Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-07-30
DOMESTIC.
LETTERS FROM Washington.

Washington, july IL, 1929.
The evidence in the case OF Or. watkins
Closed Yesterday. Two letters were offered by
the COUNSEL Tor the United States which gave
10 the case very adverse aspect inr The &C.
cusei.-Onc of them WINS IA letter OF expiana-
,ions which Dir. Watkins wrote 10 MIR. Harris,
the Navy Agent nj Boston, aud IN which he
nremptcd To shew that al his drafts upon
Fa,rIs and Padding were drawn, with the
knowledge and appreciation Of Mr.. Southland,
and thai the monpy thus raised WAS TO be ap.
piled IN sninr particular items oil navy eIpen'
ddnrr, Tor winch appropriations had mol been
granted A soon us DIR. Watkins was arrested
IN Phillde lrhia. il appears that he enclosed a
copy al those explanations, IN letter To MIR
/ Southland, addressed 10 HIM at Trenton but
Watkins having met with friend OF Sauthard' s
on board the steam boat and learning that MIR
6. was then in Philadelphia. sent 10 him "A re.
quest that he wopld take this letter out of the
Pos, Office Mr. Southland did SO, and instant
~, flor although Watkins had put no signature
~ his letter, the hand wiring WIS well known
10 hlr. Sourhmd) wrote a repi, 10 IT, The
letter to Mr.. Soulhard indicates mind, the
clear perceptions Of WHICH were Injured by
the uncomfortable agony under which DIR.
Watkins was sutleiing. Had he bten IN full
pos,esSion Of himself he would never have
applied, as he did 10 thai letter, 10 MIR. South
ard, To confirm the explanations which he had
made 10 Harris, and thus 10 implicate himself,
gratnilonslv nnd falsely, in the double crime
Of a connivInce in ia fraud {; also il the deep
er crime Of perjury. III. latter letter indicates
an intellect shkpn bv the first shock Occacion-
Cd by his erresi. and his whole thoughts seem
to he engrossed by hi WIFI and children whose
distress fancy painted t. him with the pencil
ortruih.--ilr. Sootharh replied, that il gave
him regret that he could not col firm the ex.
planations which DR.. Watkins had made. He
EXPRESSED his regret that he sho Id have pla-
ced himself in such glarng situation. and
ignorant q, he was Of the precise character of
the allegations against him, MIR. Southland said
it was out of his power 10 say more ihan that
when called upon to give testimony, he should
Give il with strict regard TO truth, as far as
his recollection would permit him.
The whole of Mr.. Sou'hard's conduct has
been manly and highly honorable His emo.
ton in reading the letter which he had deliver
ed up. by order Of tue court, was extreme. He
felt that the tate OF the accused was in his
hndds, and that II was a cruel, but unavoida'lc
du'v, winch compelled him to sacrifice The
man he had once esteemed. Before he could
6ush the reading of his letter, gush of tears
chokel h's urerance; Judge Cranch kindly
10 TX The lelier from him, and finish d il, and
Nj, ionlhard sinking ioto his char gave way
iocu lew moments 10 feelings honorable To
Jim, and which gained honor from all
Inc case closed here aud TO dav Mr. Swan
addressed the jury for the prosecution, and
Mr.. CSSa and MIR. Jones followed for the
accused i he counsel for DR.. Watkins, ad.
niitted the empaIrassmpnt under which the,
labored III consequence ri the prejudice which
must have been excited by the discovery of the
moral inrpitude ot the accused but repr4 sen.
ted him as now enduring punishment forthat
moral gaill beyond all which legal statutes
cnnld infict, IN the sense of his own utter de-
graduation, and lie aw lul contrast which his
present situation presents TO that in which he
50 recently stood They impiored the Jury.
however, 10 tepndiale all prejudiccs arising
from conf emplarion of his fences iD a moral
view. and 10 coufne themselves 10 the eyi
dence which had been produced before them
TO anaiyze il, aud 10 determine how far the
law and The facts could be made TO sustain the
precise allies lions sci forth IN the Indictment.
They pointed at inaccuracies which they
deemed to be fatal One ofthese was as tol.
lows: II had hpen declared hy the counsel
for the United States, IN answer 10 objections
in demurrer. that the offence imputed was
in his official character hv Dr. Watkins, but Al
private individual and on that ground a.
lone the court sustained the ind ctment The
counsel Tor DIR. Watkn, commended that the
evidence went directly IN operation TO this
view. and clearly established that the oil, nee
had been committed By Dr. Watkins in his OF.
fetal character and that in his individual
character he could not have pprnetrsted il
aud as the court could not take cogu,zance of
the oficinl acts of the United States officers.
Dr.. Watkins could not in this view of the
cese, be conv icred. Other points, similar in
their nature, we're made by his counsel, who
have greatly exerted themselves 10 save MIN.
Washington, Juiy ls, 1929
MIR Key closed The case in the trial of DR..
Watkins, in speech which occupied some
what less than two hours. Mr.. Key is a LAWYER
much more addicted TO forget fulnpss of that
Comfy and courtesy, which a thorough bred
gentleman never ioscs sight Of. than Mr..
Jones and he had scarcely commenced his
argument before he ma lie an attark upon The
accused, which, by an easy transition he quick.
" transferred tothe counsel for the accused.
Just as he began, however. TO assai the poiii
icai party to which the accused had beloneed.
the Court interrupted him. by asking HIM to
explain what he meant by party. Mr. Key
said the party TO which DIR. Watkins beIoncs.
aud who wish 10 favor HIM. The Cou,, an.
swertd that there was no evidence that the in.
ry belonged TO any parry and that the Cuur,
desired TO exclude such topics from these walls.
ne men went nto cont adict, in the hest way
ne Could, the legal positions which had been
taken by the counsel for Dir. Watkins wbirh
he admitted TO be chosen and maintained viii
great ability and ingenuity. When he came
to remark upon the letters written 10 Mr.. Har.
rus and TO Mr. southard, his language, in
reference to the letter, was 10 the following
effect: What wssihe tenor of The sec,nd
letter. which was adore TO Mr.. Southland ~
lie called on MIR. Sou,hard to confirm the
statement which he had made TO uarr;s
Confrm' IT, SAID he, aud ! am safe con,r,
oIcf It, aud am lost" What is the is,ue !
has Mr.. Southland confirmed il 2-Has no moi
c"n'radictcd IL in every part7 Has he mot
acted throughout this whole alTair in n manner
which has gained him ihe highest credit win
every on" He has-and Mr.. Kew said. ne
faIn -.