The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-06-01
RlDDlCK INSANE
WHEN AT COLLEGE
Testimony Of Three Of His
Former Room Mates.
CURSED HIS SAVIOUR.
Boys Regarded Him as Crazy, But of
Harmless Kind.
GENTLE WHEN IN RIGHT MIND.
His Presiding Elder, DIR. r. III. Camp
bell, Did Not Regard Him as IN
sane, But as 4 Very Strange
and Moody Man Jury
Expected TO Declare
Hin Insane.
GENTLE WHEN IN RIGHT MIND.
"a staff corresoondeno-


LAvRENcEvILLE, VA, May 81
Special.-The defence of the Rev. Roane
Riddick was materially strengthened TO-
day by the testimony of three OF his Tor
mer college and room mates.
There were several persons who hereto
fore have been predicting verdict OF
murder in the first degree who tonight
say the jury will declare that the
preacher was insane at the time he shol
Dr. Temple.
Tie star witnesses were b. ii. Moss a
prominent lawyer and member Of the
South Carolina Legislature; 7. c. Dun
can. the president and treasurer of the
Union Cotton Mills, the largest in the
world under one roof at Union. S. G.,
and Professor S. NJ. Rice, a prominent
educator in the Palmetto State.
They are highly educated men anu
made splendid witnesses
RIDDICK AT COLLEGE.
These gentlemen told of many instances
when Riddick while a. college, gave un-
mistakable evidences that he was al
times mentally unba 'anced- He had fre-
ouent spells of melancholia, and all the
boys regarded him as crazy. but looked
upon his arrangement as oil a haftniesS
character.
that Riddick when at college and in one
of his strange moods was profane and
bfasphemous to a degree hardy ever sur
passed. Mr.. Duncan said the prisoner
was the only person he had ever heard
use blasphemy toward his Saviour Ihey
all stated that when not in one OF these
strange nioeds Riddick was as gentle ana
loveaiyle as he could be
It seems RidiiclS at that time imagined
that some aged ladies' in Virginia We're
praying that he should become a preach-
er Tnen il was that he would rave
and curse. because, as he said, these
prayers brought a supernatural power
to operate upon him
HIS PRESIDING ELDER.
Presiding Elder 7. II. Campbell did not
regard Riddici as insane, but looked upon
him as morbid and very queer man.
DIR. Campbell said the accused in recent
years was often unable 10 recall even
the text of a sermon an hour after
preaching 1T.
Mr.. ana Mrs e. e. Nunnally, of Reams'
Station. told of many strange things
Riddicl did while a pastor in the Din
widdie circuit
The trial drags along slowly. Counsel
are contestfng every little point. Often
the lawyers have three or four legal dis
putes in the space of an hour
Colonel lIasl5ins. who has remained
silent until to-day, did much of the talk
ing for the defence, and he delivered
forcefui manner.
The trial will probably not emu before
the middle of next week.
PROGRESS OF TRIAL.
Interest in the trial is increasing. The
crowd in attendance was larger to-day
than on yesterday or Tuesday. Every seat
IN the courtroom was occupied. ana the
doors had 20 be closed at 10 O'Clock. The
trial is telling upon the prisoner He has
10 sit six hours in the courtroom every
DAY. and seldom can he distinguish a word
said by the lawyers; he does not hear
the witnesses at all. This morning he
presented the appearance of having spent
q restless night
Mr.. Buford stated that he had neglected
YESTERDAY TO offer as evidence the dying
declaration of DR. Temple. He asked TO
be allowed to INTRODUCES as a witness the
justice who took the statement. The de-
fence objected Mr.. Davis said he under
stood the Commonwealth had closed its
case The prisoner vas prepared 10 de-
fend himself lipon. the evidence already
presented by the Commonwealth, and 1t
would he unjust and improper to allow
the prosecution 10 come in now and offer
new evidence. The jury was sent out
while the lawyers for the Commonwealth
argued the point as TO the admissibility
of this evidence
POST NoRTnAr STATEMENT
Counsel FOR AR. Riddick simply objected
TO the admission of the paper as Illegal
and improper TO be introduced at this
tir,,s They did not argue the matter. The
court decided that the paper could be ad-
,nitted as evidence. The statement was as
follows: w H Temple. on oath, testities
as follows:
went 20 see Mrs. Eiddick Wednesday
night. She was about TO be confined. l
tola them-Atr Ri6dick and wife--l had
examined her and did not think ii was
necessary for me to stay. and told them
10 let me know When she needed me. l
did not hear anything more from it until
tsis morning Mr.. Ri6dicll came here this
morning about lialf-past six O'Clock, He
knocked at the front door. / opened the
15npr before / finished dressing. He did
no. speak to me. hut drew his pistol and
had mo way 10 defend myself. ran out
the sl.sct WAY and he ran after me and
got in close RANGE ana si1ot me ienr lflles. mes
I know of no cause why he should have
Shot mS / han neglected some of my
practice. expecting 10 hear from him.
March II. 1900 W a. IAEPLEi.
HOW MADE.
BEFORE the ,ury was brought in. Justice
c. II. Harris was called 10 identity. the
naper. which he tiid. Dr. r. S. Powell was
examined as to Or. Temple eohdl1ion al
the lime the statement was dictated to the
Justice DR. Powell said he reached DR..
Temple about twenty minutes after the
latter was shot. DR.. Temple told him "he
VAS done for and had witness to write
his wili lie Vas prefectiy conscious at
the time and realized the seriousness Of
his condition.
DIR. paweli said Mr.. Riddici stopped by
his house after shooting DR.. Temple. Rid
dick said 10 witness:
u nave put four bullets into DR.. Tenn
Pile: wish you would 90 up there and
stop the blood. have yindicated my
fasnuy, ana don't care now If the Doctor
gets we'll
a,ae gsnuineness of the paper and DR..
Temples condition at TIE time the de-
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