to
have lost sight of it entirely; but it having
been set for trial yesterday, Mrs. Pollard,
who has been sojourning in Washington,
was notified Of the fact, and OH the OPEN
| ing of the criminal court yesterday morn
ing she mnde her appearance, accompanied
by male friend.
The lady was richly habited in thin
dress Of dark material, cut very low at the
neck, SO as to exhibit to the best advantage
an unusually welldoveloped bust, but her
face was 80 thickly yelled that very few
knew her in the densely-crowded court
room even after she had taken seat in
the witness-box, although many curious
eyes were turned towards the spot in which
Il
IS. Pollard was called, Mrs. Pollard, accom-
panied by John Wills, Esq, left the wit
Gess-boX and took seat among the lawyers,
and she at once became the great object of
attention, as much on account OF the pre-
Vious notoriety of her case as for the pre-
sent style OF dress assumed by her on this
occasion. AS the lady was without counsel,
Mr.. Wills so informed the court, and Judge
~ tod h, 20 Il
The case was put upon trial before the
court, a.jury being waived. DR.. George A.
Moore and his two assistants then gave their
evidence. The physicians who attended DR..
Moore followed, and testified as to the cx
tent of the wound inflicted by the pistol
ball, which passed through Or. Moore's
wrist, doing injury to the muscles that will
last through life.
Mr.. Wills croSS-questioned the witnesses,
and then, by permission Of the court, took
the stand and detailed his former profess
sional connection with Mrs. Pollard, giving
it as his deliberate judgment that at the
time of the commission Of the alleged as
sault the accused was not of sound mind.
The counsel for the prisoner then asked
Judge Gilmor if he would listen to a state
mcnt from the accused, which request the
Judge said he would grant only provided
? MIR. Knott, the States attorney, and Mr..
Milton Whitney, counsel for DR.. Moore, did
not object. These gentlemen having signi-
fed their Willingness, Mrs. Pollard WIS led
. to the witness-stand by Mr.. Wills, and after
removing the thick green veil that en-
4 veloped her face she proceeded to detail to
the court the history Of the wrongs she
claimed to have received ct the hands of L.
A. Pollard, led on and encouraged, as she
. alleged, by DR.. Moore. She concluded q
rather lengthy story by stating that inch by
inch she had been deprived by these men Of
all she possessed except her honor, and that
could only be taken with her life. She also
stated that she bore no relationship whatever
to Mr.. Pollard, his treatment of her having
. been of such character as to compel her
to apply for divorce, which was now pend
ine. She did not deny the assault charged,
but claimed that DR.. Moore had denied
having had any knowledge Of tho where
abouts Of Pollard, that he had told her he
: had not seen him for months, although she
had seen him enter and depart from Moorc's
house only the night previous, and his con-
slant interference between her husband
and herself had driven her to frenzy
) Judge Gilmor then reviewed the case, and
finally concluded by declaring the witness
guilty Of common assault, as charged in the
indictment, and sentenced her to be confined
in jail for thirty days.
Upon this announcement q scene fol-
lowed not often witnessed i'll court ri JUS
tice. Mrs. Pollard rose with outstretched
, hands and in frenzicd manner cried out
- Oh, Judge do not send me to prison.
She then fell on her knees, and again ap-
peale1 to the Judge, saying, " For the sake
of my more than orphaned children do not
deprive item of the protection OF mo-
Their" She then sank with her head on
the knees of Mr.. Wills, her counsel, utter
ing hysterieal sobs, until Messrs. Irwin and
Carter, deputy wardens of the jail, APP
peared, and as delicately as possible re-
moved her to the office of the clerk of the
+ court Mrs. Pollard went on with her ex-
cited outcries in the clerks Office, and sue
t ceedcd in attracting a considerable crowd.
When the court adjourned she was con-
yeyed to jail, where she now remains.