The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1828-10-02
TRIAL FOR MURDER.

The trial of Robert Bush for the murder
OF his wife, came on before the Supreme
Judicial Court at Springfield on the 18th
inst. and continued until noon on the 10Th
when the jury retired, and in two hours re
turned with q verdict of guilty On the
2Oth, sentence Of death was pronounced
upon the unhappy culprit, in an impressive
manner, by Chief Justice Parker. The
Solicitor General Davis opened the case,
and produced witnesses who testified to the
following facts:
On Saturday, the Doth Of September,
1877, at sunset. the prisoner procured 30
grains OF opium and also powder end shot.
with which he charged his gun, at the store
of +. Jessnp g. Son, and proceeded directly
TO the house where his wife was living. In
consequence OF the bad habits and charac
ter OF Bush there had been two years be-
iorc,a separation between him and his wife,
who resided at the house Of Captain Jared
Noble. Bush had repeatedly requested
her to live with him again, and onthe night
previous to the murder, in consequence of
her refusal, he had threatened her life On
the way to.the house he shook hands with
several OF the Witnesses, telling them he
should never see them more, and wishing
them well, one of The witnesses tod Mrs.
B. that her husband was oming to kill her,
and was requested by her to stay with her;
but she ran Immediately to her fathers for
help. Her brother came out and saw Bush
take his gun from the fence and 30 towards
the house. He sprang towards him and
was within ten feet Of him when the gun
was discharged. Mrs. Il. was standing at
the cellar door when he fired. and fell down
the cellar stairs. Her right hand and arm
was horribly mangled. and fifteen sho,
were lodged in her side. JUS, below the
breast bone. She fingered until ! o'clock.
when she expired. Bush was immediately
seized, and askedwhat he had been doing:
lie laughed. and at first denied the deed :
afterwards he said he had shot her in the
bowels and "there was no mistake" He
was observed to put something in his mouth
which was soon ascertained by the smell 10
he opium. Powerful cmetics were then
offered him, which he refused. Theywere
then forced down,the opium disgorged, and
he was restored from tho effects which It
had already produced. During the whole
sc enc he was calm. and made but a slight
effort to escape. On the next morning he
was examined and pleaded guilty Of the
crime Of murder. On his way to jail. he
stopped at the house Of his wiie's father.
and was shewn the mangled corpse of his
wife; he appeared deeply affected. and ex.
claimed, ooh, what have | done / would
give a thousand worlds could / exchange
with her! Take me away I can
not stay here ~ His children were
brought TO him; but the sight Of them
seemed more deeply to afflict him, and he
left the apartment. On the road. in conver-
sation with the officer, he said 'hc had Kill.
led his wife becaus. he was jealous. bu,
that be was mistaken in her guilt, and he
should never have committed the crime had
il not been for Rum"
The defence set up by the Prisoners
Counsel, Mr.. Boies, rested upon the ground
or that kind denominsted BY
medical men .Nonomsnid, or insanity on
one subject, caused by the anxiety Of his
mind, in consequence Of his separation from
his wife. The evidence in defence brought
forward facts Of corroborstion: he having
conducted strangely at times. The medical
witnesses testified that while in Jail his
pulse was very quick, from 100 10 ia. but
that that Circumstance was not uniform