Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-17
A ROW IN COURT
oveR THE TOMB OF MARY THE
MOTHER OF WASHINGTON.
A Rattan Cane and an Inkssand-Law
yers Fined-A Big Excitement
In Fredcricksburg.
especial telegram to tho pisps.ch.l

IN kFeueffcksDurR.
rspccini telegram to the Dispssch.l
FREDERICKSBURG. Va. January 16.-The
.b;-d davis proceedings OF the libel-suit
sase in reference TO thu Mary Washington
,aonrment began this morning at 10
n,clock. and IL has been the most exciting
day ever witnessed in the courts OF this
CITY. The proceedings resulted in blows
being passed by the opposing counsel. a
&c was imposed and the parties placed
under bonu' nv II III.
lev who was on the stand yesterday when
The court adjourned, was recalled, and be-
| fore the cross-examination began stated TO
| tbe Court that he had on yesterday been
grossly insulted by Mr.. Fitzhugh, the de-
| fendant's counsel. and would like to know
n there was any protection for him 10y the
Court. and II so he wanted it, otherwise he
would protect himself.
UNDER BOND.
Atthis remark Judge Mclaughlin ordered
| him 20 be placed under bond. The cross
| examination. was then proceeded with,
which was exceedingly rigid, during which
the respective counsel several times IN
dulged in little epithets which caused some
| LITTLE excitement. and which was the be-
ginning of what turned out TO be few
moments afterwards personal difficulty.
| The witness was on the stand for
more than an hour. At the con-
clusion Of the cross-examination.w when
told TO stand aside. the Judge requested
him 10 wait q few seconds. Judge NC
Iaughlin then, speaking to Dir. fitzhugh,
reouested him to withdraw the offensive
languace used to the witness yesterday
evening, saying that he never had dit1-
Guilty 10 occur in his court and he hoped no
would not in this case and thought TINS
was the place to settle it,
ABATEMENT.
Mr.. Fitzhugh, arising, said he would
| comply with the request of the Court, but
desired TO make statement, and said that
he thought the witness's statement yes
terday justified the assertion, nevertheless
he would withdraw 1t.
The Judge then also withdrew Mr.. klrt-
| ley's bond
Mr.. ]. W. Colbert, member of the firm
OF Colbert & Kirtley, was then placed upon
the stand, where he remained for about an
hour, and he, too, was subjected to very
rigid examination.
THE DIFFICULTY.
II was during the examination OF this
witness that the personal difficulty oc-
curred. which is as follows: Mr.. Colbert
son, one of his counsel, when Mr.. st. George
r.. Fitzhugh, Mr.. Shepherds counsel,
raised poin. Of law in reference TO cues
ton asked by Mr.. Dickinson, and which
was sustained by the Judge. Mr.. Dickinson
then again asked another question which
| MIR. FitZhugh also objected to, when MIR.
| Dickinson, who was sitting on the opposite
side OF the table to Slr. Fitzhugh and Just
in front of the Dispa'ch correspondent,
said: You hold your temper. sir; and II
you cannot, step outside" -.
eyes. replied: ~ don't intend to submit
any longer to your insults, and unless you
/ stop shall thrash YOU
This occasioncd considerable excitement
and number of persons stood up.
Mr.. Dickinson then, with fight on his
countenance, quickly retorted By saying;
"If Won will come outside will mash you
into jelly"
EXCITEMENT.
The excitement at this time was very
high, and both parties arose almost slmul;;
taneously. Mr.. Fitzhugh seizing his small!
rattan cane which was on the table and
striking Mr.. Dickinson across the head.
breaking it into splinters, and he (Dick.
inson) in return throwing an inkstand at
Mr.. Fitzhugh. which filed his face COM
pletely with ink and scattered some on the
! jurors. who began to get out OF the way.
MISSED HIN.
The inkstand, fortunately for Mr.. FitZ-
hugh, missed him and struck the iron rail-
| Jog in front. The belligerents were then
/ seized. several catching Mr.. Fitzhugh and
| the Dispatch correspondent holding Mr..
! Dickinson. Everything was in confusion,
and the Judges orders could not be heard.
A number surged towards the scene,
among whom was Mr.. kirtley. with up
lifted cane. exclaiming, " Let me get at
HIM" Mr.. Shepherd also arose and
started towards Mr. Dickinson, catching
him i'll the collar.
ARRESTED.
By this time Sergeant Edrington had
reached the parties and placed them under
arrest. judge Mclaughlin then fined Mr..
Fitzhugh and Mr.. Dickinson each fifty dol
lars, also binding them over in the sum OF
! 81 coo each to keep ne peace for twelve
m Tbe bonds were Immediately executed
! ex-Iieutenant-Governo John j.. Marye
| becoming the bondsman of Mr.. tltzhugh
and Mr. J. w. Colbert for Mr.. Dickinson. :,
The Judge also placed Mr.. Shepherd and
Mr.. Kirtley under like bond, Mr.. Fitz-
/ hugh being the bondsman of Mr.. Shop
herd and Mr. Colbert Mr.. kirtley's.
THE CASE PROCEEDS.
After quiet had been restored and those
who had been besmeared with ink had
washed themselves the case was proceeded
with by the calling of Mr.. II. Il. Merchant,
of the star. 10 the stapd. He merely testi-
fed as TO his knowledge of the real estate
business hero and its prospect. After this
the plaintiffs rested their case for the pres
ent owing TO witnesses being away VINO
had not arrived.
Mr.. FitZhugh. who agreed to allow the
plaintiffs TO produce their evidence later,
then began evidence for his client by call
ing Dir. Shepherd. the sued party, upon
the stand. Several times during his EVIL
dence some excitement was caused by his
pronouncing the statements made by MIR.
kirtlev Yesterday as being absolutely false
and without a shadow Of truth.
FoUR HOURS.
He was upon the stand nearly four hours
telling his relations with Messrs. Colbert ~
kirtley and how he came to give the al.
legged option. lie denied ever thinking OF
selling tho monument, and said he never
dreamed that such n construction could
be placed upon the matter.
He was rigdly cross-exanlned. At 6
o'clock the court adjourned until to-mor-
row OF 10 O'Clock, Mr.. Shepherd still being
upon the stand. The room was crowded
the entire day and such interest is mani
tested that personal feeling is quite freely
exhibited, and in fact is very plainly shown
By the conversations which occur IN refer
ence to the case on the reetsand in places
of business.
Such a scene az witnessed to-day was
never before known in the courts here and
there is much regret expressed, and 1t il
hoped that the trial will continue without
/ further trouble. although a number OF wit
nesses are yet to be examined and some in
teresting evidence has yet to be brought to
light. The indications are that the case
will reach over into next week.