The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-04-02
yHS TESTIMONY OF MAJOR LET0HR. PAGE
GENERAL ASA ROGERS, AND 1R.
WILLIAM Il. ROYaEL,
EXAMINATION OF EXPERTS.
What Some of the Juryrnen in the Cole.
man Case Think of Colonel Mayo's
..".a%, Sanity.
THE MOTION TO SET. ASIDE, TIL
JUDGMENT or TIE COURT
OVERRULED.
THE CASE TO 60 TO THE COURT
L - = : = = .s ..s'T"s "~s.1,,.4
OF APPEALS. fs-

The rainy weather and the fact that the
Of. witnesses in the Coleman
case would probably be very tedious bad the
effect OF diminishing considerably yesterday
the number of persons who were in attend
ance upon the Hastings Court. The court
met shortly after 10 O'Clock, when the ex-
animation was resumed.
MAJOR LEIGH X. PAGE,
CITY attorney, and an intimate friend of
Colonel Mayo, was the first witness called
and sworn. He said that be knew Colonel
Mayo Intimately ; that during the past two
months he bad observed n singularity Of
conduct on bis part. About two months
ago he (Niayo) called at wtneSs's house
about dark. stating that he had child ex-
tremely i'll; that he had been to see DR.. Ma
gtlire. whose residence and office is near
that Of witness. He seemed greatly dis
treSSed on account OF the appearance Of
his child. He came into witnesses Office
and sat down while. His manner was
greatly perturbed and unnatural. The sub
lect Of recent occurrences in the basement Of
the Capitol, in connection with the Sinking
Fund defalcation, was introduced by wit.
ness. His (Mayo's) conversation continued
incoherent and disconnected. Msjor Page
falcationP He said it was well nigh impos-
sible to ascertain. Thought he stated some
amount, but witness could not remember it,
if he mentioned any. With great emotion
and an excited manner he said, We're
looking ut him askant." He often repeated
the expression, "They look at me askant."
With great indignation he mentioned that 8
Mr.. De Witt had asserted certain railroad
bonds were put into his (Mayo's) safe in his
presence and his knowledge, which he al
legged to be an utter falsehood. He went to
the door bareheaded and stood in the rain
for some time. During the whole interview
bis manner was that of man whose reason
was dethroned. Witness believed. the above
to be the result, in substance, OF
what occurred. Maye's words were
generally incoherent and disconnected,
and during the time he moved about the
room in distracted way. Witness medi-
taeed seeing him home, but he was too un-
well to do so. The next day, as we'll as be
recolected, be (Witness) went to see gen.
tleman who is much interested in him-per.
baps connected with him-and told him that
Colonel Mayo's friends ought to take him in
charge that he thought his mind was i'm.
paired. The impression created by that in.
teryiew induced him to see Colonel Mayo's
friends and urge them to take charge ol
him. Saw Colonel Mayo several times after.
wards sometimes his mind seemed clearer
than at others sometimes--thou9h he never
saw him thought be bad been drink
ing he thought SO not from evidences oi
intoxication. but from the smell of liquor,
On one occasion thought he ventured to
speak 10 him, and perhaps TO one or two
others interested in him; that he ought to
keep clear of any exciting drinks; the occa'
sion demanded that he should be perfectly
cool. No matter how innocent he might be,
there would be those who seized upon every
circumstance to blame him. It was on the
llth or 18th of February that he bad the in
.eryiew with him. Months prior to this he
noticed a peculiarity In Colonel Mayo's
manner and conversation, as he had so re.
marked to gentlemen whom he thought be
would meet. Called the attention Of Gen.
eral johnson, Governor Kemper. and others
who we're friends Of Colonel Mayo. This
change Of demeanor, incoherency in conyer'
sation, was q subject Of conversation in his
{witness's) household. Six months ago be
expressed his apprehenSions of insanity in
Colone! Mayo, and mentioned the fact thai
he had a hereditary predispositlon to in.
sanity. Last summer he talked with him In
the most earnest and excited manner about
topics that he knew couldn't interest either
Mayo or himself. He also observed great
change in his voice. Indeed, be had to ash
him on one occasion when he was at witness's
house TO elevate his voice so that he coulo
he heard. He talked about election matters
in q very earnest and excited way, aud often
without Conference. Hespoke Of the Govern
or,s election for one thing, and bad faYorlte
schemes for raising revenue. Did not, how.
ever. recoiiect what they were; thought
they were very Ethiopian, but they did not
interest him. Whenever he met him his CON
yersation at that time was directed to such
topics. He pressed the conversation upor
him with great pertinacity, and it shoulc
have been manifest TO him that he had not the
slightest interests in what he said. witness
also recolIected that on one occasion during
the summer he called in the evening at hls
house, and his manner and conversation
were then unnatural, and created remars
among members OF his (Wltness's) family
He talked great deal, but in tone OF voice
scarcely audible, upon subjects which were
of no interest to any one present. at thai
time apprehensions were excited in the
minds of witnesses family and bis OVID thai
Colonel Msyo's reason was disturbed. On
Tuesday evening Of the trial Of Coleman
while witness vas with Judge Crump, and
when be saw Colonel Mayo, he remarked
that be ought not to be allowed to walk the
streets in other words, that ne ought TO oe
in the custody of his friends or In lunatlc
aspluu. This was not owing TO anything
that he saw peculiar about him Then, out
from what he had previously seen and hearo
of him, although even then ne thought Ms
appearance was that of an insane man.
fat this point DR.. Beale came INTO court
and corrected the dates mentioned yester'
day. on which he visited Colonel mayo, he
said that during the first attack aiiuueu 10,
he attended Colonel Mayo from the !etl 70
the 18th of February, inclusive. Du1ang
the second attack he attended him on the
1lth and 18th of March. -.stsss"
The examination Of Major Page was re-
sumed. - r. s.,s ~ - +
Mr.. Wise: Have you given the substance
OF the conversation between yourseI ana
Colonel Mayo? =, =; ii.5:1;..l,
A. Yes, sir; I think / have given all that
could be regarded as evidence, but no words
or mine can convey accurately to the court
bis manner or method of conversations. The
conversation lasted some time. thought L
detected in his breath the smell Of liquor ON
the occasions referred 10, but neither shis
manner nor words were that OF an into.xi-
Gated person. 80 i.st=s r
@. In your various interviews with Col.
onei Mayo as to occurrences that were past,
was he able to state time correctly as far as
you knew -, i
"A. Bis statements impressed me as being
true, though ] had no means OF verifying
them, but was impressed so chiefly because