Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-10-15

In shooting In the orchard Coyner would
throw his hat on the ground, run his
hands through his hair and stoop down
{ and say "look there and shoot. Witness
opinion Of prisoner was that he was crazy.
Coyner was recognized by the neighbor-
hood as iunatic. Montezuma Brown
one day asked witness ''Where that luna
! tic Stuart Coyner wasp
W. II. Baily.-Was applied to by pris-
oner for loan Of money to go West, say
ing that his head was all wrong and If he
staid here he would be put in the Asylum,
but he thought if he could get out West
he would wear it off and get straight. Wit
ness was struck by his manner. as that OF
a man whose mind was not right. So told
! his wife when he got home.
Mrs. Dickinson had worked for Coyner
| for week up to the day he killed Brown.
On that day he looked wild. ''ran every
step'' about the lot, wouldn't answer her
j wAea she spoke to him, and finally went
to The stable threw the saddle on the
horse and rode off. Witness was convinc-
I ed from that weeks experience that he
was insane.
Evslaac Ayers, (col. )-Knew prisoner for
IL or 10 years. Was his neighbor. :, He
| employee her some, but she got so afraid
of his insane looks and words that she left
and went home. That was last fall.
James White. (col.)-Had staid at Coy
ner's house nearly 10 years. Marked
change In Coyner took place after he came
back from the University of Virginia.
Said she could whip the devil, and God
Almighty was afraid of him." Kept that
up till he went West. Would shoot at his
cattle. Was worse when he came from
the West than before.
Absaloma Koiner. Prisoner was raised
in his neighborhood. Saw him after his
miles with him; saw from his conversation
that he was demented, and witness was
glad when the interview ended.
| John Key.-Saw prisoner jumping and
dodging about in his orchard in strange
way; also talking in wild incoherent
way.
Daoid KelLer.--Knew prisoner since he
was six years old The night Coyner got
back from the West he. got off train and
| went home. He was much excited and
said: Il have had a worse time than
either Sam or Bill Coyner ever had. y
(These were his two crazy uncles.)
Witness said next morning to rs mother
that he thought he was crazy. q. said he
didn't believe there was any hereafter; If
there was, God ought to have written 1t
on the face of the sun and MOON" G..
asked his mother, Nv hat in the h she
brought him into the world halfway
for ?" Witness saw Coyner on the morn
ing of the day of the killing. He was
worse then than he had ever seen him.
Witness that day went home to his ia
theirs, having left Stuart Coyner's farm
because he feared danger. Thought any.
body who was on that farm would be in
danger. Had heard Ccyner say he didn't
intend to bother MonteZuma Brown. but
if Brown bothered him, he might kill him.
Made same remark about Buck Bell.
Riding to town the morning of the killing
with Coyner, Coyner told him Brown had
shot at him the night before In the
orchard, and that "Brown had whetted it
up to the last point and he couldn't stand
it any longer" Witness was afraid q.
might kill Brown. Coyner, on that ride,
told witness that he lad pistol with
him. Had heard prisoner say, II might
kill my mother. "
Thomas Salisbury, (colored) .-Worked
on the farm; Coyner bothered him in his
work. Witness told him that he was work.
ing for his mother, Mrs. Coyner, and not
for him. Prisoner said that this would not
do; that he (prisoner) was Jesus of Par
nassus around here" Montezuma Brown
had warned witness about going to Coy
ner's farm to work, telling him G. might
shoot him. When the prisoner would hear
it thunder he would tell witness it was
"Jupiter g chariot wheels rolling over the
rocks" Coyner talker wildly about people
here looking down on him. Witness saw
Conner shoot bull in the field twice
without reason. He told witness Monte
yuma Brown was talking about him.
David Keller-Recalled. Was going to
the fair grounds, day of killing about
o'clock, but heard of the killing and didn' t
go.
H. G. Tsns1ey.-Testi6ed that as Jour
nalist he went to see CoYner in Jail on the
night of the killing. Found him in man
ner, conversation and appearance luna
tic, and with that peculiar look from the
eyes which accompanies insanity and can.
his insanity.
DIR. j. st, P. Gibson.-V Visited Coyner
in Jail day after killing. Saw him for a
half an hour, just before he was sent off to
Richmond. He showed all the symptoms
of insanity. Talked incoherently, flew
from subject to subject. Asked witness
if he could scrack his nose" Witness
thinks his acts and appearance were those
of an insane man. There was nothing in
his conduct that suggested to my mind
that he was Stimulating.
Root. Kerse, an officer Of the Richmond
Jail. Prisoner was there five months
Day after he got there, two doctors (Drs
Beale and Cabell) were brought to exam
inc him without C's knowing it. The TWO
agreed that he was Insane. Coyner spent
most of the time in jail yard talking to
himself. He was watched from an upper
window without his knowing it and al
ways appeared to be the same. Was con-
| WINGED that he was insane. Witness had
seen good deal of lunatics in the Jail and
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