Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-05-12

| Fair, was on Wednesday last. cOnVic-
ted of murder in the first degree, for
shooting n. p. Crittenden, on the 3rd
! of November last. Her counsel have
given notice of an appeal for a new
/ trial, the hearing Of which and the de-
! livery of sentence has been set for the
29thof May a4
Itmay not be improper to say that
this verdict, until within the last week,
was not generally believed possible,
| nearly everybody expecting the trial
to prove a farce, ending with the ac-
| quittal of the prisoner or a disagree
1 ment of the jury. Nine-tenths of the
community regard the verdict as just
and a proper vindicatiOn of the law, +,
and a Tebuke to the doctrines put forth
/ by the defence in the case.
The San Francisco Bulletin gives the
following history of the homicide:
On the evening OF the Sd of N0vem-
ber last, A. P. Crittenden, a prominent
lawyer of this city, and member of
the firm of Crittenden & Wilson, went
to Oakland to meet his wife, daughter
and son, who were on their way from
l-the east He met them and went on
the ferTy-boat lEG Captain ami took a
seat between his wife and daughter, on
the deck. The steamer had gone but
short distance when Mrs. Fair, close
ly veiled stepped up, drew a pistol,
and exclaiming: "yOu have ruined
me and my childu" fired at Mr.. Crit
tcnden. The ball took effect in the
! left breast. Mr.. CrittcndOn leaned
back in his seat. and Mrs. Crittenden
supported him in her arms, but he
gradually slid down to the floor. Mrs.
Fair dropped the pistol and ran into
the cabin, where she mingled with the
rest of the passengers. The weapon
was four barreled Sharpe's pistol
Capt. KentZell, of the harbOr police,
was on board, and in company with
Parker Crittenden went in search of
the person who fired the. shot. They
found Mrs Fair in the forward part of
the cabin, and Parker Crittenden said:
I" That is the woman; | accuse you of
numbering my father" Mrs. Fair re-
piled: Yes, ! don't deny it. | adj
NIT that shot him; i don't deny it.
He has ruined me and my child. |
was looking for the clerk to give my
self up. Take me. Arrest me. | am
ready to go with YOU" She was then
removed to the pilOt-hOuse, where she
remained until the boat reached the
landing, when she was conveyed to
the station-hOuse. Mr.. Crittenden
was conveyed to his residence on Els
street, where he fingered in great ago
ny until Sunday, November 6, when
he died. Mrs. Fair, in the prison,
raved wildly about her mother and
child, aud talked in a rambling way
about what she had done. Her attend
ing physician placed her under the
influence of powerful Opiates, but it
was long time before her condition
was such as to admit of her being re-
moved TO the county jail, where she
has since remained. s
Mrs. Fair is about thirty-five years
of age She was the wife of w. ID.
Fair, a lawyer of Siskiyou. and mar
ried him at NEeka about fifteen years
ago. In 1860 he came to this city, and
committed suicide 10y blowing his
brains out while in Doctor Murphy's
office Mrs. Fair, a few years after
ward, fiade her debut on the stage at
Sacramento, and subsequently appear
ed in this city and several other places
on the coast. During the WashOe
mining excitement she went to Nir-
ginia CITY, where she kept a boarding
i
dCrtook to run the national flag up
over the hotel. She threatened to
shont him and did wound him. She
was tried for the oflcnse, and Mr.. Crit
tenden was her counsel for defense
The Jury, without leaving their seats,
acquitted her. She afterward came to
this city, where she married man
named Snyder, from whom she was
4 Il L, l.
adultery. Here, as in the State of Ne
vada, she was on very intimate terms
with Mr.. Crittenden- The relations
between them were not private. Iney
weIc frequently seen together I'm pub
lie and sometimes her child was with
them For several years the intimacy
continued but he, at last, seemed de
termincd TO break it off. The marri-
age with Snyder was temporary in
tcrruptiou, but the intimacy was re-
newcd after the divorce. He was
advised TO repel her at onceand forever,
but he did not do so, alleging that he
feared unpleasant disclosures, and that
she would kill herself in the event of
his doing so. She threatened to COM
NIT suicide if he left her. The ap-
proach of his family from the East
brought matters to a crisis. On the
night before their arrival and the last
fatal meeting, they were in each 9TH
er's company. He issaid to have talked
serious with her. she threatened to kill
herself if he fOrsOok her, and he inn
ploring her not to make such an at
tempt. For several days after the
murder Mrs. Fair was in condition
of apparent delirium, at times calling
onsher victim TO come to her, and say
ing that he promised to meet her at a
certain time. She was constantly at
tended by a nurse, and no one was ad-
mitted to her presence. \ physician
attended her, and she was constantly
under the influence of OpiatCS. When
removed to the county Jail she was
carried in a chair from her cell TO the
carriage.
Mr.. Crittenden, at the time of his
death, was about fifty-eight years OF
age. He was a nephew of the late
John j. Crittenden, United States
Senator from Kentucky. While An
drew Jackson was President, ne re-
ceiyed an appointment to the West
Point Military School, and grad uated
in the same class with Beauregard and
Sherman, iu 1885. Soon after the
discovery of gold in California he came
here, and made this city his residence;
He was brother-in-law of the late Tod
Robinson, who, at the time or ms
death, was Supreme Court reporter,
He was very able lawyer, and ranked
high in the profession IN this state.
Here is one of the letters which Mrs.
Fair wrote to Mr., Crittenden. 1t was
introduced in the line of evidence at
her trial t-e..sa !
SAN Francisco, July % 4
Oh. my darling my darling! how
can YOU do me such injustice as 10
doubt nv love? If my letters have
seemed uncommunieative with regard
70 what / am doing. it is because L
have had nothing to tell, because my
life each day is spent in the same mo-
notonous way. You will scarcely be-
lieve me when L tell you that l have
never. since my arrival, stepped foot
ont of the door of my room IN compaaT
nv with a gentleman; no one accom- ,tsoillt
NAMES me to my mealss have never
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