Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-07-15
INPORTANY TRIAL
PORTLAND, ( Mass. July /
IniirI .Sfntes vs. Hfnsss Knlr,,

j.
United States VS.. HoSes Reisr
Al the District Court of the L. States by adj
iournment, on Friday the 9th of June nit he
fore his honor David Sewai!, ESQ. came on the
trial of capt. Moses kelsa, upon an indictment
Tor wiiinlly and cOrruptlv, on the hi.h seas.
slnkinS and procuring to be sunk and DESTROY,
ed, the sch. Oce7n, or which he was master. TO
which he belonged, not beirg owner thereof.
nut cwned by citizens of the United States.
contrary to the form OF the statute of the u
nted states, passed 18th March, 1884, The
punishment, On cOnvIctiOu, would be DEATH
lhe prisoner had lieeu arraigned OH TUESDAY,.
Hnu Pleaded NOT tTNhy. he was agreeaby to
law furnished with copy of his Indictment
and lists OF Jurors two fuii DAYS before the tri
al, was ready TO proceed OH Thursday. but a
Iurther delay was granted, on motion If the
Counsel for the United states, to make further
arrangements and procure additional tes,i,no-
ny against the prisoner. Tie witness to rive
that testimony, arrived.
ne preparation Ofimpannelling the yury. and
ne predatory remarks of MIR. LonyfeloN who
was associated with the District 4 ttor,c>, in
the prosecution, and the - sminatiou of the
WItHesS, occupied the whole of Friday from, 4
cioch III the morning till O'ci0cs IN the eve
h.hG' win Tie intermiSSlOu of Que hour for di-
mig. " "
Inc arguments Of Counsel for the prisoner
and those in behalf of the United states with
the charge of the Hon. Judge Sewail, cons,IIn-
eu SATURDAY from o'clock In the morning till
Half past three O'Clock in the afternoon, when
the Jury retired, and the Court was adiourned
till O'Clock.
The order maintained by the Marshal durinn.
Tue TRIAL, was remarkable. The dignity and
beniGnant lmplrtialty OF the venerable Judge.
was wei calculated TO secure the respect Of The
audience and Jury, and confidence of all con-
cerned, that justice would he administered ac-
cOrding 10 the laws of the land
HIS charge to the Jury was concise, compre-
hensiN eand slrikingly pertinent; closing with a
prayer that God Almighty would as,is, t.lrrn 20
Il nd -
duty with impartial fidelity.
hen the court re-assemblea, fhe Jury re-
turned with verdict of Nor Curry Amin.
voluntary rising oFapprObaton from the full
crowded Temple of Justice was ike. for "A mo-
ment to transgreSS upon tie solemn gravity Of
the occasion. by a ludcous hint from the
Marshal, 1t was immediately suppressed.
II served TO display the deep interest among
uttsr stransers,in the fate of the prisoner,
ana the general conviction that the evidence
~ the case had gone to establish his innocence.
Inc instaUtdneOHSy corrected sensihjlity of he.
neVoience settled Go = smile of silent compla
cehcN aud manifested the respect of the spec
tdtOrs 10 Courts of Justice and to Jurors wbo
had independently performed their duty.
counsel for the government, William Il Pre-.
PIE, united states district attorney, and Ste
phen Longfe,low, Esqs.; for the prisoner, Nj
ch0las Emery aud Benz Orr, Esqs.
We regret It is not in orr power TO give the
arguments Of the learned counsel upon this
important trial at length, for it would be doing
injustice to the gentlemen engaged 20 attemof
even an outline Of them, destitute as we are
OF any minutes. That the cause on the part of
government was ably aud mpdrtiallV sIipDort-
ed, ana the prisoner powerfully aud ELOQUENT.
ly defended, will be attestei to by the nume-
rons assembly that witnessed the trial.
HE only material witness -1nst Capt h ell
sa, was one Beiav8ur, a Freedman, WHO was
III the plot from thc beginning, and an accom-
pllce IN the iniquity by his confession, and who
has probably saved his own neck rom tie hal
ter by turning states evidence. This abandon
Ell wretch was passenger on board the Ocean
wien she was sunk having previously shipped
ON board the vessel at Havre, (Frtrce) pre-
understandable cargo, for this country, and the
concern mide assurance accordingly, with in
tent to dcfraud the underwriters of large
sum OF moncy.-This man testified .hat ne Dor
ed the holes in the vessel bymeans otwlich she
was sunk, and that Capt. h. was knowing TO
il. But 1t was abunidutly proved o. Tue
trial by the testimony OF many witnesses Of tle
first Responsibility IN society such as maeis-
trdfes merchants, masters OfVcsScls. and others
WHO mad long known Lefavour, that le was not
entitled TO tie least credit, even under NE 500
lemuity Ofan oath Iva "a Court Of Justice, and
ought not 10 be reiied on 10 put 4 hazard even
the life ofa dOg--arttnl, insinu1j,rs uij piau-
sihle in his manners, aHd capable OF deyisinE
aHd executing tie most c0Dsumuaie acts OF
viIainy. On tie part Of Capt. Nei.i it was
proved in tic most satisfactory nianuer Ds those
whO had known him from bs youth, anil in
whose employment as Sdlioi- ildte dud snip
master, for many years I've had been. Tat he
WAS crcduiOus aud unsuypicious, and uniformly
sustained high reputation for integrity aad
hOaesty IN al his transactions.
Three Of TIC crew who were or board the o.
ceau when shc was sunk. aud Who were Sum
noued on the part Of tie government, testified
10 the correctness of ihe MASTERS conduct du.
ring Tic passage, aud laolrA unable, b. reHsou
Of sickness 20 tend 10 his iuiy iH mdursI hc
Othcrways would, constantly cyesiCd hIn-r.i
10 preserve the vessel. py CHcOrragT~ i.- mai
in their duty. wuii- ieiavcrr c'nbrse fg.gt
opportuuity o. di.,uade Them from run .lc,.
anI indnCe them 30 take 10 The 1crf ri.rt
cant. N. would not consent 40 tiil iil rOsy4iitt
Of prcsprviuL tie vessel was gone.
IIlo lnlnqninI IS tllc suhelmcl % die I'll