The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-02
Brown Lying ON a Cot.

After | got settled down In the jury
box l saw Brown. He was lying on
cot, which set UP probably two feet
from the floor. He was very tall
man, spare. with very bushy beard,
eyebrows and hair His hair and beard
We're sprinkled with gray. I remember
he had eyes that looked at you like
they would bore through you. He had
very large hands. which looked rough
like they were used to hard Work. He
was powerfully built man.
1T was 5 o'clock before they got
jury, and the judge adjourned court
and we were taken to the tavern in
charge of a deputy or two. The mex.
morning at o'clock we We're taken
back to the courtroom. The crowd was
bigger than on the day before, If that
could be. Tho soldiers were posted
about the courthouse. Brown walked
into the courtroom, but he soon lay
down on his cot.
"Charles Faulkner and Lawson Bolts,
both Of them pretty good lawyers.
were assigned by Judge Parker to de-
fend Brown. Faulkner did not stay in
court long, and the judge assigned a
man named Green to defend The pris-
oner. Charley Harding, the Common
wealths attorney of Jefferson county.
prosecuted, and was assisted by An
drew Hunter, q splendid lawyer, who
was employed by Governor Wise, l
heard. 1 remember that Brown did not
look pleased when the court asked
him If no had objections to the coun-
sci assigned to him. but he did not
say yes
when the clerk started to read the
indictment Judge Parker told Brown
he need not stand up, and the old fell
low lay still, with his eyes shut Tho
Indictment charged Brown and his COM
panions with having conspired with
negroes to produce 1nsurrection, with
having been guilty of treason in the
Commonwealth, and with murder in
the first degree. Probably there were
ot..cr charges in tho Indictment. which
was very lengthy.
Brown addressed the court before
or after the reading of the indictment
I have forgotten which. He begged the
court to grant continuance of his
case. saying that no was suffering
from a severe wound in his back and
kidney. / think no said, and that his
hearing was very bad. owing to
wounds. The lawyers wrangled a bit
over the motions to continue tho case
nnd Judge Parker said 1t should go on
Talk OF Insanity.
CAS- soon as the Judge said the case
should go to trial right away, ono OF
the lawyers for the prisoners think
it was Mr.. Bottss-read O. Telegram
from n man in Akron. O.. saying that
insanity was hereditary in the family
OF Browns mother; that several Of the
family had been confined in asylums
and one Of them had died there. Mr.
Bolts said the dispatch had been read
to the prisoner, who said there was
insanity in his mothers family, but
none in his fathers. Mr.. Bolts said ]
remember, that tina prisoner did not
wish to plead insanity. Brown and
Coppie, who was indicted with him,
ms 7 recall, had pleaded not guilty ia
the indictment
II remember that Brown addressed
the court on the subject OF the insan-
ity plea. He did not rise from his cot
but spoke lying. He was very earnest
and even savage in denouncing in
sanity pleas as the refuge OF towards
Brown often addressed tho court dur
ing the trial He was what I woult
call fluent talker. Ee was not elo-
| QLont
II do not recall all the evidence
continued the old gentleman. II recall
that the first witness for the prose
cution was a man named Phillips, who
was tho conductor Of tho Baltimore
and Ohio train which Brown had he't
up and then allowed to proceed. Th,
Jury was impressed by the statement
of the conductor that Brown express
ed regret that the train had been de
layed, and assured him that it wa
not his Intention that blood should b,
spilled.
"On the third day of the trial
young man named Hoyt, from Boston
appeared and was introduced to tn
court by Mr.. Bolts. as counsel 70