The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-27
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ON.
sAstounds Every One BY His
.lf-P!ossessio,n and
En- FEAR !:ll I'' ED l FoR HIM 4
: losess A 2u!ssstt !s ,o'nIing5
Failed slla kesH Fl IS Testi-5 ri
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specia1 to The Tiines-Dispatch,]


slBUcKINGITAM% / c. 4. II A. July 26. 81; ~
The unexpected has happened to-day
Cliff Woodbridge took the stand in his
own defense here at $3.50 % clock this
morning. and. after four hours OF incest--li
ssant testimony with the most rig ID cross,
examination ever heard OF In the history
~ B this court, proved himself to be the
best witness, according to those i5 who no
ought to- luio that ever testified before
Bucking ham court. IT is hardly 1'5 d cor cor
rect to say the great crowd was sur: sur
prised-its was astounded. TO bo explicit
1t has been talked freely and openly here
ever since the'trial began tina t " hen sE.ts =.
woodbridge was placed on the stand. IL
the defense dared ITO do Il such a risky
thing, his own words Wou convict him I
that Whether, guilty or innoce nt, i he would
convict himse With his own ties tlmo1y. u
5FS3 Those who believed him guilty thought
he could not keep his guilt concealed j
while those who were con fide n Gof MS lih-3
fnocence feared that his peculiar garrul--5i
lousness and incessant tongue ,e! ' Would y. GER
statnly misIead every one in the hearing
Of his voice. But Woold &c did mot do
the way the people thought he would do:
s Nervous, But Confident.
While apparently n little ne eryolus. u ne
took the stand IKE one
Innocence, fully determined to tell Wlal llhl
B Ia knew Of tho case and othing else
-Four hours Of close cxamlnat Ion dld not
seem 10 effect Ills stimony at all.SssA$
&1,he lawyers fin tsiled with him at about
q o'clock in Sthe afternoon. II was va i sthen n
decided that the arguments In the case
should commence x @to-morro " .sS III N norn'lls, Oh ~
and tits probable that they VIII g continue
throughout the day
it ta3 In ter in the afternoon. the al ttorneSs
IN 10th sides discussed the instructions
Witch Mr. Flood offered the court IN
about an hour tho instru ctions were
When the prisoner was N brought 3into 1itf
court this morning tho large room was was
beginning to fill with people. here was
an AIR OF expectancy and almost pertect p,
quiet reigned Mr.. FLOOD, counsel 1or w we
defense. asked the prlsoner when ne first
heard Of the burning OF me rorpes ~ pfpl-
erty, IS, ~, ! 49,
repro boy came over and told ~ me Mr.
4 BForbes's q dwelling house was burned, IL
had hitched up to so 70 Appo'n'alsItosA W =
depot" ~ s., !.
He then stated tina t he had gotten,
letter from his daugn nteri tna
evening heTOre, EHSklllb ~, 49,
there, that he went I ~ Apponla LION. ,1,. re-
synained In that town only oneThalf az nl
hour, and returned home at about b,ol s;sV
o'clock that day. He then went lmne1
ed,ately to the scene Of tho burning,
Cross-Q Questioned,
E,,Mr. Alexander Forbes stated that he
had a conference With you on December a
Bslst5 in reference to Charlie Forbes being
q dangerous man. and that there would
&be a big bust up oyer there soon, .g Can
You recall this conyersatl Ion ?'' 81 asked Mr..
Flood, III. N =, ], J, I. /, /,
3 Wooldridge stated that he DID not recall
Az. 1--WE were talking about iSs ChaIlle
FORBES visiting, and there was something
said about his drinking, and u said he'll
IA ther5 a dangerous man, and there may
ia. a bust up 1t he gets at that, Forbes,
he said, was. accustomed TO Ylsltlng DICK
K 6T,orbes's 's, s where brandy was kent, Iie
said I that his relations With Charlie
FORBES were entirely pleasant, but not
nj all Intimate. Flo said Forbes seldom
visited his hause. ., k'
Tho witness was asked as to the state-
,nent made by Miss Nora @ fBrien that
he had interfered with the administrator
.. 90 = 4 I II