The Daily Dispatch: November 23, 1863., [Electronic resource]

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Hotel' quiet disturbed.

--William T. Vickers, a Maryland exile, was arraigned before the Mayor last Saturday to answer the charge of attempting to shoot and cut John C. Taliaferro, one of the proprietors of the Ballard House. Vickers, it seems, had been in a social party, and thoughtlessly indulged too freely in the poisonous compounds now sold as strong drink. Becoming crazy from its effects, he repaired to the hotel at meal time, took a seat at the table, and, imagining the white table cloth to be a mammoth dish, placed a beefsteak upon it, and commenced cutting the meat and the cloth. Mr. Taliaferro being apprised of his conduct, and having regard for the two hundred guests seated at the table, remonstrated with Vickers, whereupon V. arose from his chair, drew his pistol, and was about to give Mr. T. a blue pill, when Major Garnett seized the weapon. Vickers then drew his bowie-knife, which Major G. also took from him, and the police coming in V. was imprisoned. The Mayor hold him to bail in $300 to answer an indictment by the next G and Jury.