Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-04-19
Or. S. Delaacy Hicks Viii Have to d,
be Tried Again.
INSANITY PLEA OF DEFENSE
Six Physicians, Among Them Nor.
folks Mayor, Testified as to the
Prisoners Unbalanced Condition
Released, Dr.. speight sondsman.

DIR. S. Delaney Hicks, The eye spc-
cialist who has been in jail here for
several months. charged with forgery,
was placed on trial in the Corporation
Court yesterday morning. The case
went To the jury shortly after court
convened for the afternoon session
and an hour afterward the jury was
discharged by Judge I}arham. the fore
man having announced that it was i'm
possible for a verdict To he agreed
upon.
The prisoner was released upon Il
bond Of $500 for his appearance before
The court on the first day of the May
term. Dir. Spcighl, of Norfolk, being
accepted as bondsman. Dir. Speight is
the prisoners brother-in-iaw.
AS everyone expected, insanity was
the plea Of the defense
The prisoner, when he was brought
into court by the sergeant. was neatly
dressed and apparently in excellent
spirits. During his stay in Jail he had
grown a heavy beard. but the beard
was well trimmed and the doctor pre-
scented we'll gro0mcd appearance He
sat during the trial nj the lawyers
table. beside his counsel, Attorney j.
G. Tilton, of Norfolk
The indictment was read and the
defense pleaded mot guilty" Com
monwealth's Attorney Robinson pro-
scouting, called Sergeant ]. w. Rey-
nol'ls as the first witness. The sergeant
arrested Hicks in Norfolk and he
testified concerning the conversation
between himself and the prisoner, be-
sides telling of the circumstances
leading mp to the search for The latter.
MIR. Arthur Lee assistant cashier
of the First National bank. testified
that draft drawn by DIR. Hicks upon
the City Bank, of this city, to which
was attached n City Bank deposit slip
for $500, came to his bank through n
banking house in Washington. He
went on to say that the figures OIL The
deposit slip evidently had been lamp
cred with and that he himself took the
draft over 10 the City Bank to present
1t for collection. He found that there
was only few dollars to the credit
of Dir. Hicks at the bank
MIR. John Gregory, who was cashier
OF the City Bank until that institution
consolidated with the Newport News
National, testified that DR.. Hicks had
never deposited $500 at the City Banl,
or had never had such amount on de
post there. He also said that the
figure on the deposit slip attached to
the draft presented to him by Mr.. Lee
had evidently been changed. His
books showed that DR.. Hicks deposited
$40 on the date the $500 deposit was
alleged to have been made.
Several other witnesses were ex-
amined concerning circumstances in
connection with the case
The defense put on The stand six
Norfolk doctors, among them Mayor
j. G. Niddick. all of whom testified MS
to the unbalanced condition of the
prisoners brain. In addition 10 DR..
ltiddicli the witnesses were: Drs. Can.
hart. Bradford, Schenck, Spillman and
Thomas
The attorneys made brief addresses
and then the jury retired to consider
the case
II is understood that DR.. Hicks went
10 Norfolk last night and will remain
here with his relatives until noxt
month, when his case will be tried
again.