The Castle to Present “History on Trial: Assault at the Capitolium Mound”

The Castle Historic House Museum will present “History on Trial,” an ongoing annual program that allows attendees to experience courtroom dramatizations from Washington County’s past. The courtroom dramatizations retry cases based upon evidence and according to the law at the time of the case. “History on Trial: Assault at the Capitolium Mound” will take place on February 17^th from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Washington County Courthouse, Courtroom A, 3^rd Floor. A special abbreviated pres entation for area students of “History on Trial” will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. the same day at the Washington County Courthouse, Courtroom A, 3^rd  Floor.

“The highly anticipated ‘History on Trial: Assault at the Capitolium Mound’ will focus on an incident that occurred in 1864, on Fifth Street in Marietta, involving local schoolboys bullying one of their classmates whose last name was Steed,” stated Kyle Yoho, Education Director at The Castle. Yoho added, “On several previous occasions these boys had thrown rocks at a barn near the Capitolium Mound. The barn was the temporary home of the destitute schoolmate whose father was away serving in the Union army.” After another rock-throwing incident, one of the purported gang members, bullying the Steed child, whose name was William Dutton, was hit by an object and lay injured in the street. According to Yoho, the question that prompted the court case was whether a Steed family member had purposely injured Dutton in retaliation or was William Dutton an innocent bystander injured by the bullying group?

“History on Trial: Assault at the Capitolium Mound” recreates the facts of the case as tried by modern-day lawyers and allows attendees to decide, as de facto members of the jury, if they would vote guilty or not guilty.

Parents and teachers agree the abbreviated “History on Trial” experience for students is a fun and informative way for schoolchildren to learn about the concept of due process of law while gaining an understanding of how jury service is a civic responsibility protecting individual rights. 

Reservations can be made by visiting  www.mariettacastle.org  or by calling 740-373-4180. The cost to attend is $15 for members and $18 for non-members. The cost the student & family session: $5 under 18 years of age; $10 for students and chaperones 18 years and above.

The Castle is a Victorian house museum that offers tours of the 1855 Gothic Revival style home, fully furnished with Victorian decor.