The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-09-09
An Exciting Scene in a Court Room.
louisville, Ky, August g

the trlal OF James ID. ArnOlu IOF Lue
murder of his brother-in-law, the Hon.
Robert Little, which was concluded at
that place to-day:
At little after four O'Clock Mr.. c. j. Brons-
ton, the Commonwealth Attorney. rose 70
close the argument OF the prosecution ana e
view the facts in the case, and hay before the
jury the law and tne facts beretJ or the orna-
mentatiOn in wnicn sKillful counsel had clOin-
I'd Them. At the outset he explained that ne
WIS simply discharging his duty; that ne rep
resented the prisoner AS much as the Common
weaitn, and that he intended 10 dlscna ge that
duty honestly aud felrieSsly. Pausins for
moment. he said, in measured accents:
Gentlemen OF the jury, you do not know
as well AS L do the diff sulties VITA which L
must contend, nor the danger "A IN; but, SO
help me God, will try 10 iii 'cnufGc my ooll-
CATION TO myself. 10 the Coni.nOn "calth and
TO my oath by doing my duty as an honest
man."
He had Just concluded his enumeration of
the wounds in LitJles fragile body, ana had
dropped from his hand tie overco2t with the
aid OF which ne had shown tae july now the
fatal deed was accomplished, wnen senator
voorhees,, Colonel bradley and Colonel In mp
son. counsel for toe defense, who had retired
amer the speech of the senator, re-entered the
room and took theic seats within the OAR. In
that moment Mr.. Bronston, who had elected 10
call things b. their English names, spoke IN
vigorous language OF the forgery wnicn Little
had denOuncld To AInoid's face. Quoting the
words vi Little, ne exclaimed:
- IL is u forgery! ,
Senator Voorhe $ arose from his seat and
NAV il please the Court, no such testi-
mony as that has been introduced III TINS
case and 1 denOunce the statement as I'M
true" There had been, God knows, plenty
of excitement in thIt densely crowded house
all day. There were men there VINO DeleNeo
Arnold ought to hang, and others VINO pc
lieVcd he ought to be acquitted; men with
convictions born of personal feeling, rather
than The mature result OF careful weighing
OF The testimony. such men were the com
busliule material which only needed spark
TO set fire TO and become blazing, rlotous
mob. This spark was, unintentiunaly no
doubt furnished by Senator voorhees,
Thinking that our civilization WAS not on
trial hut was assured and based upon the
bowIng of all heads to the imperial mandates
of the law peacefully administered ne nrel
up at what ne Thought was an overwrUught
Statement by the Prosecuting Attorney. and
denounced IL as untrue. There was Duzz
of excitement, and mems voices began 10
hum. MIR. Bronson, turning to the Senator,
said, earnestly and emphlucdlly, tndJ therc
was such evidence, and MS statement was
true" he buzz of voices became louder, and
wons MS faces began TO pale.
AGtlu tae Senator sand it was untrue, ana
,galn the attorney asseveiated the truthfulness
OF ms statement. A third time the Senator
said:
IL say it is not true"
Then Mr. Bronston said in reply: 81 say 1t
is true"
upon the lower step of the Judges stand,
friend of the prisoner, James III. Arnold, said
nothing of the kind had been offered in teSti-
mOny. .
At the same instant, some person in the
audience close to the bar, or Immediately IN
side the bar, saouted, with an oath, that II was
Il lie.
Immediately following that came woman's
scream, and then ensued q scene OF cOntuslon
and rIotOus disorder almost impossible TO por-
tray. How it was accomplished l know not,
bur the vast audience OF women got out OF
that house in quicker time than II takes me 10
tell il. Men and women went tumbung ever
chairs and tables, leaving lunch, lunch-bas-
kets, napkins. flowers, and other feminine
articles scattered in the wake of the retreat.
Some made their exit by the windows, ana,
when the danger Of blOOdshed secme1 most
imminent, there was a crowd of men covered
i'm the far end of the hall, VINO dared not APP
pfoach the door for fear of stopping eccentric
bullets.
A brother of the prisoner had run up TO Mr..
Bronston, the Prosecuting Attorney, ana
pointing pistol ut his bosom, exclaimed, "un
"Tve got you now!"
Before he could ire, the pistol not having
been cooked when pretenJed, some by-stander
grasped the weapon and turned its muzzie
aside. Mr.. Bronston backed 10 the Judge
stand and cried;
GIVE me a pistol; give me pistol, some
body. Don't you see that man Is trying 10
.bIdle h. f. Buckner, the new Circuit Judge,
was on his feet taking in this scene with MS
eagle eve. Quietly and decisively he gave ms
commands to the officers, VINO, numerous us
they were, were almost poWerie's TO cgh.l t
that vast and racing throng. Bcho!dlng the
man with the pistol. ne shouted;
- Mr. Sheriff CI-a'm tlaf IN n
The Sheriff hld already his lands fun guard
ing the pri ,OneT ana attending 70 the jury
and The order not being ODe, et ms ltntiy nc
called to the cierK and UystalderS - at once
disarm the man, who WIS sJruggl NJ 20 hoII
oii ,U ii1s IN bv ,ndars was Walter Rhooes,
Deputy Sheriff of tayette, VINO took Il ndhu
Instantly ia assisting to maze lne dttcsI
wolfe slew Baldwin, tue Circuit SIetA, clg IA,
lag tables ana chairs. succeeded IN sGLtlIls
hold of the up!itt d pistol ana WfchclIh2 II
from the MAS gra p. On the ms ant ne WIS
ordered to prison. ,..- -
what was ne dong. He mad once ing inc
day showed sign. of emouon, ana al tne close
OF Mr.. thompson appeal III MS DeA.ltL IN" AC
an effO to repreSS rising tears MS pidNS
Iit le wife sat by MS SHE al day, getting closer
10 him as the time approacned Tor tHeui "
separate. Ii was now near SlN CLOCK Inc
instant the cry was raised and the pelceIuI
audience appeared to have been converted INTO
Il moo. to her wifely fears II DOded No goou 70
her husband, and she exclaimed 80 on my 200
my darling and hmgin9 her arms ABOUT nl5
neck she bore him down 10 the nOur at Ine enc
of The table at which he had been suing
Then strong men seized the PASSOVER anu
hustled him round toward the JuIy-roon' lhiO
which the palladium OF our HUefty hdu aiieouy
been placed for protection. Some one tOld
him to jump from the window. Inc SherlH
seized him 10y the shoulder and the door OF
the jury-room was instantly closed upon MN
and his wife Was he III danger, ana dld ne
fear it! He was, and he did. More hands were
placed upon pisJos than tha1 OF Afhold
brother and as James Ii. Arnold backed rounu
to his place of refuge, with his wife cllnSlnG
TO hun his eyes eXhIbited sense OF dahyfI
as he looked in the direction where sat men
who had Interested themselves IN MS prOsecu-
ton.
When the Sheriff aud his determined depu-
ties, assisted by Colonel Thompson ana 4 rev
citizens nad restored order, and the Judge 5
gavel could once more be heard, he proceeded
10 express his opinion OF the outrage that had
Just been peFpeUated, and announced tnat ne
should stop AL proceedings until peace had
been completely restored.
James s. LEVEL, the man who had denied
that such Il stimUny had been introduced, was
called before his honor, ana was required To
give bonds ;or Sl,O0J eacn, one TO keep the
peace. and one TO answer any Indictment mat
mil ~ TOO round against him.
AuGy Mersnan was brought up and SEN
fenced TO cUniacme II in the Jall Tor twenty
four hours and the payment OF Il me OF thlrty
dollars. hen farming To tue clerk, the Judge
directed an urUer to be entered requiring the
Sheriff 10 summon q G4and Jdly at once
When these III ings were done. senator ' or
hees arose to eXpia to the Coutt that be al
not intenGed TO raise disturbance Dy Bis re-
mark, while. after an earnest conversation
between the senator and Mr.. Btouston, the
gentlemen agreed thai their remarks maj
been the result of a IN Sund Restraining. Inc
ju V and the pr sOner were then ordered 10 De
brought mo urt and the trial 10 proceed.
Arnold came out with MS wife claSpeu about
bis neck, and when he took his place beside
his counsel She sar upon his knee, retus-
ing to BE- separate from him, aud looking
defiance al amy and all that should attempt
the separation.
II was picture worth the study of an artist
and the brush of a Reynolds or a Hogarth.
The trinl went on, but the noise among those
remaining in the hall being still great the
Judge directed the courtroom to be cleared,
and suspended proceedings until his order was
fully obeyed.
Then Mr.. Bronston went On with his argu-
ment as if nothing had happened, If any thing
he was a tribe more serene, and with dark
ness settling down upon the world, by the
light Of one small coal oil lamp upon the
h.