The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-11-11

= &c, &C., &c.
II When the Hastings Court met yesterday
S mornng there was some delay in the case oil
Colonel Joseph Mayo, Jr., owing to the fact
+ that the paper which bad been prepared by
5 Mr.. Robert Mayo, of Westmoreland, rela'
I tive to the sad sff1iction which had fallen
: upon some of the members of Colonel
, Mayo's family, had to be read and amended
, by counsel. After this was done the paper
was submitted to the court and jury. When
Judge Crump had finished reading this state
ment
Il MAJOR LE6H r. PAGE Was SWORN
!, and examined by Mr.. Walker, one of Colo.
mel Mayo's counsel. He said that his ae.
auainaance began with Colonel Mayo during
! the early part Of the war. When Colonel
Mayo first removed to Richmond to live he
saw a good deal of him. On one occasion,
after the war, Colonel Mayo called upon
Msior Page, aud his manner was so SIP
eular and conversation incoherent, his eyes
J doyncast. and bis conduct so striking
that the ladies at Major Pages house
were alarmed, and when Colonel Mayo left
the subject was discussed by the family. The
witness charged his family not to talk about
ii, and after this meeting he learned for the
first time that there was insanity in his
family. During that summer be met Colo
mel Mayo very often indeed, he (Wle-
messy hardly ever came up through the
i Cspitol Square that he did not meet with
Colonel MAYO, who button-hosed him
and talked about the State finances, &c.
During the Coleman trial be saw him fire.
ouently. and really thought that he ought to
| he taken in charge by bis friends.
The witness further stated that he was
willing and anxious to become one OF bis
counsel, but he thought it might rather be his
J duty to be a witness than one of his coun-
| sci. He had concurred in the present ex-
: animation, and thought it the best course to
, he pursued. He felt assured that many
reasons could be given to show that Colonel
( Mayo was not a sane man, and that there
e were many reasons why Major Page had
G formed this opinion. One reason ne
!, stated to be the utter carelessness with Whlcn
: Colonel Mayo regarded these proceedings ana
s his approaching trial. He seemed to think 1t
K q matter of moonshine. Major Page had
+ noticed this repeatedly, and presumed that
e all of Colonel Mayo's friends who had talked
:. with him had also noticed 1t.
c During the repeated efforts which Colonel
i Mavo made to secure his release from the
asylum he insisted upon it that he was
If entirely restored. In a letter which he
q wrote to witness he gave evidences OF hi:
b mental condition. His sentences were rur
Is into each other; there were no quota
t, ton or punctuation marks he had sen
q tences Of poetry, and the whole letter lndl
r Gated that his mind was unbalanced. Abou
is a week ago Colonel Mayo visited Major Page
d and told him very eXcitedly that be (Page
had gotten him into this scrape, and now h
t. must get him out of it. This remark wa
induced by the knowledge OF the fact tina
it DR.. JoyneS would probably examine him
S. to his sanity.
le MIR. Ca6ell: Do you consider Colone
ID Mayo an irresponsible person now?
y, Major Page: Yes, sir; as irresponsible
lie any person in the asylum.
le During the whole progress Of this cas-
witness further said that be had not hear
o. one single sensible suggestion from Colone
Mayo in regard to the proceedings Il
which he was interested. Indeed, tn
- witness said that Colonel Mayo wante
al at one time to dismiss Colonel Gordon
Id Judge Crump, MIR. Walker, and him
self, and try his own case. Since Colo
Y, mel Mayo's return from the asylum th
Sc witness had had six or eight interviews wit
ne him, and in all he seemed to utterly ignor
the magnitude of the prosecution in Whic
to he was party. He bad never been able t
have satisfactory or rational interview wit
:. him touching his trial. His conduct had bee'
- childish and puerile. He had heard Colone
al Mayo talk about his plans and prospects
" which to witness were views that would no
u be entertained by any rational man.
D. In the summer of 1873, Major Page said +
% Mr.. Walker, he first noticed Colonel Mayo
- condition. In the presence Of ladies, t
whom he was generally most deferentia
Il Colonel Mayo carried on ia the most remark
IL able manner. Witness was generally prett
, quick on the scent to detect grog, but he sAV
IS nothing of this kind in Colonel Mayo's mar
Sc ner then. He had no doubt in his mind tha
s. Colonel Mayo was absolutely insane on o
10 about the 2Sth of January, 1878, when thi
q offence was alleged to have been committed
that he was insane long anterior to that tim
and ever since that time. Every time tha
oi witness had seen Colonel Mayo in the pas
u few years his condition was such that ne Oh
,. not know right from wrong.
" Major Page mentioned many other facts U
:. prove Colonel Mayo's insanity. In reply
Judge Guigon, who asked witness aoou
Colonel Mayo's habits, Major Page said Una
u he had noticed the smell Of liquor upon him
Il but thought that be was not IN the naolt
drinking to any extent. He bad heard, nov
l. ever. that he did drink. Very recently b
had conversed with Mr.. Walker, as we'll
with Judge Crump, and to both OF these gen
e tlemen he had expressed the opinion oil COLO
It mel Msyo's insanity.
OTHER WITNESSES.
. Mr.. Sprigg Campbell was next examined
y He had had frequent business transaction
q with Colonel Mayo. He then gave detailed
= account of the conversations had with COLO
mel Mayo, and his business transactions, Ht
said Colonel Mayo, as rule, had been keei
trader, though sometimes he couldn't MAKE
{ him understand. He had an idea that peele
bonds would be equal in value With consols
There were times when bis brain was cloud
!. ed, but witness thought it was from drink
: He couldn't recall any time, however, that
= he noticed liquor on his breath. A.
: times witness thought him leather headed.
Dir. Campbell further said that In recaihns
| 10 his mind oil the circumstances OF his inter
. views with Colonel Mayo, having heard al
4 the e.eyideDce in the case, aud snoWlng Gna
he had been in the lunatic asylum, and II
the light OF other subsequent events, ne
3 (Witness) would say that bis singular pe'
3 bayior was because he was crazy, and mol
e from drink. He had an absurd and positiye
delusion sometimes on the subject Of Stslt
finances.
Il MIR. John C. Williams testified that be had
? known Colonel Mayo in q business way sine.
! he had been Treasurer of the State. He hac
, no reason to think that Colonel Mayo was O
unsoupd mind, because bis attention had no