The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-02-18
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s..s,sS|s. n..,le On Siss WIZ stand.

rrom thsChifiicothe {ea Register, Feb. l..
One ofSfhe most exciting and startling
scenes that ever occurred in court at this
city took place late in the afternoon OF yes
terday week, .just aswe were going to press:
The particulars are about as follows:
1T ~ttH. time mentioned the caBe IN pro-
qress was that of Catharine Miller, who
sued ,by her next friend, G. w. Gilmore, Us.
John s. Mace and others, the suit being
brought to recover household goods levied
on as belonging to Thomas Miller Mrs.
Miller's husband), and which the plaintiff
claims as hers. :,
Mr.. Miller was on the stand nearly al
day Thursday, and subjected to rigid en-
animation, in the course OF which ne tessl !.
fed, in effect, that he was not possessed Oh
any property at the time OF or since nls
marriage-that the capital and properly
used and occupied by him was his wl1e's.
On Friday afternoon Mr.. Miller was sgaln
called to the stand to undergo cross-examS
nation by M. L. Clark, ESQ.,; IN the co9tee
of which the latter gentleman, In end leu
vorinp to show discrepancy between M,.
Miller,s present statements and those nlaue
som r a time since. asked if he had not, seVe,
rsi l'o veara AGO. stated to Mr.. W. d. keea
+hot he was then worth quite q large sum o.
anov The answer to this was rather IN
do S he might or might not nave
oo s stoted but if he did, the meaning was
Ga he was worth said sum OUTSIDE OF Ills
; :nde ~, to his family. MIR. Clark then
.aIeJ # s;nce his marriage, he had not
hocome surety on the bond OF certain
Government official. Afterl q little hest
toncv an affirmative answer was gwen
wbereupon counsel wished to know If the
,y;tness did not at that time sWearithat ne
was worth $1,000. a# ,@ -,
To this query no reply was made, and
for a. few moments deep and sudden
silence ensued. Finally Mr.. Minshall, OF
counsel for plaintiff, broke the oppressive
silence by rising to address the Court, and
ut that moment Mr.. Miller, who was stand
ing Just in front of the jury-room door,
turned to the Judge and said, !" May it
please your Honor, I wish to make few
remarks" and Immediately after clasped
his hands to his head and exclaimed, ~
feel-as fl was getting-paralysis Ut the
brain !" and commenced sinking to the
floor, uttering such prayerful CALCULATIONS
as "Lord, have mercy on my soul! U
Lord, bless me and pardon my sins" &C.,
or words to that effect. ~
Before reaching the floor he was caught
in the arms of persons near by, and carried
back into the jury-room. On reaching
there he espied gentleman approaching
who he said had endeavored to ruin him,
and he made an effort to get hold of the per-
son, but was prevented.
The excitement in the courtroom at this
time was intense, every one starting to his
feet to get better view of the strange scene
and its author. In another moment, how
ever, Mr.. Miller having broken loose from
those having him in charge in the jury
room, with pallid face. dishevelled hair,
rolling eyes, and undistinguishable mutter-
ings, rushed, with long strides, into the
courtroom, pressing his elbows to his sides,
and putting the wind in gusts from his
mouth. This sudden and terrifying irrup-
ton, as we'll it might, startled Judge, bar,
and audience, and general stampede en-
sued. Neither the lawyers nor the audi
ence stood upon the order of their going,
but went of once.
After getting out to point in front OF the
Judge, Mr.. Miller was caught by Sheriff
Mace, who, unaided, carried him into the
clerks room, and from thence had him con-
veyed to his hotel.
This sudden removal of the witness, and
the disturbed condition in which it left the
nerves of the bench and bar, made an ad-
journment necessary which was had.
We have not attempted to depict the alb
solute frightfulness Of the scene, as that
would be impossible. Those present have
no desire ever to see another like it. In
all his years at the bar and on the bench
Judge Dickey AYERS that he never beheld
anything equal to it.
1t is thought the strain to which Mr..
Miller's mind had been put during the pre-
ceding day or two, and the excitement con-
sequent thereupon, tended to a temporary
unsettlement Of his reason, resulting as
above.
He was confined tolhis bed several days
after the attack.