Wilmington journal., 1873-07-04

of his memory; we used to laugh at
him as being absent-minded; he would
60 to his room for some article of dress
to 60 out, and come down without it;
go down street and forget his errand;
and after locking up the house would
go round to lock UP again, sometimes
two or three times; he was abstracted
at the table; several times screams
from his room woke me up, and l
went to hisdOOr; his pillow was stained
at times; [ saw Frank the Monday he
left Saratoga; [ noticed his extreme
paleness then; [ noticed his great pale
ness; when he was in these fits of alb
straction he generally had sad look;
he was always courteous to others, but
before this he was lively; he was not
subject to fits of anger; his character.
SO far rs know, was invariably good,
both as to amiability and uprightness;
there was nothing to call vice, or, in
the ordinary sense. an irregularity i'll
him; he was always amiable and kind
III the family, but not demonstratipc;
he had
NEVER IN MY HEARING UTTERED AHY
THREATS AGAINST HIS FATHER
mentioned to Frank an occurrence
which took place at the Hoffman
House between his father and my
brother / told him that his father
had entered my brothers room. while
he was i'll bed, and presented Il pistol
ut his head.
Here witness identified number OF
letters as those written by her hus-
band. Mr.. O'COnOr next proceeded to
examine witness with reference to the
state of her late husbands mind. The
Court objected
Mr.. OConor insisted that an impor- |
tant element III estimating the condi- |
ton OF the prisoners mind was the |
condition OF the parents mind, and
these letters-not one, bat many
conld hardly have proceeded from
any but an insane mind. 1t was with
view to show a hereditary strain of
insanity that these letters would be adj
missable.
The Court in this view admitted the
questions.
A. Acts of violence towards me
and fits of rage. 1t was often a uues-
tiOn with me whether he was crazy or
not. He would at times commence an
ordinary conversation, diverge sud
denly off, and work himself up into
fury, expressing himself with almost
unnatural violence. When his fury
was not expended on me twas expend-
ed on anything at hand the furniture
or anything he might have hold of.
The first exhibition of this kind I
noticed was in 1860. From 1869 to
our final departure these acts were
frequent.
The principal part Of the evening
was consumed in reading the letters
that had been identified by Mrs. Wal
worth.
EXTRAORDINARY BEYOND BELIEF.
The reading of these letters cOntin- |
ued from about half-past 2 o'clock un-
til ten minutes past 5 o'clock Ill the al |
ternoon. Down to the very last letter |
MIR. OConor read every one of them |
IN clear and distinct voice, and EN- |
phaslzed them with marvellO- 5 pre- |
cision, and with evident effect upon |
the jury. They were all of the same |
rlbaid, blasphemous tenor, and some |
OF them absolutely surprising belief. |
As the reading Of the counsel drew |
towards a conclusion they seemed to |
become more blasphemous and OBJ
scene. The courtroom was as still as
death. Every voice was hushed but |
that of the great old lawyer, and as his
clear, emphatic tones rang through the |
corridors outside
EVERY HEART WAS sTILLED WITH
HORROR.
1t was siAply impossible to believe |
that Il human being could become SO |
depraved as to address such language |
to the vlleSt creature, not to speak of |
addressing theln by mail, and occa-
slonally with apparent coolness, to the |
wife of his bosom. At the end of |
each letter there was an audible sigh |
of relief in court
Most of them commenced, Cd |
d-n you, you sk'inking - Of h-H."
Others called on the Son of God !
solemnly to blight her.
Some were addressed to Mrs. Hardin,
announcing that he intended to kill /
even her and her children If his prop |
erty was not restored to him.
Another was addressed to Judge |
Barbour, threatening him that he would !
shoot him in the public street and fall |
a suicide over his body if he interfered |
between his wife and himself, and if |
his property was not restored to him. |
Another was addressed to Father |
Clarence Walworth, announcing that |
he intended to XIII him if he cgged his |
wife on against him, and saying that
che would
SPIT UPON THE RELIGION
which could make a saint out Of such |
4 -- as him.
Several cursed his father-Reuben |
III. Walworth-w was IN his grave,
because he had robbed him of his in
hertance.
In some We're found bullets and caps,
and in others powder
The court then adjourned till
Monday.