Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-04-03
him on two or three occasions about four

MS Dell0I ClaJ he was not IN MS rlgllt ml1lQ.
Indeed, he was suffering mentally. in his
opinion, long before he reached his present
condition. He had remarked to Judge
Christian three or four weeks ago that he
thought his mind was impaired and had
lost its tone.
COLONEL ROBERT E. WRITER'S
was next called to the stand, and testified
that he was an intimate acquaintance of
Colonel Mayo and that for two or three
weeks past he had observed that his mind
was certainly neither what it ought to be,
nor what it was; that he was undoubted-
ly insane, OF was when he saw him in the
morning; that to confine lin in Jail in his
present condition might produce perma-
nent mental injury.
The next witness examined was Major
Leigh r. Page. He was well acquainted
with tie accused and had observed his
mental condition for the past two months.
He had been so much impressed with it
that he felt it his duty to go and see some
of his friends and ask them to take him in
charge. A conversation which he had had
with him was marked by
THE GREATEST INDIFFERENCE.
He told his friends that he ought to be ia
ken charge of. This conversation occurred
in January or February.
Justice White seemed to be satisfied on
the subject of Colonel Mayors condition,
and no other witnesses were examined.
Judge Crump, who had previously made
application to the court for bail, said that
it was matter of humanity, which he felt
sure the court would admit, and grant tht.
application. The Judge further said he
hoped the court would grant bail until suf-
ficient time should elapse in order that it
;c.It l,a oI xrt,A hor u ;o,
OF The mind will probably take place.
Nh Wise said he thought it proper that
he should say thal he was satisfied Colonel
Mayo's mind had been in an unsettled con-
ditiOn for some. time past; that he had
been arrested entirely without his knOWl-
edge, and that he did not even know that
a warrant for his arrest had been issued.
Didn't believe that he was in any cond-
tion to be arrested, and he was greatly sur
prised that it had been done.
THE ACCUSED BAILED.
Mr.. White said that he had been informed
Of his arrest about.3 O'Clock in the MORN
ing, and had sent him to a quiet place I'M
til Monday. when he thought he might be
able to appear.
DIR. Beale, being questioned on this point
said that he thought two OF three weeks
might decide whether a satisfactory opini-
on could be formed as to whether he would
recover.
The Court then decided to bail the ac-
cused to appear on the 18th of April in the
sum of $4,000.
Colonel W. w. Gordon, MI John B.
Davis, Judge W. w. Crump, and Major l..
r. Page became his sureties.
The court was then adjourned, and Col
onel Mayo being put in a carriage was Ia
ken to his residence, at the corner Of Eighth
and Leigh streets. AT a late hour on Sat-
urday night his condition was represented
to be comfortable.
REPORTS OF THE INVESTIGATING COM
MITTEEs.
The Legislative committees appointed
to investigate the defalcation, report that
there is q deficit OF ,939.S9, and that be-
sides this, Mayo and Coleman, without the
knowledge Of the Auditors, at various
times in 1878, exchanged-Mayo $61, 700
and Coleman $45 900 worth of registered
consols for peelers, which were of less
value, thus obtaining-Mayo ST 1851 and
Coleman ST. $50 for themselves, which they
did not return to the State. The commit
tee exhonerate the auditors from any
knowledge of the crimes, but condemn the
loose way i'll which the accounts were kept
Coleman is before the court applying for a
new trial on the ground that Mayo. the
principal witness against him, was insane
when he testified and therefore not COM
petent witness.
THE QUESTION OF INSANITY.
In the effort made by Coleman's counsel
to get him off on the plea that Mayo was
an incompetent witness, good deal of
testimony was taken Tuesday, on Mayo's
insanity. All the witnesses agreed that TO L
some weeks past his conduct had been un-
usual, but whether from insanity or drink
was not clear. The unusual conduct was
first apparent during the caucus for U. S.
Senator. DR.. Frederick Griffith-testified
that there was Il good deal of insanity in
Mayors family, his mother having been
insane for over twenty years, and his
brother and sister being also insane. The
Commonwealth attorney ated he be-
leved Mayo sane when he testified. The
Court overruled the motion to set aside
the verdict. on account of Mayo's insanity
and Coleman's counsel carried it to the
Court of Appeals.
WHAT THE PRESS SAY.
From the Petersburg Appeal
We learn that Colonel Mayo's friends
allege that he has been out of his mind and
really irresponsible for sometime past and
it is also stated that insanity is hereditary
in the family. Of this we know not; but
can we'll believe that the apprehension of
being suspected of dishonorable practices
and of being exposed to criminal prosecu-
ton, would have unseated the reason Of a
proud, sensitive and ambitious mau. The
whole affair is extremely sad, and breaches
a powerful sermon on the vanity of human
hopes, the infrmities Of human character,
the incertitudes Of human station. We
leave the painful matter to make it's own
best comment on itself.
From the Petersburg News.1
Sprung of an ancient and honorable
family, of parts which all men reckoned
high, literally educated, of approved cour-
age, kindly in disposition, delicately scrup-
ulous in all engagements, the blow falls
with unexpected severity upon those who
enjoyed his friendship, and if it shall prove
that the charges are groundless, great, in
deed, will be their joy. But no strength
of private attachment should blind us as to
what should be done in such case. Not
only his own good name, but the good
name of the State is in a measure at stake
IN the matter, and we trust, as being Vir-
ginians before all else, that the case will
be thoroughly and impartially sifted, to The
end that, if innocent, no man can gainsay
his acquittal, Or, if guilty, that he may be
punished as would be any other of his fell
low citizens. The air is thick with rumors
which for our part we do not care to repeat,