The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-26
UNITED States courts
Cases Called Before the District and
Circuit Judges.
THE FAMOUS DICKINSON CASE
Plaintiff Went on the Stand and Told In
a Dramatic Way the History OF Her
Confinement in Dauvillo Asylum.
District Court Cases.

Judge BuffnSton ana Judge AcneSOn
went on the bench and opened the
March terms of the United States dis
trict and circuit courts.
After the preliminaries of opening
court and hearing motions had been
disposed of Judge Acheson retired to
the marshars office in the rear OF the
court room to hold the circuit court.
That was not large enough and through
the courtesy of Judge Archibald court
room No. in the county court house
was placed at the disposal of Judge
Acheson. In the afternoon the circuit
court was moved over to that room.
The action brought by Miss Anna f.
Dickinson against John Courtright,
George b. Thompson, Allen Eggleston.
John S. Heilman, Gideon Underwood
and Henry Dryden was the first to en-
gage the attention of the court. The
defendant, who has q national reputa-
ton as an author. public speaker and
actress, claims $50.000 damages for in
jury to her health and indignites suf-
fered by her in consequence of her in
generation in the Danville Insane asy-
lum.
Opening the Case.
Miss Dickinson was in court and sat
with her attorneys, w. S. Mclean, of
Wilkes-Barre, and Judge Daley, of the
firm Daley, Bell & Cisne. of New York
city. Attorneys Warren, of Scranton;
w. j, Hibbs, George S. Ferris and j. n.
Anderson, Of Pittston, represented the
defendants. 1t was after o'clock
yesterday afternoon when Mr. Mclean
10 hA Il. l,n
for the plaintiff. His client, he said.
sues to recover $50, 900. I've other cases
growing out of the same transaction
are pending; one is against DR.. Ogles-
by, Of Danviile, for $4,000, and the
other against DR.. Underwood. of Pitts
ton, for $4,000 for falsely certifying to
her mental condition.
Mr.. Mclean said that on February
%, 1891, six men entered Miss Dickin-
sons room at West Pittston, forced an
entrance therein, assaulted her, carried
her out by force. without suitable
clothing, and conveyed her in carriage
to the train. She was taken to the Dan
vile State hospital for the insane,
where she was confined for five weeks.
For the Illegal, and as they proposed to
show, unwarranted restraint placed
upon Miss Dickinson and for the evils
that followed her Incarceration they
expected commensurate damages from
the jury.
The plaintiff, Miss Dickinson, was the
first witness called. Her direct exam
ination was conducted by Judge Daley.
The little room was crowded with men,
bers OF the bar who were filed with adj
miration for the brilliant woman who
told her story with an elegance of die
tion and dramatic force that had never
been equalled by a witness in that
building. IN language beautiful but
concise and explicit she detailed her ex-
perence from the time she was taken
from her home in West Pittston, on
| Feb. %, 1891, until her release from Dan
| vile asylum, five weeks and one day
later. 1t was an affecting story, and
| was impressed on the minds of those
who heard it by the bearing and grace
| full gestures OF those who heard her.
At 5 O'Clock the direct examination was
completed, and court adjoined for the
| day At 10 o'clock this morning Ma
jor Warren will begin Miss Dickinson S
cross examination.
In the District Court.
| After court had formally opened yes
| terday morning the grand jurors were
called and sworn and Judge Burlington
then selected Captain II. H. Cum
mings, department commander of the
| Grand Army of the Republic, as fore
man of the jury. The judge then
charged the jurors as to their duties
and obligations, after which they re-
tired to pass upon the cases awaiting
hearing before them. Up to O'Clock
last evening, when the jury completed
its labors for the day, the following
true bills had been found and reported
| to the court: Robert Ross, taking n
letter from a postoffice and embezzling
contents; Frank Smith and Joseph
Soran, having in possession and at
tempting to pass counterfeit coin,
three indictments; John A. Truxell,
embezzling funds of the United States
as postmaster; Wilson Forrey, passing
counterfeit money; Nell Frink, sending
obscene letters through the mails; John
Zimmerman, having In his possession
| a. die, hub and mould with intent to
manufacture counterfeit coin; John
Myers and Abel Myers, breaking into
a postofiice; Wilson Forrey, attempting
to pass counterfeit money. Assistant
District Attorney George w. Warzell
presents the cases to the grand Jurors.
John a. TruXell, ex-postmaster at
Portage, Cambria county, was the first
person arraigned for trial In the United
States District court before Judge Buff
fngton. Mr.. Truxell Is charged with
being short $370.66 in his money order
account with the government. S. 7.
Hooton, postoffice inspector, testified to
the shortage and produced q certificate
from the auditors office in Washington
showing the shortage. 1t was Offered
in evidence and the government rested
Only One Witness for Defense.
Only one witness, John B. Kephardt
was called by the defense. and he testi-
fed to the ex-postmaster's honesty and
good character. The case was given
to the jury without argument by coun.
sci and the jurors returned verde,
Of guilty without leaving the box. The
defendant was represented by Attorney
Gates Reynolds, of Kittanning, Arm.
strong county, and Assistant District
Attorney Samuel Il. Grifiiths appeared
for the government.
In the next case called Robert Ross
colored man. was the defendant. He
had no one to defend him, and Judge
Burlington directed Attorney II. C
Reynolds, to do what he could to saw,
the colored gentleman from Jail. Or
Oct. 26 last 1t Is alleged that the defend
N
vile. Fayette county, and obtained 6
registered letter addressed to Rober
John Ross, a white man. The Letter
was sent by the latter's father. VIII
lam Ross, OF Pittsburg, and contained
$40. The witnesses called by the gov
ernment were Miss Edith Hiatt, clerl
in the postofflce at Connellsville; Harr,
Mariatte. postmaster of the sam,