The New York herald., 1874-12-11
THE MuRDEROUs LITIGANT.

A Westc hester County Crime Revived
Trial OF August Lachaume for Assault
With Intent to Kill. at Yonkers.
The trial OF August LaChaume, indicted for as.
sault with intent to XIII James p. Sanders, by
shooting him twice, IN the City Court room, at
Yonkers, last June, was commenced in the Court
OF Oyer and Terminer, at White Plains. Westminster
county, yesterday, before Justice Pratt and the
Justices OF Sessions.
AS the particulars OF the crime were fully re-
ported in the HERALD at the time IL Is only neces-
sary here to succtnctly epitomize the murderous
assault and the circumstances leading directly
thereto. The prisoner, native OF France, who
followed the occupation OF 1orlst and market
gardener at Yonkers, had become violently op-
posed to his daughter and her husband, the family
feud extending through years, resulting in con.
slant litigation over piece OF property
which the son-in-law claimed share Of,
he having, before the III ieeng was
engendered, Deen working in partnership
with Lachaume. To secure himself against any
possible adverse decision OF the courts, the latter
conveyed the property Indicated to o third party,
ana he IN turn reconveyed 1t to the wife Of La
chaume. The son -in.law subsequently commenced
an action TO have the alleged illegal conveyance set
for the purpose OF encitng testimony IN regard to
It. On June 80, or the present year. q hearing
sn na IN nrso oas ns
been consumed IN hearing evidence, an adjourn
ment was agreed upon. Before the parties mad
arisen from their seats, however. Lachaume drew
loaded revolver, ana, approaching Sanders from
BEHIND, fred at him twice, both bullets taking
elrect-one In the neck, near the shoulder, and
the other penetrating the back and traversnR the
abdominal cavity, without, however, touching q
vital part. The victim or Lachaume's wrath, It
Will be recollected, was the opposing counsel In
the case.
Since the incarceration OF the prisoner his
counsel have applied for q commission to examine
int his men tai condition, which was set forth
being OF such a character as TO render him irre-
sponslDle for his acts on the day that the crime
was committed. Accordingly Justice Tappen ap-
pointed commission, composed OF Two physi-
o!ans and q prominent lawyer who, after hear
ing voumlnous amount OF testimony IN the mat
ter. reported against the theory OF insanity.
For the prosecution County Judge clifford, the
referee, was called and he testified to the shoot
account already given In the HERALD his tes.
tinony being corroborated BY Armand Il. Stain
ack, who was acting as interpreter on the 0cca-
SION. The precise character OF the wounds Was
also described by the medical men " no were called
In to attend the sufferer, after which the prosecu-
ton rested.
The defence set up was that OF insanity, ana to
suDstantlate TINS theory several witnesses were
placed upon the stand, some OF whom testified
that the prisoner had had severe attack OF
typhoid fever In September, 1873, since which
time his actions had been strange and his manner
unusual and eccentric. The prisoners son deposed
that his father had been In the habit OF
carrying pistol during the last two years. The
physician who attended Lacnaume during his Ill
ness testified that the nervous system of the
prisoner seemed then to be deranged. but ne could
NOT say that he had seen him often since the time
Of his illness.
Tue TRIAL was st!n in progress at a late hour last
evening