Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-04-08

nette? Why dark hair and black eyes
should mentally associate themselves
with our pictures Of resolute feminine
wickedness Is more than l can deter
mine, unless It Is a notion instilled
into US by Messrs. the Novelists. Cain
may have blue eyes and flaxen hair;
but Sisera has always raven tresses n
black, flashing eyes-at least she Is SO
drawn by our mental pencils. l had
several illustrations Of this tendency
to associate dark women with dark
deeds while In the Courtroom this
afternoon. More than half a dozen
times I heard the whispered remark,
"Why, she has light hair" expressed
In n manner that showed the speakers
were surprised Mt the fact. If Mrs.
Fair has done little else to commend,
she can Mt least take credit for having
corrected q popular mistake and given
a denial to the innumerable poets,
artists and romancers who in oil ages
and all crimes have made their WICK
eldest heroines rs dark In complexion
as brush and pen could paint them.
Mrs. Fairs Testimony.
The testimony given by the prisoner
in her own behalf-and she stoodthe test
Of a most rigid cross-examination with
out any discrepancy being manifest In
her statements-has had a marked
effect in influencing the daily verdict
of clubs and parlors. Mr.. Crittenden
Is shown to have boon not quite such
an unwilling captive to Delilah as
rumor asserted, and Delilah not nearly
so bad as she was made out to be.
That Virginia City shooting at some
one who had the audaclty to hoist the
national flag, OH the Fourth Of July,
above the Tahoe House, resolved itself
into an Insignificant dispute with n
s%torekeeper; and many other noun
tains were reduced to molehills In like
manner. 10 read the evidence rs re-
ported In the papers to-day gives one
an impression that she answered many
Of the questions with misplaced levity,
but those who were In Court yesterday
say that such was not the case. Her
health Is much better than 1t was at
the commencement of the trial, no
doubt from the improved prospects Of
an acquittal.
The Correspondence.
The ultimate decision of Judge Owl
nellie as to the admissiJllity Of the cor
r~espondence that passed between MIR.
C~rittenden and his mistress will have
an important bearing upon the verdict.
1t Is claimed by the defense that many
Of the letters written by Mrs. Fair
give unmistakable evidence Of tempo
rary alteration Of mind, besides con-
taining illusions to those arrangements
of her system which are stated to have
been the cause of her mental malady.
Ms. snydcr.
Considerable mystery surrounds the
last of her long array of husbands
the Chicsgoan, Snyder. He comes
like n shadow across the scene, and so
departs. Mrs. Fair Is very retlcent
about everything connected with him,
and he-wise man-ha5 taken exceed
ing care not to let his present where
ab0uts be known. Both the prosecution!
and the defense would like to get hold
of him-the former to learn something
| about the divorce, and the latter to
strengthen tho plea of monthly In
sanity.
Weak Points In the Defense.
There are two or three weak points
In the defense that Mrs. Fairs counsel
are adroitly endeavoring to cover up
by very strained explanations. One
of these Is the purchase of the pistol.
That is a most damaging fact against
her. Another Is the conversation with
the upholsterer. and another the shot
that she fired ut Crittenden-to Brighten
him, she says-a year or two ago. All
that elouusnce can do will nc doubt be
done to gloss over these points, but
they nevertheless leave a decided I'm
preston that there was n little too
much method in her madness. At
present 1t seems as II the case would
not get to the jury much before
Wednesday. The speeches Of MIR.
| Campbell for the People and Mr.. Cook
for the prisoner are expected to be
powerful efforts, and rs 1t Is one OF
| those trials that afford the lawyers en-
ployed an opportunity Of making q
national reputation, both gentlemen
will exert themselves to the very
utmost.
Our New Chief RnEineer.
After a stormy official career OF about
five months, Mr.. Ackerson, the sue
cessor of Whitney as head Of the Fire
Department, has been removed, and
Dave Scannell reigns in his stead. |
expect that Mr.. Scannell Is almost as
well known In Washoe rs In San Fran
cisco. He was so long connected with
the volunteer organization that any
one who ever ran with q fire engine
has heard of him. There Is not a o
popular man In the city amongst the
boys, and certainly non who n WELD
so much political influence when In n
position to command. The members
of the old Volunteer Department are
nightly pleased Mt his election. They
look upon it rs n compliment to them
selves, and q tribute to their own past
efficiency /; and they are right, to n GER
tain extent, In doing so, though 1t Is
probable that neither Of these consld-
emtions would have had any weight
with the Commissioners had they not
been allied to political motives. Scan-
nell Is n McCoppinite, and his election
Is n direct blow at Haight's supporters,
rs 1t will most likely decide the prima-
ries against them, with the consequent
result Of a County Convention pledged
to the ex-Mayor Of the vfaultless ply
siuue." The Governors friends claim
that they never expected the San Franz
cisco delegation would support Halght,
and that they are not at all dlscon-
certed by tile result Of this preliminary
skirmish, but however that may be,
Haight stock Is lower than 1t was by
several points.
Political s~peeulatisn