Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-02-18
A DAY OF ORATORY
Able Arguments in the Ashby
Cease.
COLONEL TABB'S SPEECH
Power full and Pathetic Appeal OF the Vet
teran Attorney in Behalf of Mr..
Ashby. Judge Mann to
Speak Today.

bench yesterday morning and th.a ynfca
of Sheriff CARTS was earrannounrint,
that the proceedings of thu ,iay were
about to begin. the croyyI in the cnurt
room exceeded in numbers thnt ns any
day since the commencement of tha
Ashby trial. The series, Of sensationa-
incidents which almnst from tho vary
hour in which the warrant charrinr
perjury was sworn ont hay,a snrnro
from this reua rka HE ,osa Inv. haS
the effect of stinulatinr an.ficinatior -
the highest pitch. The unlookei fnr
and startling manner. in, which mo ha,r.
ing cam,= to an end asst ,,,nnth tlonht
less ]aft in tho minds IF many tba i'm,
preston that yeste,l%c,v's ,,rocaaSfng.
wouli close with som,z eux.aliv itan1ofi~
event, and hence thxa bright s,,niirht az
the morning had hardly forced i,s yav
through the dust-coyt4re,-i -l,nas ,,f glass
before the benches wers IIed and MON
were standing in the oiSfas "a ,,,lI. dar.
ora ting the crrsted mn ring a. thair 20:
A rom was tied across INA c,,an.s,.
leadin to the bar and other nraCautinns
were taken to keen the specta tors h,nk
1t was generally helieyel, that ~, Iast
.Iay of he trdsl had come ana th,+ tha
speeches which were tu he ,3alivAr.a
would rival in interest the startling dis
closures made by Witnesses M Aehhv
was among the sar,y arrivals and as
he walked into the chamber and tool;
his seat near Colonel Taybb. BETRAYED no
sign wha t,ve-r tina, he was the man upon
whose conduct the twelve Stern. Jurors
in the box We're soon TO mass iude-mant
At the end Of the long ia bic used bv the
LAWYERS, facing Judge Lee sat Mr.
B.ti3g=forth, quietly surveying the scena
within the bar, ana now and then turn
ing towarl' the jury as if to study the
faces of the men composing it and read
their verdict in advance OF its formal
delivery. His features seemed to bright
en- as he looked away-seemed to say
that he had discovered that which sat
isfied him that the wrongs of which he
complained would, be righted. In his
face one NAV asily trace the ,ie-D zines
wrought by the hi. nd OF ca1e-nay see
there the stamp of sorrow, painful I'M
Fortunate persistent, aull. wha t.=yer the.
truth may he, Whatever. the part that
he played years ago in this almost trae-
ic d1a ma there is something in the man
that comma nds respect and touches tn.
chords OF sympathy.
Representative Montague who cam.
from Richmond to raply to statements
made on the witness stand concerning
the advice given by him with 14espect to
the alleged confession Of CANINE, which
Mr.. Bridgefortf desired shouEl h+a sworn
to, was present when court opene-l h
briefly explained his position touching
the matter as Mr. BrI;gefcrth had done
it the day before 1t would be suft-
cient, he thought, to swear that the
confession was g5rsline which he be-
Meve6 that the gentlemen who had tine
paper would do Ct che propel. time. In
this Mr.. Montague is supported by every
lawyer at th.z bar. The reference made
to his moral conduct on ttat occasion
has been sharply commented upon and
unanimously Regulated. HIS privo te
| record is enc Of which he has nor The
least reason to be ashamed.
| AS Mr. Montague resumed his seat
Mr.. Garrett arose The hustle which
for a moment ran through the chamber
ceased The a argument was a,hout m ha
gin ana every man in that crowd with
its scores of ears wid$ open wanted to
hear it. AN through the case Mr.. Gar
| rett had watched counsel on the other
side with q n eye as quick and searching
as that OF an eagle. He had not only
| met their points with Jaw and facts and
| forcefnl argument, but had ably defend
ed those raised in behalf OF the common
wealth. In off-hand speeches he drove
In his legal nails and clincheii' them
we'll. end now he began to sum up the
facts and lay tbeln before the jurors.
| he took up~tte witnesses one by one.
dissected their testimony showed the
| weakness CT that against him ard point
jury should carefully pointer. He spoke
! OF the case in its various phases, ex-
| planned the law in terms which no ms
could misunderstood, painted the crime
| OF perjury in all its enormity, declared
| that Wi:liam H. Brhgeforth had been
robbed by it of home. and wife. pos
sessions and friends, and driven forth
INTO the world without hope for the
future And then he closed with an elo~
quent appear to the Jurors to do his eli
ent 1ustlce. He spoke till the hour for
recess arrives. Mr.. Garrett made fine
IMPRESSION IN upon those who, heard him
Indeed. he has won many plaudits since
the trial began by reason of the celebrity
VIII, VII Mn1oh ne mas mastered puzzling
problems.
w. ro9 ma,, reconSsnsd at 2:So oe:ock and