Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-08-04

sion on the minds of all who Heard him. Con-
6den, of the fact tha, he was alluded 10, In The
remark Of Jones, from the information ne had
pre- viousry received, Hamilton struck him, over
The shoulders Of another man. very probably
with an intention TO kill him, (for the stick was
large enough to have effected that purpose, II
.the assailan. had been in position 10 have Sc
cured fair 5low.)
TWAS conceded by the counsel for the pro.
secu,ion, for arguments sake, that the assault
was commenced by Hamilton; but they contend
ed that, even had he been slain on the spot oy
Jokes, .he accused must have been regarded and
punished as murderer.
The parties were separated at Black s, ana II
is with grea reluctance that we proceed TO de-
tail the circumstances which afterwards occur
red II is however our du'y which, as pub
lie journalists, We have voluntarily imposed up
on ourselves and mus, perform.
We intend, in the remainder OF our detail, 10
refer solely TO he evidence adduced by me pr.
sonrr. II appears, from that evidence, hat AT
ter Hamilton had stricken Jones, and MANIFEST
ed disposition 10 indulge in other ac's OF VI
olence, (such as throwing stones at the mouse
IN when Jones was, and which had been barred
against him, SC y they were forcibly separated
H milton on reaching his boat, was asked
whether he had whipped every person II =;
"a certain place, which need not b" named 70
" ears polite" He gave some vnmeaning re-
ply; and with two or ths"e VI his comrades
took his sea, on the rim of the boat; lit lie sus.
pecline tina, he was shortly to appear before
that bar which exhibils the nakedness OF the
human heart, and pu's an end 10 all the qu'o
bles and rifles Of knaves and simpletons -
In thu mean while, Jones washed and cleaneso
the wound on his forehead watch had been IN
1icted by Hamil:on's blow, re -dres sed himself
and came on the main ST ee', (abou' 900 yards
distan from the spot al which the frs comoa
took place. went deliberately 10 gun-smi h ::
shop, and alter Tying two guns which were Of
| f. red TO him, and which he found would not an
swer his purpose, selected third, which ht
loaded, advanced coolly 10 the bank OF The river
and in abou, 80 minutes ate wards, ~ the pre-
.ence Of several individuals, he face OF one o
whom was burnt by the discharge OF the gun, hi
| lodged its contents near the heart OF his victim
| II million died almost instanraneously, and Tel
! from the boat into the wafer. with the exclama
ton 20 those who were with him, Boys, an
goge"' IF The butchery had ended here, 1
would not have excited any great degree o
prejudice against the prisoner-as bo'h he ane
the deceased were found in The same sink OF mi
guilty, and wert, in the original cause OF INT
ac,, no doubt equally To blame. But the con
duct af Jones after he had shed The blood .
Hamilton, cut him of from all The sympa,hie!
Of the community. II, ashis counsel contend
ed, lie WAS insane, from the joint operation o
the liquor which he had drunk and the blow
which he had received, why were not some fam
vmptoms Of contrition and sorrow visible, no
while he was laboring under the i"tinrnce o
that excitement, blu, when he came before ,ha
tribunal which was 10 decide his destiny! We
J $50 --.---,---n~.---,- svu-s-uut " e mus
agree with the attorney for he Common WI aIlI
in saying, that, taking all The facts together
the motive which led to the acL-the manne
Of its commission-aud the Circumstance.
which occurred afterwards, there never ha
been a murder commiled in this or any Other
country marked more strongly by all the attri
bu'es which places il in lhp highest grade Of Of
fences.