Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-09-03
An Exciting Scene in a Court Room.
LoUpv1LrE, KY, August 2s.

gives the following ac-
count of rather startling episode in
the trial of James Ii. Arnold for the
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.. @. j. Brons-
ton, the Commemorative Attorney, rose to
close the argument of the prosecution and re-
view the facts in the case, and lay before the
Jury the law and the facts bereft of the Orna-
in which skillful counsel had cloth.
ed them. At the outset he explained that he
was simply disoharging his duty; that he rep
resented the prisoner as much as the Common.
wealth, and that he intended to discharge that
duty honestly and fearlessly. Pausing for a
he said, in measured accents:
"Gentlemen of the jury, you do not know
as well as 1 do the difficulties with which /
must contend, nor the danger | am in; but, so
help me God, will try to discharge my Obli-
CATION to myself, to the Commonwealth and
TO my oath by doing my duty as an honest
man"
He had Just concluded his enumeration of
the wounds in Littles fragile body, and had
dropped from his hand the overCoat with the
aid OF which he had shown the jury how the
fatal deed was accomplished, when senator
voorhees,, Colonel Bradley and Colonel ThOmp-
son, counsel for the defense who had retired
after the speech of the senator, re-entered the
room and took their seats within the bar. In
that moment Mr.. Bronston, who had elected TO
call things BY their English names, spoke in
vigorous language of the forgery which Little
had denouncc d to Arnold's face. Quoting the
words of Little he exclaimed:
" IL is n tOrgeryl
Senator Voorhees, arose from his seat and
interrupted, saying:
"May it please the Court, no such testi-
mony as that has been introduced in this
case, and | denounce the statement as un-
true" There had been, God knows, plenty
of excitement in that densely crowded house
all day. There were men there who believed
Arnold ought to hang and others who be
heved he ought to be acquitted; men with
convictions born of personal feeling, rather
than the mature result of a careful weighing
of the testimony. Such men were the COM
bustible material which only needed a spark
to set fire to and become blazing, riotous
mob. This spark was, unintentionally no
doubt furnished by Senator voorhees,.
Thinking that our civilization was not on
trial, but was assured and based upon the
bowling of all heads TO the imperial mandates
of the law peacefully administered, he fired
up at what he thought was an overwrOught
statement by the Prosecuting Attorney, and
denounced it as untrue. There was a buzz
of excitement and mems voices began to
hum. Mr.. Bronson, turning to the Senator,
said, earnestly and emphatcaly, that =" there
was such evidence, and his statement was
true" The buzz of voices became louder, and
wOnr,n's faces began to pale.
Again the Senator said it was untrue, and
agan the attorney asseveIated the truthfulncss
Of mis- statement. A third time the Senator
said
~ say it is not true"
Then Mr.. Bronston said in reply: az say it
is true"
A man named J. T. Leven who was sitting
upon the lower step of the Judges stand, a
friend of the prisoner, James II. 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 imm ediately in
side the bar, shouted, with an oath, that II was
q lie.
Immediately following that came woman's
scream, and then ensued a scene of cOnfuoiOn
and riotous disorder almost impossible TO por-
tray. How IL was accomplished | know not,
but the vast audience of women got out of
that house in quicker time than it takes me to
tell IL. Men and women went tumhlng over
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, and,
when the danger of bloOdshed seemed most
imminent, there was a crowd of men covered
in the far end of the hall, who dared not APP
proach the door for fear of stopping eccentric
bullets.
A brother of tho prisoner had run up to MIR.
Bronston, the Prosecuting Attorney, and
pointing pistol ut his bosom, exclaimed, with
"Tve got you nowr'
Before he could fire, the pistol not having
been cooked when pretented some by-standeI
grasped the weapon and turned its muzzle
aside. Mr. Bronston backed to the Judges
stand, and cried:
"Give me a pistol; give me a pistol, some
bOdyl Don't you see that man Is trying tC
Judge b. F. Buckncr, the new Circuit Judge
was on his feet taking in this scene with MS
eagle eye. Quietly and decisively he gave his
commands to the officers, who, numerous a;
they were, were almost pOwerlesS to contro
thar vast and raging throng. Beholding the
man with the pistol, he shouted;
" Mr.. Sheriff, disarm that man.
The sheriff had already his nands full guard
ing the prisoner and attending to the jury,
and the order not being obe, ell instantly nc
called TO the clerk and byStanderS 10 at once
disarm the man, who was struggling TO holu
on to his weapon. -
Deputy sheriff of Fayette, who took hanC
instantly in assisting TO make tne arrest
while Slew Baldwin, tue Circuit Clerk, clear
| ing tables and chairs, succeeded in getllne
hold of the uplifted pistol and Wrencnlng II
from the mans grasp. On the instant he wa'
! ordered to prison. -.
! what was he doing. lie mad once during the
| day showed signs of emotion, ana aC the cloS'
of Mr.. Thompson's appeal in his oenall mal'
| an effort 70 repress rising tears. bus DraN'
little wife sat by his side all day, getting close
| to him as the time approached Tor them U
| separate. 1t was now near SIX CLOCK. IN IN
| instant the cry wBs raised and the peacetu
audience appeared to have been converted lnt'
II mob, TO her witely fears it BODIED no good u
| her husband, and she exclaimed ON, my Goa
my darling!" and nlnglng her arms ABOUT III
neck she bore him down 10 the hoor AT the en-
| of the table at which he had been sitllng
Then strong men seized the prisoner an
which the palladium of our liberty had alreuu
! been placed for protection: some one tol
him 10 jump from the window. The Sherll
seized him by the shoulder, and the door
| the iury-room was instantly closed upon mn
and his wife. Was he in danger, and d1d h
fear it2 He was and he did. More hands wer
| placed upon pistols than that OF Arnold
brother, and as James ii. Arnold backed roun
to his place of refuge, with his wire cnn8ln
to him his eyes exhibited sense OF DANCE
as he looked in the direction where sat mel
who had interested themselves in his prosecu
| ton.
When the Sheriff and his determined depu
] h.r1 VhprunGpn and "A
| citizens had restored order, and the Judge
| gavel could once more be heard, he proceede
to express his opinion of the outrage that ma
| Just been perpetrated, and announced tnat n
! should stop all proceedings until peace ha
! been completely restored.
james 5. LEVEL, the man who had denie
| that such testimony had been introduced, wa
called before his Honor, and was required I
| give bonds for Sl,OOO each, one 10 keep Tn
! peace, and one TO answer any indlctment tina
| might be found against him.
Andy Mershan was brought up and ser
/ fenced to cOntineme n in the jail Tor twenty
! four hours and the payment of hne or thlrt
dollars. Then turning to the clerk, the Judg
directed an order to be entered requiring tn
Sheriff to summon a Grand Jury at once
| When these things were done, Senator No0I
hees arose TO explain to the Court that he ha
not Intended to raise a disturbance by his r,
mark, while, after an earnest cOnVersailo
between the Senator and Mr.. Bronston, IN
gentlemen agreed that their remarks ma ma
been the result of a misunderstanding; IN
| jury and the prisoner were then ordered 70
brought into court and the trial to proceed
Arnold came out with his vile clasped abou
his neck, and when he took his place besid
| his counsel she sat upon his knee, refus
ing to be separated from him, 9Ad loOkin
defiance at any and ali that shouu attemp
the separation.
II was picture worth the study of an artis
and the brush of a Reynolds or a Hogartl
The trial went on, but the noise among thos
remaining in the hall being still great, th
Judge directed the courtroom to be cleare,
and suspended proceedings until his order wa
fully obeyed.
Then Mr.. Bronston went on with his argJ
ment as if nothing had happened, If anythln
he was trite more serene, and, with darl
ness settling down upon the world, by tn
| light of one small coal oil lamp upon IN
Judges desk, that cast its weird rays upon tn
legal tragedy, the prosecutor concluded hi
argument, and the jury retired with the pi
pers TO consider their verdict.
LArER-" NOT GUILTY."
The trial closed with a verdict of enc
guilty" The killing occurred ON the l8t
| OF December at Richmond, where bot
men were prominent and respectable cit
zens. The mother of their wives had died
few months previously, leaving an estate q
S50,00O, with Little as executor The aS
ministration Of the estate led TO personal il
feeling between the two men, whose wivC
were TO share 1t equally, and on the mOrnin
named Arnold went 10 Little's Office, and, /
the absence of any witnesses shot him deaC
l Ia I..E....