The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-18
CRIME OF
SEARCEY AND MORGANFlELD
Witness Of the Trial Grows Reminiscent and Detals the
Striking Features of the Week at Stafford
Courthouse.

in the bracing air and the Drlsnt sun.
light, but if our party of four hao known
as much at the time of the rae over
to Stafford Courthouse as we did an hour
after we got there, some of the edge
would have been taken OIL the enjoy
,nent. We noticed that the occupants
of the vehicle ahead of us seemed very
solicitous Eve thought OF the horses)
every time any little elevation or roueh
place IN the road was reached, Where
the suow had blown into DRIFTS on one
side leaving the other side bare.
some of the guards invariably got out
10 steady the wagon over the rouGh
places. Everybody behind them was
smiling broadly at the nonchaiant SeaIcy,
who was smoking cigar, handcu11eo 70
CAPTAIN Hines, of the Pinkerton force'
and every time the guards got down
from the vehicle he (Ssearcy) would OIL
fer to hold their Winchesters Whlle
they alishted. Shortly after arriving at
the Courthouse we found out the CAUSE
Of so much carefulness in our neighbors
ahead. Exhibit IA consisting OF halt
a dozen sticks Of dynamite. the remain
der of the lot used by the roopefs 10
force the door of the express car, was
in the wagon with them, and II was
deemed advisable to '.go Slow on the
four-mile drive.
The writer is a total abstalneT; some
of the others were not, and they partook
literally of Schnapps TO quiet tnelr
nerves after we found out what we had
been up against SO closely.
THE COURTHOUSE.
Stafford courthouse consists OF Inc
c.urt building situated in ire center of
the court-green. a pretty enough location
perl ans, in summer, but rather dismal
looking with several feet of snow on the
ground or in lieu OF that ankle deep In
mud.
Opposite the courthouse stands the
diminutive Jail. containing couple or
cells. These buildings, together With tho
clerks home, store and a lawyer $
office constitute the sum total or the
buildings in the little hamlet
1t was d serious question just where
the multitude in attendance on the trial
were to be housed and fed. The good
people Of Stafford managed it very We'll.
though, and while sonla Of US had TO
bunk pretty closely there wasn't
man of tho sixty temporary additions to
the population but what left there with
an Increase in weight
The trial itself was scene worthy OF
the brush of Hosarth or the pen Of
q Dickens
The courtroom at every sitting was
| packed to suffocation. Hardly a session
passed without something startling or
sensational being seen or heard, and it
was with difficulty sometimes one mag
ined himself in one OF the Oldest counties
of tn. Oldest Commonwealth In the Unit
ed States.
The two most interested parties in the
case, Searcy and Morganfield, were re-
markable for the nonchalance on the
part OF the former and the vindictive-
ness OF utterance and action By the
latter.
It was an intensely dramatic scene the
afternoon that Percy Crutchfield. the
Richmond express messenger, was on the
witness stand for the Commonwealth.
Moreanfield had to be brought over
every day on q cot from the jail, as his
injured leg would not permit him to walk
or even stand up. He was lying inlne-
diately in front of the judges desk and a
little to the left of the witness box. but
In fun view of it when the late Seymour
White. who. as Commemorative Attor-
ney. was examining Mr.. Crutchfield, asked
the question Can you point out the man
in this courtroom who entered the ex-
press car after blowing open the door,.
Yes said Crutcht1eld; there he is