The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-03-11
IvNlCHHuRa.

r.vpRrrf. CONSPIRACY cAsnmn hosr RE-
THE on ~ =, = TRIAL DLAtKNAILISo YOUNG
has n"now.xcy. TRAGEDY, AND cupIDr-
r~'nr Atm on ANoJHea OLD oiIIhEN'
...no.aeuce OF the REhmond DispatchI
iC'rssp0'''e MARCH 10, 1880.
H.. "a, NJ one OF the most extraordina-
luz . vi, hot ever occupied Virginia court
~ case sn, non In Campbell County Court
' mas vyJ Judge Mcdaniel presiding. IL
y'saown "a the Mitchell conspiracy or ex-
.sr,ion ease. II has ALREADY resulted In one
.u.a,v and Il the cause OF much feeling
md exc,lcment Most OF tue prominent
members Of the bar Of the city ana county
are engaged In It. H. .o ,,a ,.o,.
The circumstances Of the case had their
ORIGIN ne far back as 1873. Inc principals
n the case are Jesse Il. Mitcnell ana MISS
Lizzie May Robinson -Doth persons OF
good family-with SEVERN conIcue.ates Vi
Mitchell implicated. MicheIi seeuls 10 nave
acquired some extraordinary ihhuepce over
or inspired some sort OF dreau vi lear III
~ o. ." ,vb;ob enabled him TO command her
nbadence and extort from her money and
vsInahles amounting to about $4,000. In
1874 her brother, who resided in Texas,
cane IN IN her defence. which resulted in
hIoodv collision between Mitchell and him
selr Robinson being killed and Mitchell
barely escaping with his life.
After the Ianse OF some time (Miss Robin
sons father and mother botn having dled)
Mitchell renewed his prosecutions, ana
finally coaded the young lady 10 desPera-
tjon. and she determined TO seek the protec-
tion of the law hence the proceedings.
The testimony Of Miss Robinson was
taken Yesterday, and occupied nearly the
entire day. The following is summary
Of the leading points OF her evidence:
THE YOUNG LADY's TESTIMONY.
Having recited several preliminary steps
In Mitchelps proceedings. she said:
met him after The fall interview and be.
fore he killed my brother, once in the road
at the gate half mile from my house. !
had no appointment with him. He handed
me piece OF paper on which was written
my confession of his charges, and he told
me should sign il. told him twas lie,
and would never sign that paper. lie told
me that well knew that be could prove the
facts; that the witnesses were alive and wait
ing for his word. lie told me it wouldn't
do any harm for me to write IL; that Mr.
Walton was at certain place, and he could
prove all those charges before him by The
witnesses, aud knew my fate. He laughed
sneerIug laugh, and put the paper back In
bis pocket. lie said il i did sign the paper
| il would only put il of little until he
could find il | continued 10 receive these
| letters Of my brother. and those visits OF
Booker Smith. II didn't sign, Swould
see Mr.. Walton that night, and have me
arrested | copied and signed the paper.
| | begged him to spare me that for
nv fathers sake, but he told me should
sign IT, and said, Damn your father,
be ought TO have interfered when he
NIitchelD was ordered out OF the house.
| lie tod me that il ! never receive any
more letters, or Booker Smiths visits. he
would give me the paper back. He said
| il anything should happen TO him be bad
papers preserved in Lynchburg that would
damn me. | signed The paper because ]
was afraid not to do so. ] wrote to my
brother then what was charged with, and
| how bad been treated. | teegraphed for
my brother shortly after. He came the last
day Of March, and was shot the first day OF
| April. Mr. Glass brought me note from
Michel when / came back from Halifax.
| The note Is burned; it ran about thus ::
"You are aware that the rascal is not
dead that you so lately inquired after, and
sent your brother 10 do the deed. You
know you are completely in my power,
Il
YOU 10 pay me $500 down and your bond for
81 900, and will shut the matter up Tor TO
that eiIecD. The bond was written out and
in The letter. copied the bond and signed
| it and gave it to Mr.. Glass. sent Mr.. Mitch
ell word | would give him the $500 next
week. expected to get some money from
Texas. Mr.. Glass told me that the best thing
could do was 10 send the bond and money.
He also told me that he was witness
| to a charge brought against me by
| Mitchell, and be would advise me TO
send the money and bond. Glass
came for Tho money the following
Sunday. did not have the money. | NJ
forwards got note from Mr.. Mitchell ask
| ing for the money. The note is burned,
but it said Mr.. Glass wouldn't come to me
for the money any more, but | must 60 to
GLASS; house the following Saturday be-
tween O'Clock and night and sign another
bond; that the one had sent was not sat
isfactorv. went. ] saw the family. Mr..
Glass came shortly after. He told me that
he had The bond for me to sign. Ii was for
g, 300 or $1,000, forget which. Mr.. Glass
told me THAT this bond was necessary be-
cause had failed to pay the $500.
Mr.. Glass witnessed he bond. The
next time | heard from Mitchell he
| WrOie me III Tue 1ill OF 1910 IuaJ lie
was in need OF $500: that l must send it
10 him, and that ! must secure the bond.
always destroyed the notes as soon as pos
sible. | wrote him had no money in the
world and no means Of securing The bond.
next heard from him in a note by Mary
| WImbish early in the winter. II demanded
NY watch. 1t stated that il | would send
the watch it would show willing mind to
do something. | had written him, when
he wrote for money, that | had nothing
but the watch. | begged him not to take
the watch; that it was OF no value TO him,
and priced it very highly. | sent him the
watch by Mary Wimbish in box.
She next testified 10 surrendcrng to
Mitchell, on his demand. certificate Of de-
post in Lynchburg bank for $500, which
was collected by him; that she gave up the
same because she was afraid not to; that she
never owed the accused anything in her
life.
The prosecution announced that they
were through with the witness, and the
court adjourned until this morning.
Mr.. George NJ. Bruce. another old and
valued citizen, died to-day. TELEPHONE.