Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-06-05
Bgiiimore, May so.
CONvYrrrOM nr Gnrrr,,

The trial of lieutenant Richard Smith.
tor the murder of Captain Csrson, in Phi.
adelphia. terminated on Tu sday evening
last, IN verdi from the jury of ,nurd,r
| IN The hrst degree. which is punishable with
death in Pennsylvania. The evidence was
clear and irresistible, that the crime was
deliberately andpremedtatedl committed;
the circumstances leading to its commits
sion were peculiarly immoral and afro, ious:
the grounds OF defence, taken by the couo-
sci tor the prisoner, were an outrage upon
every virtuous feeling of the humane heart.
1t appeared at the trial, that Captain Car
son, having been absent at sea for three
years, returned home and found that Mrs.
Carson, whose character for virtue had
tor some time been very suspicious. was
| living with lieutenant Smith, and had
few weeks before been married TO him:
that after some difficulties on the subject.
MRS. carson agreed to return to her proper
husband; that Carson, on the evening of
the murder, went to the house occurred bv
his wife. by her special invitation that
Smith then left it and went to a peiehbor.
ing tavern; that Mrs. Carson, few min
utes after, followed Smith that they both
returned to the house where Capt. Carson
and the parents OF the woman were that
smith, with charged pistol under his
coat, advanced into the room that Capt.
larson rose and told him to leave the
mouse upon which Smith turned to Mrs.
larson. and asked if he should comDIy
WIN tins order; she replied in the mega
tive; Smith then, enco.n eed b ithe answer
81 this guilty woman. instantaneousIy drew
the pistol, and fired its contents into the
mouth OF Capt. Carson, who fingered for
few days and expired. The depravity
exhibited 6y Smith and the deludcd woman,
both IN the manner of living together, and
In the preparation cf the horrid deed which
put an end to Carson's existence, is beyoDd
description.
The counsel for the culprit ridiculously
conendfd, that Carson was the aegr ssor.
that Smith was the lawful husband of Mrs,
Carson, had a right to her, and killed the
other in self defence. Indeed, one of the
lawyers, Jonathan Bayard Smith, had the
!olly or effrontery to express his sincere
conviction OF the prisoners perfect inno-
cence, and to speak of him as a amiablc,
honorable, high-minded, injured mani We
ieei no disposition to add to the sufferings
which Lieut.. Smith, must endure from the
rePreaches of guilty conscience. and from
the laws OF his country but we think it
right and necessary to express orr regret
aud indignation that lawyer, who is only
bound to make the best defence he can.
consistently with morality and truth, for
ms Client, should presumptuously insult the
laws OF heaven and earth, by clothing the
most aggravated of crimes in the pure yes
tuTe OF virtue, Innocence and honor.
s1nn Carson, who was arraigned on
wednesday morning, before the court of
oyer and Terminer, as an abettor of Rich
ard Smith, in the murder of her husband.
was acquitted in the afternoon by the Jury,
without leaving the box.
PHILADELPHIA, May 81.
Extract ofa letter from our corres6ondenf
at WezU Orleans, dafed 1Gay 8.
A circumstance has occurred within
few days, which although of highly
and distressing nature. NAV be
represented to you by report in such ex-
agserated terms, that have thought pro-
per to give You an explanation of Il.
fcu are already acquainted with the
nature OF the embankment or levees COM
mon IN this country for it's protection from
In se annual Hood or rising Of the river
l hey are IN height according to situation,
rom z to feet, and proportionably wide
rom Tour to thirty feet. In bend of the
'IVer about six miles above town, but IN an
immediate DIRECTION back Of Il, there is one
u the highest OF these levees. On the
morning ut the 9th It was discovered 10
ave gwen way and although every ex-
'r1i"n mas been MADE to stop u, they have
zen Inc HeCtual hitherto, and at this mo-
nent it discharges from the river a column
4 water OF 200 feet by in height. which
lows directly down upon the city. and
AS already reached the back street. a
however -