The Washington herald., 1911-09-19
RIXEY IS INSANE;
GOES To ASYLUM;
ESCAPES TRIAL
Broken Banker Pititul Sight
in COnrt.
FAILURE RUINED MANY

c. Jones Rixey, indicted president of
the collapsed Virginia Safe Deposit and
Trust Corporation, was declared insane
by lunacy commission in the Corpora
ton Court at Alexandria yesterday aft
ernoon and sent to the Western State
Hospital for the Insane, at Staunton,
Va. in charge of Supt. J. S. de
Jarnette. This action virtually ends the
case of the fnancier, who operated a
chain of eight banks throughout the
State. with his main bank in Alexandria.
ALIENISTS MAKE REPORT.
/! Judge Barley appointed DR.. j. S. De
Jarnette superintendent Of the Western
State Hospital for the Insane, and DR.
w F Drewry, superintendent OF the
Central State Asylum for the Insane,
Petersburg, Va, commission TO examine
into the sanity Of Rixey. and the court
took a recess until 3 o'clock. 1t was
shortly after 4 o'clock when the COM
mission completed its labOrs Among
the witnesses examined were Drs. Brai-
sted and Newman. of Washington, and
Scott and Crittenton, of Orange. Va.
The report made by the alienists, in
part, reads: We find him insane, and
in no condition to be tried at this time.
our opinion being based on personal
examination and the depositions pre-
sented.'
II conclusion. the report says: We
believe the prognosis in his case is very
unfavOrable."
Following. the submission OF the report.
Attorney John L. Jeffries. of RiXey's
counsel, argued that Rixey should be sent
back to the Western State Hospital for
the Insane. and kept there subject to the
order of the court.
commemorative Attorney Brent favor
ed sending the accused to the criminal
asylum at Marion, Va, as soon as II is
ready to receive him. 1t had been al
ready stated by Supt De Jarnette Of
Staunton, that the Marion asylum would
not be completed for about year.
Judge Barley set November % next
as the date for hearing arguments as TO
whether the court has the right to send
RiXey to the asylum for the criminal
insane. and in the meantime directed
that he be returned to the asylum at
Staunton
Pitiable Object.
RiXey arrived in Alexandria shortly be-
fore noon, accompanied by DR.. De Jar
neIte and DR.. Freed. of Staunton; his
brother, DR.. Presley VI. Rixey, and City
Sergt. Cox met the party and the ac-
cused was brought to court in n carriage.
the former banker was a pitiable OBJ
ject as he was assisted up the narrow
steps to the courthouse. His face was
drawn and haGgard; he walked slowly
and with a stoop, and carried a cane.
He appeared oblivious to the surround
ings Becoming exhausted during the eX-
animation, d cot was procured for him.
When the examination was completed
RiXey was assisted into the court room,
and the same vacant stare and apparent
unConCern characterized the man at the
bar of justice.
Before court adjourned Attorney JEFF
fries made statement regarding the
rule against c. J. RiXey, jr.. for con-
tempt in having his father sent TO an
asylum. The explanation being satisfac-
tory, the matter was dropped.
Representing the broken down banker
in court were John l.. Jeffries. of Nor
folk; John S. Barbour, of Fairfax; James
r. Cation and son, Alexandria; J. G.
Hden. Culpeper, and c. J. RiNey, jr., of
Washington.
A lunacy commission sitting at Or
ange, Va, September last. declared
RXey insane. and since then he has
been a patient in the asylum at Staun-
ton.
Collapse of Institution.
The bank of which Rixey was the head
went into the hands of receivers De-
cember 29 1910. The main bank and
its branches had 5000 depositors scat
tered throughout the State. - was the
biggest bank failure in Virginia in recent
years, and the collapse ruined hundreds.
A short time after the failure a grand
jury returned eight indictments against
Rixey. Owing to his illness the trial
was postponed from time to time.