Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-10-30

man. who lived there procured the money and sou |
SAW her OPEN the chest lake out of it TN box, in |
which the money continued, and hand the money
to Jane Goats, which YOU received from her hand.
Thus you became acquainted with tic place where
you supposed has treasure was deposited.
twas proved, that the night of the Esd Sept. |
last both of YOU came TO the house of Gown an in
hnn and elderly man, about four hours in the night
the one. iicd, rather before the other: that YOU
brought spirits, with which GOWN was made drunk
and IN that situation he WAS persuaded
ptny YOU that all three went the house of W lillian
Coats about midnight, the dog of Gilman following
his that YOU, Gilman and the witness GOWN
had shoes, aud that Reid baretoote that vou
Reid, were armed with club, and you, Gilman
with part ot scythe blade, inserted in Il wooden
handle that on Your arrival you took down the WIN
tow-s'utl.r which was propped up against the win
dow fixed the shutter below the window-thus MAX
ing ladder of u-opened the window, and that YOU,
hehi, cl'mbc, IN nj the window, and opened door,
~ which you Gilman, entered the house, GOWN re-
manning OH the outside guard all the dwellers in
4 the house we're asleep that the chest, which was
situated near the window, through which the entry
was made, was forced open in few moments many
| violent blows wee heard, followed 10y shrieks,
screams and groans negro hoy ut the door
winch had been opened, crying murteg-gaye the
alarm To the negroes in their quarters, whose cries a.
wakened aud alarmed the nearest neghbors, and
brought them the fiial spot that in consequence
of the alarm, YOU left the house, and with Gown
| ran of through cornied, aud after reaching the
tOdder-s,ack, you separated.
Two of the neighbors, who arrived ut the house IN
a Shor; time. bchcld scene which bcggars all des-
oldand respectable man, l,iis in one bed beaten n
bout the head into state OF sensbility, with now
aud then gean ot recollection, his neighbours
successfully arrived--hs head flowing with blood
which covered his night cloihcs and the bed in
which e lay In the other bed. i'm the same room,
ms sister, Jane Coats and Reecca Daniel, living in
state oil utter inscnsity, with wounds and bruises
| about their heads, and covered with blood OIL the
| floor, two negro girls, weering in their own gore
, ana the negro boy, who had escaped with blow
on the side of his head they found the chest broken
nu ,,. ,,tiL .,lf
dollar upon At he scu.l OF Jane Goats was frnrtur-
ed IN two places, and the wounds which she received
| caused her death on the following w edneslay nirht
| should not nave dwell ,is statement of the
| ease, hut Tor the kind OF evidence hy which your
! conviction has been produced You have been con-
vTcted principally on the evidence of David GOWN
Your hcconplicc. The able counsel who defended
yon M ieir YEA! TO YOU. whilst t,ey admitted
'l II ihsi become tie practice the courts of this
! commonwealth 10 admit tic evidence of accompliccs
yer 'c"iru thtt there WAS any law here in force bv
which such evidence was rendered competent
lhey urged that the armissibily OF such TESTIMONY
was i"n"".d o" The ancient doctrine of GpproreneRi
! "hich mas become obsolete in England and has been
| expressly abolished here by of Assembly That
me foundation being taken away, the supers,ruc-
| 'ure Ought 10 Tall with IT, This principle did re-
ceire the sanction ofthe court Ii is not known that
an dir0rer was ever admitted in this country and il
Is certain that accomplccs admitted as compe-
tent witnesses IN England before the settlement of
this country and in this country they have been re-
peatediy received as SUCH before and since the reyo-
luton. he statutory abolition of opprore.e,t does
not then abolish the testimony Of accompanies which
Is doctrine that has grown up with since we be-
came people. The idmSsiiity of such evidence
seems TO me TO resi- deeper foundation than that
OF improvement itself. ltaises from the very const-
! ION OF human nature. Without such evidence the
West conspir;,ccs and the most shocking airoccs
would frequently pass without detection and punish
| nenf. The necessity OF such pi oof il is true shews
the mbecity Of our the law confcsses its own
weakness (it has been well saitD Iy caIlipu in tLe
assistance of those by whom has been broI en- but
e allowance OF such assistance has at least this good
e!iect-r renders atrocous offenders perpcually ss-
p'cous OF each other, and thereby has tendency
10 prevent extensive agi eemeufs amongst them The
| testimony OF acconpliccs, is however IL dangerous
species OF evidence. Ii must always be left ia ;ur;n
WIN great caution The jury tue exclusive iuds-
cs OF The credit 10 be attached 10 their evidence and
IL !ey are entirely satisfied that the witness is really
pe!mtent, or that from his manncr Of giving in his
evidence, aud his ormcr of life ie is telling
The truth, they found verdict on his uncorrobo.
rated evidence But II these do bring conviction
10 heir hiinds they should reject his evidence unless
| u rs s"onSH c"rroboTatcd hy other and unimpeacI,-
| aoie evidence they should reject il without such
| confederation: because by his own confession he
stands contaminated with guilt
In this case does happen that there are strong
circumstances 10 strengthen the evidence of GOWN
rs 10 boti OF YOU. Will enumcrate some of them
Ioats proves thatyou, Gilman, knew perfectly where
tie chest sioon III which was the lin box containing
MS money The window, close to which the chest
stood, was Tie place where the entry was made
ma cnest was broken open, and tine tin box taken
our. lhe evIdence of Mrs. GOWN proves, that ho.h
|
| night, about four hours in the night Mir Edmund
wright proved, that YOU, Reid left his house at dark
saying that you would 90 TO GOWNS. Four of the
most respectable witnesses prove that i'm the morning
the distinct print of naked feet fright and ef1
was made the one on the shutter which was used as
ladder, The other on the weather boarding Of the
| mouse below the window ; These impressions were
| apparently made by one climbing This proof is nc
70 you, William Reid, strong confrmaon You
were bareooted that night anil at sunrise the next
morning, the footsteps OF two persons ON the retreat
in Tho -fo1I
ny ihosc OF dog, in the direction desc ribed by
uo"in-lhIs strongly confirms his statement as To the
presence OF you, john Gilman. On the Monday
evening several days previous GOWNS confession
whist nc was lying on the ground at Coats's in n
STATE oil ntoxIcaton, and writing under the con-
ScIoasness OF ms participation in the guilt he was
ovcfheard mutterlng 10 HIMSELF and saving that if
''man had let him alone, he would not have been
Drought INTO that scrape.-0n il search made for tho
Cio'nss OF you, john CIiiman, your own house. on
he MONDAY night, you pointed out n chest in which
YOU Kept your clothes Ii opened but no clothes
Oh suspicious appearance were found there On n |
tur,hGi search your coat, stained with blood was
,o"id uhder the bed. The appearance Of blood on
th"t coat was not satisfactorily explained AWAY bv
You very early on the Monday morning. GOWN |
says, that lie went over to the house of YOU John
Hi'inan, and spoke TO you about the great mischief
you had done that you told him to say notI,ing nbou,
II J, ihat you would go TO AIr Edmund Wriqht's
ind then to Robert Wrghts for him and his sons and
mat You would all 80 over together 10 Coats's You
u mol, as soon as you heard of this most heart-rend-
ing caiamy, fly TO the of horror: Won did NOT |
immediately go TO that house, where, for the week |
nelore, you had been almost every day You waited
, Tor company On the next morning very early YOU
William heid, came to the house of Mr. Green where
you had work to do. Mrs Green saw Won. and was
surprised at your coming early for you were not in
general an early riser.Shc asked YOU, il syon had
heTd OF the murder OF Coats's family You replrJ
mat you had She said, she had not supposed there
was any Que ~ The ncigIbOrood vile rs TO commit
murder for money. You replied can clear myself. |
ahu Town and Ciillman, for we were all together
''' hght' she bad not said one word charging any |
person with the offence. After a few minufes Vol,
lmrthnr Gid. " [ en- MO rl.nr GloI... L,' -