Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-02-06
THE WIFE-POlSONER.
MRS. e,rTKAN TesrIFIes TO THEAT.
rEMpTs or HER HUSBAND.
He Makes No Dsfssss and 10 ceonssfsd
fer Triai-rhs Nssds Of the csnssAi
Lonstic Asyium-The Courts.
rcorrs.poudapce q ths RIchmond plspsleh.l

Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispstch-l
PxrxRsBuso, VA. February 6.--Auen
Fittkan, Of Dinwiddie. county. who
was arrested here yesterday afternoon,
charged with attempted wife-poisoning.
was taken early yesterday morning TO the
residence of Justice Gerow, Of that county,
for preliminary examination. High Con-
stable Perkinson. Of this city, who made
the arrest Yesterday, had him in charge.
His wife was the only witness who APP
peared against him, and she testined 70
the facts as stated in to-dsy's DrsPArcHE
namely, that her husband, on the nignt OF
February let. in her bedroom. went 70 n,s
trunk. took ont bottle which containe1
chloroform. and attempted TO force the
contents down her throat. She managed
TO repulse him. She stated that he Was az
extremely Jealous man and recently nau
been very morbid.
NO Defence
Fittkan. who was present during n,i
wife's testimony, made no defence. bsi
was offered, but Magistrate. Geroow oe-
cliped TO entertain the motion. ne was
brought back to the city this AFTERNOON
and recommitted to the jail here. IneIe
Is considerable doubt expressed mere % 70
the mental tdulty VI tuc }oWhS
~ typical German in appearance Ia,nei
tall and stout. with blonde moustaohe'
UNLIKE AN ASSASSIN.
His clothes are good and his manners are
pleasant. He 10 the exact opposite OF
man who might be supposed TO be guilty
OF so cold-blooded an effort to commit
crime. He has been in the county Ior
eight wears. He evidently appears 10 DE
without friends in the city, and none OF nis
acouaintances in the county have yet peen
heard from. His wife, who is only pfloe
of three months. was brought 70 Magis-
trate Gerow's house by her father.
THE CENTRAL IssASE ASYLUM.
The committees of the Senate and
House of Delegstes, during thelr Vlsis 70
the Central Insane Asylum YESTERDAY
heard statements from Dr. hanoo,Ph
| Barksdale, the superintendent, anu ail;
Robert Gillian. a member of the Board or
Visitors. IN relation to the needs OF the
institution. The asylum now accommo-
| dates 100 patients (many OF whom are yio-
| lent and require cells, and is taxed to Its
utmost capacity. The gentlemen made an
urgent appeal for an addition 10
| the asylum for the accommodation
of the coored insane, OF whom theie
are now seventy-fve in the Jalis OF tne
State. The increase Of insanity aInong
tins class of people IS said TO be largely on
| the increase and the applications Tor al
mission to the asylum average SIX per
| week. or over 800 year. Dr. Banks
dale thought it a matter OF economy
| 10 the State to build large ADDITION al
| once. so as to keep the jails free OF insane
persons for some years. Mr. Gillian
| Thought that IN view of tho settlement OF
| the State debt an appropriation OF Slo,oVo
| for additional wards would serve tempo,
rary purposes. The committees seemed
disposed to recommend this special appro,,
priation. and no doubt, under such special
emergency, it will be made by the General
Assembly.
The State now receives an annual rentai
of some $500 or 800 from the Petersburg
| Granite Ouarrving Company for privileges
leased ON the asylum grounds.
CIRCUIT COURT
The Circuit Court met this morning,
Judge b. A. Hancock presiding. MIR;
Philip b. Shields, of Richmond, gualinedi
10 practice law before this court. The civil
suit of o. j. Taylor Us. +. IL. Williamson
Tor $4,000 for defamation OF character
was called. and on motion was continued
until the 18th instant.
PERSONAL.
Colonel Joseph p. Minetree, OF Atlanta,
is in the city. .p
Colonel Edward @. Dromgoole, OF Bruins
wick county, is here ON professional pusi-
ness. NJ.