The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-31
Tells a Narrowing Statement Of Facts
in Regard to Son.
BELIEVES HIS MIND UNBALANCED
a Near Helatiye of Accused A'judsed
Insane in the County Where Trial
Is in Pro.rcss-Ina.ined His
Aged Father Wanted to In
suit His Wife-Sccncs i'll
dhc Court-Isoom,
lstan correspondent.l


LAWRENCEVILLE. VA, May So.-Spec-
ial.-Tbe Commonwealth rather suddenly
and unexpectedly closed its case in the
Ridd.ck trial at the morning session OF
the court to-day.
There were some twenty witnesses sum
moned for the prosecution who were not
examined. OF course they can be called
TO testify in rebuttal. Mr.. Read, a white
man, who was called upon to assist in the
arrest of Mr.. Riddick, gave somewhat
damaging testimony for the defense. He
asserted that Mr.. Riddick's wife had
stated in his hearing that DR.. Temple had
not used certain words attributed to him
in her room and that the preacher had
said TO the officer he had made mistake
in shooting, the Doctor.
A PAINFUL RECITAL.
The father of the accused was on the
stand for five hours. In the efforts of the
counsel for the defense to prove the ac-
cused was insane, the father was called
upon to relate some family matters, pain
full. not only to himself, but 10 those who
had TO listen to the testimony.
He had to tell about how his grand
father and father had been accustomed to
tuence of liquor had acted occasionally like
madmen. He had to tell that his uncle.
for whom the witness was named, had
been adiudged insane in this very country.
Further than this. the witness had to re-
late how two of his other children had
been mentally afflicted as his son. Nor
did the fathers pain end here. He was
called upon 10 tell of the strange conduct
of the son to himself; Of how he had
imagined that the father had insulted the
young wife and had made threats against
the parents The elder Riddick had also
to explain how the son had tried to force
him to pay a debt when he was unable to
do SO and before it was due.
BELIEVED HIS SON INSANE.
The father made d very good witness.
He was fully convinced in his own mind
that the son had been for long time
mentally unbalanced. Many peculiar
things he did, coupled with strange relis-
ious view he entertained, convinced the
elder Rddick that the younger was at
times not responsible for what he said
and did.
Mr.. Riddick was put through a search
ing cross examination This prosecution
made some good points. Mr. Saunders
proved that he was familiar with religious
doctrines and while he did not succeed in
shaking Mr.. Riddick's testimony to any
great extent, made the witness admit that
the holding of so-called peculiar views as
10 doctrines and dogmas was not evidence
of insanity unless there were other symp-
toms of mental arrangement.
Tomorrow there will be some expert
testimony as to the different forms Of in
sanity
DR.. Hodges, of Richmond. and DR.:
Drewry, of Petersburg, are expected to-
,cyit ofl Mr. icly nlf1 , Wish,
toner's visited i.im in jail this evening The
trial will probably not end before next
Wednesday or Thursday.
DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
The court convened promptly at 10
o'clock for the second days trial of Rev
J. e. r. Riddick. There were not as
many spectators as on yesterday Com
rlonwealth's Attorney Buford said there
were SO many witnesses for the Common
wealth that matters might be expedited
by giving counsel for the prosecution an
opportunity to talk with them privately.
This request was granted and Messrs. Bu-
ford and Saunders were for several
minutes coseted in the jury-room with
some twenty-five or thirty persons.
Mr.. R.ddick was again surrounded by
mis- devoted relatives and several friends.
Constable j. w. House. who was on
the stand when court adjourned yester-
day. was recalled and Mr.. Poage renew
ed the cross examination. He was asked
when and where Mr.. Riddick told him he
could not preach on the Sunday of the
shooting untA he had killed Dr.. Temple.
AS A GOOD DEED.
Mr. House said the remark was made
on March 1lth, soon after Riddick gave
himself up to the constable. Mr.. Rid
dick, he said, was not excited and talked
freely about the shooting. The prisoner
referred to the shooting as a good deed.
Mr.. Poase put the witness through a
very searching cross-eSamination as to
what occurred at the parsonage, when Mr..
Riddick was taken there after being placed
under arrest. The witness stuck to his
original story. but the questions asked in
dicated very plainly that the defense would
put on witnesses TO contradict parts of
what House testified TO as to what oc-
CURED on that occasion.
DR.. Hugh Nj. Taylor, of Richmond. said
he received a telegram to attend DIR.
Temple and reached there about 8 O'Clock
Monday morning, March 18th. He described
the wounds The fatal one penetrated
the abdomen and wounded the intestines in
seven or eight places. He performed an
operation for per.tonitis about two hours
after his arrival. Death was caused by
oer:tonitis, which resulted from bullet
wound DR. Taylor was not cross-ques-5
toned.
WENT TO SEE HIS WIFE.
Mr.. w ". Read was next called. be
was summoned by the Constable to AID
in making the arrest. He helped to guard
the preacher the night of the arrest The
minister said that on the Wednesday
previous he had DIR. Temple TO visit his
wife, and thought the Doctor had made
an unnecessary examination.
AR, Riddck stated that he did not know
whether he had done right or wrong In
shooting DIR. Temple. He tod the officers
that, .lif they would let him go by the
parsonage, he would ask his wife few
questions and satisfy himself as TO
whether or not he had acted in the right
Mr. Riddick was taken to the parsonage.