The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-06-05
Most of the Preachers Neighbors
Thought Him Sane.
CORONER TAYLOR ON THE STAND
Though Summoned by the Prosecution
He Proved Very Good Witness
for the Defence Argument
VIII Consume at Least Two
Days Mr.. Saunders
VIII Open,
lstaff Correspondence.l


I4AWRENCEVILLE VA, June 4-Spe-
s.al.-I'here IS little double in the minds
hof most people that Rev. Koane Riddick
xviii be declared insane. The case may
reach the jury Thursday evening. 1t IS
shought the Commonwealth can get in all
lof its rebuttal testimony tomorrow The
lawyers VIII consumer least two days IN
srguing the case
DR. William H. Taylor, Of Richmond.
who was put on the stand by the prosecu-
iiion, proved a very good witness for the
fcefence. He could not testify as TO Rid
+dick's sanity, or insanity, not having eX-
-samined him nor heard much Of the eNl-
sx5ence; but the Doctor sad II was not
necessary in order to prove insanity TO
tshow hat the subject exhibited signs OF a
diseased mind before the commission OF a
violent deed, nor would the fact that after
s1he act was committed the subject ap-
la1eared To be rational, count for much.
This might be unusual, but he had known
t-of such cases y delusion might sud
tdenly develop in ones mind and lead him
ITO 90 a rash act, and ttlen disappear. While
ttDr. Taylor DID not agree with Drs. Hodges
and Drewry III all of their views his tes-
itirnony as TO some of the material points
agreed with some of the opinions eH-
press by the other experts.
The Commonwealth ilad a crowd Of wit
,sgasses, most offs Riddick's old
!.leighEors and members Of the
jt.hlrches of which he vas pas
tor. They all testified that they had not
sl1rior nor since the shooting, seen IN the
g1risoner the first sign Of insanity Ihe
defence did not cross-exanine any OF the
witnesses, believing il was useless TO 90 So
as in their judgment they had already Won
the case None of Riddicks relatives
nqere in court to-day
THOUGHT HIM SANE.
The afternoon session Of the court was
-akeTl up with ttle examination OF seFetaI se
of F2iddick's former neishbors VINO tesllileu
that they believed him 10 be sane man
,Dr. r. r. Jones, Jr.. knew Mr Rlddlck
sairly well, and had often talked with MIN
He thought the prisoner a sane man
Dr s II. Moseley testified that he had
known the prisoner since last August.
He had heard Riddicl preach SeEefa4
times He regarded the accused as niiii @
of sound mind. Even after the shooting
the witness saw nothing IN hiddlck 10 III
Mr. George ". Mitchell had a limited ac-
ouaintance with the prisoner, and mad
13eard him preach. He had never seen
anything in Riddick TO indicate INSANITY.
Mr.. Walter Noselsy, a steward IN one
of Mr.. Ri5dick'S charges, had known me
,1raacher for fifteen months He was well
iaco,Iainted with him, and looked upon the
accused as q perfectly sane man me
7,poDle in the neighborhood regarded KID
dick as d good preacher
Mr. e T. Barker. q member OF one OF
R;ddicll,s churches and 2 steward, hau met
,h4 preacher several times. He regarded
Aim as q man OF sound mind. Flddlck
had missed only three appointments since
he had been on the circuit Twice the
weather was bad and once the accused
The same character Of testimony as the
preceding was given by Mcssrs- Waiter 4
Rawlings, B. ". Taylor and B. W. haWl-
ings.
ALL ALIKE.
Mr. W. II. Valentine, Of Rock Church'
.,,nn,b+ the prisoner sane He had a talk
win Riddick Monday after the shooting.
.r,,,e. ,,raslcf7er told witness that DIR. Temple
had insuIted his Wife Aad!ck sald ne
went to the Doctor and the latter met MN
with a smile on his face and offered MN
his hand. which he refused. Riddick said
- .oI5 -ba Doctor II was a fine morning
for a frolic. and then put four bullets III
his body. as he believed any other gentle
man would have done under the clrcuin-
stances. ,.,7
DIR. r. r. Jones. ST., thought u1e accused
,,,o. perfectly sane. as did also MI tafl
era,,,-lz. a first cousin of the murdered
man. and Mir. r, 5. Spruce MI Temple
T;vs1 only $50 yards from the parsonage,
ans saw and talked with the accused al
tllost every Gay-
Mr.. Emmett Kidd heard accused preach
often and thought him sane. Mr. Q. L.
Saymeur. Mr.. r. H Seymour. Mr.. j. e.
Throckmorton and w ". Read. all testl-
fled that they regarded the accused as
sane man, and the last named, who had
1he prisoner in his custody after the homi-
eide, testified that he did not then appear
Nr, ]. r. Tatum. one Of the guards
-,,aoe3 oyer I2addick after the tragedy. tes-
1ified that Ritliick had said that if he
could see his wife he could tell whether ne
Was justified in killing Temple. In this
1esticnony witness corroborated Mr., House.
1is thought the accused was sane.
MIR. r. c. Burton. sewing naes4ine
agent. was called, but ne could shed no
sie-hf on the case, and court adjourned for
the day.
II Is understood that Mr. Saunders will
open the argument FOR the prosecution.
The counsel for the defense will probably
epeak in the following order; Messrs
;f5askins Goode, Davis and Poege- Mr..
TslrforI viii close fer the Commonwealth.
Depnty-saerin Turnbun left here this
AFTERNOON TO summon for the Common
,gealth Mr. II. C. Duce. of Richmond WHO
-yin be asked 10 testify as To the interview
ne had with one Of the accused'S brothers
ps TO Rev. Riadtck's sanity. 2. Il. n.