The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-11-15

the most profitable business of env firm II
the city, having been chiefly EMPLOYED IL
important land cases. Judge Robinson
who died n few days ago, was brother O
Mrs. Crittenden. at the time of his death
he held the position of Supreme Court re-
porter.
! There were many rumors afloat last even
ing regarding the unfortunate relationship
referred to ut the commencement of thf:
article, and the immediate causes which
led Mrs. Fair to the pcrpetration of the
desperate crime. We refrain from giving
them publicity until facts are brought to
light in substantial form.
MIS-. Laura Fair Is perhaps thirty-five
years old. She was the wife OF William D.
| Fair, 4 lawyer, of Siskiyou county, whom
she married at ireka about fifteen year,
ago. W. ID. Fair was native of Lynch.
burg. Va, and distinguished graduate OF
the Virginia Military Instituted She had
one daughter by her first husband, who is
No" about fourteen years of age. Through
pecunlary embarrassment and domestic
trouble, Fair became respondent in mind
In 1850, while on visit 10 triS city, he
committed suicide by blowing his brains out
al the Office OF DIR. Murray, on Washington
street, III the building now known as the
Examiner office. Mrs. Fair, few years al-
forwards, made her debut on the stage at
Sacramento. and subsequently, appeared in
this city and several other cities on the
! coast. During the height Of the Washoe
| excitement she took up her residence in
| Virginia City, and entered into partnership
| with Il man whose name we are unable to
obtain in keeping a clearinghouse or hotel.
She was engaged in this business in the
summer Of 1864. The war feeling ran very
| high there nj that time. The sympathies of
Mrs. Fair were intensely in favor of the
| south, while those Of her partner were
! equally strong in favor of the North. On
! The Fourth OF July lie determined to raise
the national flag over the hotel, and she
| threatened to shoot him if he did. He
made the attempt, and she fulfilled her
| threat. He was wounded, but not killed.
| She was tried for the CRIME in one of the
courts of Virginia City. The jury acquit-
| ted her without leaving the jury-boX. She
| has resided in San Francisco during the
past two or three years. While in Nevada
| she gave birth to II child which is now
/ three or four years old. In July last Mrs.
| Fair was married to a man named Snyder.
! After living with him about two months
| She procured a divorce from him on the
| ground Of adultery. She is believed to
have accumulated a large amount Of pro
perry. and is reported to be worth 100000
| or so. coo.
/ Lie bUNtttN utluS tue SUI .JOiiicu
I It j. stated that about two years since she
! fired shot at Crittendcn on the stairs
! leading 10 his office. She did not bit him.
and he affair was hushed up. Since that
! time She has been frequently seen in hi>
! COMPANY, sometimes in the street cars and
only Il lew days since she visited the office,
| and, rs he WAS absent, left 4 note FOR him.
! Her daughter lives III San Jose, aad at
tends school there. The prisoners mo-
thcr. Mrs. Lane, lives at that place also ::
| but 4 short time since she kept 4 lodging
| house on Bush street, opposite ne Calllor-
lila theatre. Mrs. Fair was at sacramento
! during recent session of the legislature.
| About Il year since, we are Informed, she
paid visit 10 the Atlantic States, but soon
returned TO this city, and has lived here
| continuously since.
! Her face bore the lines Of former beauty.
Her complexion is fair and her eyes blue.
| She wears her hair cut short, and curlcd
and dressed like lady Of ample means. In
this city she maintained a costly establish
mcnt and lived in fine style.
| When locked up last night. she raSed
wildly and talked in rambling manner
about what she had done, about Critten-
don, her child, and her mother. a glass of
water vas given her. She crushed it and
kent q piece Of the broken glass in her
\
her to take il ollt. He finally administered
powerful opiates, and al II late hour last
night she fell asleep. This morning he vs.
lied her again. and 4 nurse was left 10 attend
| t".- She still talked rambling, and kept
| her head tGliing from side to side on the
pillow, moaning and CT; III" co.>ilnt;E.
The relations Of Crittenden with Mrs.
! Far were no secret in his family or among
| his numerous friends. They were often
seen together in public places, and the fact
| II their intimacy WAS notorious. For sew
! eral wear, they appeared 10 have been lniIl.
tcrrriptcd, but at last he seems to have de-
ttcrmined to break ii of. " zen she mar
| rird with Snyder he and his friends
thought the trouble was ended, hut after
! the divorce she seems to have deter
/ mined to renew her relations with him.
| He remained fixed in his determination
to Get rid OF her, and c0unsc!ed srith GONE
| Of his tridnds as TO the method he ought to
pursue. He was advised to rcpel her at
once AMI forever. He seems 10 have
| thought sine would, III that eYcrtt Sill her
self, and unpleasant disclosures would en-
sue. She Threatened to commit suicide il
he LETT her. He even went away from hi !,
! place Of residence to avoid her, and
office. All his efforts to escane from
the tolls were fruitless. Even the
night before the tragedy they were
in each others company. He talked Sc
riously to her, she threatening to kill her.
self if he forsook her, and he impiorine her
not TO make such an attempt. In all his
conversations lately with friends about Mis-.
Fair ne never minated Il suspicion that she
would attempt to Kill him, hdt spoke Of her
threats to put an end to her own existence.
At 2. NJ. the attending physician stated
that Crittenden was living when he left the
bedside. lie was suffering intense agony,
and there was no hope that he could sur
vive.