Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-02-08

CAL HITS.
SC, &C., &C., sc.
I (Reported for the Staunton VINDIcAToR.)
The Moot Court gotten up for the bene
| fit of the Y. M. G. A. opened most sue
cessfully last night.
By half-past seven very large audience
had assembled in the Grange Hall and
Sheriff Firth opened the High Court OF
Love. After calling several cases which
| from various reasons were postponed. The
case of Scruggs VS.. Rochester was called,
and the counsel being ready the court pro-
ceeded to trial.
The officers Of the court are T. G. Elder
Judge VIM. Patrick, Clerk !; Gilbert
Firth, High Sheriff Frank Alexander
and g. Men Whittle, Deputies Jurymen
w. J. Nelson, Foreman H. M. Nell
haney, G.. G. Gooch, W. H. feyton, A. F.
Kinney, Geo. M. Harrison, A. N. Brock
enridge, B. T. Coots, A. Lynn. L. Poyntz.
W. A. McCue and J. A. Cochran, to whom
the following solemn oath was administer
ed: You and each of you do promise to
render verdict in this case according to
the evidence as you may think proper to
consider it, and the law of Cupid's realm
as expounded to you by the court, so help
you Bob.
The plain tiff, Mrs. Araminta Scruggs.
hsd retained for her counsel Messrs. J. W.
Stout, r. V. Brooke and Charles Grattan.
The defendant, j. Adolphus Rochester s
counsel are Messrs. III. st. G. Tucker, P.
A. Baylor and J. FL. Skinner. Pending
the jury being sworn, objection was taken
to Mr.. A. Lynn sitting as a juror, as an
impression seemed to exist on the part of
the counsel for defence that he was in
competent on &C count of having been pre-
viously concerned in similar affair. Simon
Hilb was called to testify as to the char
acter Of the juror, which being
satisfactory, Mr.. Lynn was sworn
in amid much merriment. Mr.. j.
A. Cochran was also challenged, but
after some amusing discussion was accept
ed. The jury, being finally all sworn. took
their seats, and we're declared by all the
most imposing jury ever seen in Staunton,
and probably the weightiest ever seen in
the State, aggregating by close estimate
1850 pounds gross. The case was then
opened by Mr.. Jno. W. Stout, counsel for
plaintiff, in clear and telling speech,
which was attentively listened to by the
audience, and produced a marked effect
Mr.. P. A. Baylor then followed for the de-
fence in a characteristic speech, which
elected frequent applause, and at his close
the audience seemed to be thrown into a
state Of painful indecision, which could
only be dissipated by the evidence.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Baylor's speech
the interesting widow Scruggs, dressed in
mourning weeds, appeared On the stage
amid loud applause. aud the witnesses for
plaintiff being called, were sworn to "give
the evidence best calculated to further the
cause OF the plaintiff"
H. L. Hoover testified to knowing the
defendant 20 years ago, when he was V.
M. [. cadet, and seeing him (Rochester)
| pass window of one of the Seminaries in
Stanton where a young lady was practi-
cling, and MISLEADING the actions OF the
music-teacher, with his baton, for an as
sault on the young lady, he leaped through
| the window to her rescue, but soon found
out his mistake when he was elected from
| the house. A love affair grew out of this
meeting, which resulted in serious COM
plications afterwards.
D. c. McG uffin sworn-testified that he
knew 10th parties, Mrs. Scruggs had board
| ed at his house and registered from Tar
| boro. N c., where she had a large rosin
farm, defendant visited plaintiff at his
house two or three times day and from
| their position and actions thought they
were making love-had seen her in great
distress one evening last fall and she said
| Rochester had deceived her, would not
marry her, had asked him to recommend a
| LAWYER and he had advised her to employ
Judge Sheffey.
Cross examined Capt. Doyle had board
ed there and he heard him tell Rochester
| that the widow had had good deal of tin,
bnt as her checks had been protested late
| ly he thought the tin Was running low and
| he had better skip out
3, M. Gushing, called-asked to tell his
story in his own way, not accustomed TO
speaking in public, was difident, proceed
ed to give an amusing account Of his first
| acquaintance with defendant In the Con
| tederate army, with some very laughable
"reminiscences Of the Home Guard OF which
| Mai, Ben. Bagby was QuartermaSter, and
| Dave McGutfin Captain. Afterwards saw
Rochester in Stanton in III, who told
him he had found his long lost Araminta,
and she was widow, boarding at the
Kalorama. and had lots of tin, and be
meant to marry her. Witness gave hlsto-
nv of defendant purchasing ring. at
| HirShes for an engagement ring, and a
suit from Simon Hilb, for wedding suit.
Simon Hilb testified that defendant
came to his store last tall to buy suit OF
cloths. looked at suit he priced at 500
cash. but as defendant did not have any
money, let him have it at $75 on credit, SO
that ii he never paid he would not lose Sc
much. Said he would pay when he got
married, but he had never been married
and had never paid.
Gabriel HnSh recognized defendanG al
gentleman who Ed. Gushing had brought
TO hin in the fall of II to buy an engag
ment ring and he sold it to him for s25
Cross examined by defence.
Had sold another ring an engagement
ring, mate to this, but promised not t6
tell to whom. Counsel insisted and wit
ness being instructed bv the court &C
kroWledged that he sold it to Harry
Tinsley. Eliza Jane Grimshaw, quite
pretty Stanton dress maker gave
important evidence for plaintiff, making
some personal and local hits which con
yulsed the audience with laughter. Wit
ness had had affairs of love with severa
| gent lemen DuJ nau SeIGleu uoWH oH I'LL
| Rochester
:; Miss Antoinette Mouton, piquant
French witness boardtr at the ''Kal
orama'' which is Greek for spiders. Wit
ness is a native of La Belle, France, didn'
speak the beastly English well, knew the
wolf (defendant) well, ALMOST promised t.
marry her and then told her he woul(
make her life sure in his company. She
did not care for her life with her beart il
sleetle 'spieces. He did not say he marry he!
but he love her. what moreiyou want! Hae
given her a ring 10 kiss him, cost 25'
francs, Monsieur Conc told her 1t was
what you call the brass tnaI the piaci
! canaille wear. Had not spoken 10 n'n