Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-05-20
GREAT EXCITEMENT IN THE
MAYORS COURT.
Attempt to Kill the Mayor.
&C.,

our city was very much ruffled by the
announcement, that spread like Wild
fire, that the Mayors life had been at
tempted by man named Mr.. -,
who has heretofore borne good char
acter as peaceful and respectable Cit
izen. On the day before Mr.. -
made an assault upon well-known
printer named Darius g. Wise, only, it
is alleged, because the latter owed him
a bill. For this assault Mr.. was
arraigned before the Mayor yesterday
morning. Whilst sitting on the pris-
oner's bench awaiting the adjudication
of his case, he arose firmly to his feet
and asked the Mayor whether he was
guilty or not; the Mayor replied that
he thought he was, but told him he
would try his case in turn-that there
were several to come before him. He
then resumed his seat until his case
came up, when he was required to give
security in the sum of one hundred
dollars to keep the peace against Mr..
Wise, who swore that he thought his
! life in danger.
Mr.. --- was again seated to await
the arrival of bondsman. But before
the latter arrived he again jumped spas
medically to his feet and demanded the
Mayor either to discharge him or send
him to Jail. The Mayor rejoined,
, ~ will send you to Jail, then"
Whereupon advanced to the
railing that surrounds the Mayors ros-
trum and exclaimed, =" If have got to
go to jail L willkill you hrst," and suiting
the action to the words he quickly drew
a single barrelled pistol and snapped it
at the head of the Mayor.
There were several policemen, citizens,
and prisoners in the room at the time,
all of whom appeared to have received
an electric shock, excepting the Mayor
and Capt. Chas. Langley, who wrenched
the weapon from the would-be murder
er's hand. Strange to say not one of the
policeman caught hold of ---- until
ordered to do SO by the Mayor, who
manifested the most unquestionable
courage and remarkable presence of
mind. We do not think that the po-
licemen feared -, but that, as they
say, they were almost paralyzed by the
suddenness and boldness of the murder
GUS essay.
Detective Gully was the first officer
who caught hold of him, which drew
for the moment the ire of - from
the Mayor upon him. - turned
upon him and let fly we'll directed
blow which fell heavily upon Cully's
breast, almost knocking the wind out of
him. This additional feature in the
tragedy seemed to awe anew the lockers
on-al of them. AT this juncture he
again advanced towards the Mayor,
when the officers, recovering from their
seeming stupor, succeeded in Sc
curing him, and then carried him
to Jail. The deadly weapon with
which he had endeavored to kill the
Mayor W as then examined and found to
be loaded with buck shot. Fortunately,
the cap was not, in the first instance,
pushed down upon the tnbe--hence it
snapped. The Mayor subsequently dis
charged the pistol, and the cap exploded
at the first pull of the trigger, the cap
having been settled by ---- when he
snapped the weapon at him.
This is bat another evidence that
Divine Providence watches over us all.
Had that cap been properly adjusted at
first the Mayor would now have been,
beyond doubt, in eternity, and we would
have been called upon to have written
his funeral notice to-day, instead of, as
usual, reporting the proceedings of
Mayor DeCordy's Court.
AS an evidence of the Mayors kind
heart and true manliness, he disavows
any personal feelings against the man
who would have taken his life, but
says, what we think is true, that
was not himself, that his mind was
crazed by liquor, that he didn't believe
he had anything against him, and that
when he recovered his right senses he
would tell him 30. This is a spirit of
true magnanimity worthy the praises of
all.
| AS soon as - RECEIVERS from the
effects of liquor, and gives security, he
will be discharged. The May or, under
the circumstances, declines to prosecute
'nim.
N. B.-We suppress the name of
the person who made this bold attempt
in compliance with the earnest request
of relations and friends, and in consid'
Grafton of the uniform good character
of the man, who twas not himself
7