Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-19
THE CITIES BY THE SEA.
NORFOLK AND PORTSMOUTH.

The Plus Trial Again Pos,poned-T,run'ned
Cut Of Town Robben-rhe REGATTA.
Correspondence ofthe Richmond Dispatch
NoRroLE, August IS, 1885.
The second trial Of nr. j: W: Pitts
in the County Court for the murder OF
DR.. Liltlcton Thomas Walter, on the
Eastern Shore, was to commence to-
day, but in consequence Of the illness
Of Hon. John Neely, one Of the cogn-
sci for the defence, the ease has been
postponed to the third Monday in Sep
tember. There is no new evidence to
introduce, unless Mrs. George Thomas.
an invalid on Tangier island, can be
brought to court, and it is said her evil
dence is very important to the Com
monwealth.
The defence will rely chiefly on the
plea Of insanity, caused by morphia
habit in the accused, and will assert
and attempt to prove that the prisoners
mind was affected by morphia at the
time Of the tragedy, and that he was
not legally or morally responsible for
the deed. Medical gentlemen from
Baltimore will be introduced to prove
that the prisoner has been treated for
the morphia habit at institutions in that
city.
Hon. John Goode, who was the lead
ing counsel for the prosecution, was
not here, and the Commonwealth was
represented by Captain George d. Par
ker, commemorative attorney for the
county, and A. S. Segsr, Esq, Com
monwealth's attorney for Elizabeth
City county, who conducted the prose-
cution at Hampton last fall, when Pitts
received sentence of eighteen years in
the pententiary.
The defence is very able, being con-
Quoted by Hon. John Nelly late Of
Accomack), now Of Norfolk ; James
n. Dennis, Esq, and Colonel Henry
Page, Of Princess Anne county, Nd.
and Upshur Dennis, Esq, of Baltimore.
The prisoner is in splendid condition
and very cheerful. A whole pnngy-
load Of witnesses came over from Tan
gier Island.
George Best, a wood-dealer, of Ports
was robbed Of $l01 this morn
ing. lie made known his loss at the |
police station. and soon after Officer
Cherry arrested the thief, in the person
Of negro named William Gray, on
board the outgoing express Of the Sea-
board and Roanoke railroad, leaving for
rarboro', n. c. The money was re-
covered.
Mrs. Ayrcs, who figured in the Hus-
ings Court in Portsmouth last spring
or cutting Mrs. Thomas, Of that CITY,
With q butchcr-knifc, was. involved in a
treet-fght with an old gentleman of
Norfolk, on upper Church street, last
light. and beat the old man so unmcr-
ifully that the neighbors had
o rescue him frcm her clutches to
ave his life. \ large crowd having
ssembled. calithumpian band was
Iganized, and Mrs. Ayres was tramped
t the head Of a procession through the
uburbs for an hour or more, and then
laced on a street-car and sent out Of
lie neighborhood, with instructions to
tay.
Norfolk and Portsmouth will be rep
esented at the Old Point regatta to-
borrow by crew each.
The Norfolk Gymnasium crew is in
ne ply steal condition, and promises to
i've a good account Of itself. They
ave done good training under Profess
]r =. Gallinan, of Philadelphia. The
-ew is composed as follows Bow.
ichard Fogarty; No. .. Tobias But
r; No. 3, Patrick Shaughncssy;
iroke, James Pierce Coxswain, Ro-
ert Rhea. The Norfoiks will be in the
ur. cared gig crew. !
The ElizabethS, Of Portsmouth, have
ltcred junior crew who have done
leir own training and composed of ex-
'iient material, determined to keep up
le reputation of Portsmouth for good
oating stock. The crew is composed /
the following Bow, John Nolan:
o. 2, Dennis hichaels No. 5, Arthur
lair; Stroke, Thomas Cain. The
will be in the junior four :
lred shell race with the crews from t
etersburg and fredericksburg. and +
ave strong hopes of winning the gold ]
edal prizes. G. ,
: