The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-05-21
TRIAL FOR MURDER.

The Portsmouth Journal contains re. |
port of the trial OF Charles Stevens, before
the supreme judicial court, at York, Me. !
indicted for the murder OF his son, e harles
Henry {. Stevens, ged nine years, trial at
kitlery Point ION the 18th OF Aug last. The
was held in the meeting house, to &C.
commodate the great number that atten-
ded. William Burliegb, Daniel Nj.
Christie. and John Holmes were counsel
Tor the defendant. 1t appeared in evi.
dencc that several days previous 10 the
i4'h c. August, quarrel arose between
the prisoner and his wife; and she left
him on the same night. He continued
daily to send his children to the neighbor-
ing houses to make inquiries for his wife,
III becoming wearied with repeated err
rands, they told him they had obeyed his
commands, when the contrary was the
TACT. This seems to have been the i'm.
mediate cause ofthe chasuse ments, w hich
appeared had been inflicted upon his
children. In the testimony adduoed on
the part of the government there was no
positive proof OF the death of Charles
II was subslantiated by several witnesses
|
beaten by his father. with a cod line,
three fold, braided and knotted at the
ends, on suspicion that he had given false
| information on the absence of Mrs Ste
vens. Stevens vas heard to say, he
would kill him ifbe could not break him
OF lying /; and that The difficulties with
his wife would end in the death Of two or
three. Eliza Jane Stevens, daughter OF
the prisoner, between seven and eight
years old, testified that on the evening Of
the day on which the murder was alleg-
ed 10 have been commi,tcu, her father
ordered her to 60 into the bed room, and
wait until he came in. He brought in a
line and whipt her and her brother
Charles with it. He sent her to bring
the tongs. lie beat Charles with the
tongs, and told him that if he did not tell
the truth he would sacrifice him, and
take him up by the heels, and beat his
brains out. lie afterwards sent all the
children into the chamber and ordered
them to wait. He soon followed with a
rope, beat her, and threw -ner into bed :
then ordered Charles down stairs. Her
father went down first and Charles fol-
lowed. After they had gone down, she
heard blows from the tongs, and Charles
cried as long as the blows were given
she never saw or heard Of him afterwards.
Several witnesses testified, that on the
10Th Of August, between pine and ten in
the evening, they saw boat sculled
round TO a cove opposite Stevens house
"a person, whom they had no doubt was
the prisoner, got on, of the boat and wen,
towards Stevens's house-he returned il
sbout5 minutes, put something INTO the
boat which sounded like box OF trunk
jumped IN and pushed off. A chain wa.
heard 10 rattle IN the boat. Next morn.
ing pair OF pantaloons, stockings and
shoes, were behind Stevens house, wet
The boat "as seen again on Sunday, and
The chain was gone. Search was made
several daysior Charles, and many per-
soDs employed in graphing in the river.
on the 18th, warrant was issued at
Portsmouth for the arrest of the p,iso
ner. He had entered the name of VIM.
Dawes on the stage book for Boston. -
On being asked why he changed his
name, he said because Unexpected to be
apprehended for beating his d1aghter
Charles's clothes were found al the house
of the prisoners father There was lit
tie contradictory evidence on the par, of
the defendant. The testimony of Ehz a
Jane Stevens was said TO differ from that
given at the examination before the ma.
gisIrate, so Far as that she then omitted
that part where the prisoner Threatened
| to sacrifice Charles and heat bis brains
out. Mr.. Burleigh opened the defence
in an argument OF three hours end half.
He quoted many cases 10 shew the i'm
propriety OF rendering a verdict Of guilty
upon circumstaDtial evidence. Mr..
| Holmes followed in an address of three
] hours. Both commended that no muir
der had been committed; that the wit
ness on the part of the government had
DeeD peculiarly excited; and that Charles
had been secreted by his friends and was
still alive. Tie attorney general, Eras.
.us Foote, closed in an address of two
| hours. lie had no doubts the prise.
ncr's son died under his hands, and was
buried in the deep. Judge w es,on SUNNI.
ed up the evidence, and was followed by
chief justice AelleD, each occupying an
hour and half The Jury returned
verdict OF not gully.
Stevens was afterwards convicted of
an ult x battery on his dauphter FIJI.
"a Jane, and sentenced TO six months in
prisoDment. -
Extract Of letter from St. Salvador.
April IL. "Gen. Madeira has received