Litchfield enquirer., 1830-11-25
TRIAL OF KNAPP.

being aeceSaafy 10 J0nn Efancte Knapp, m the murder of Capt. White.
 A jury was empannelled: l: and aGter slight opposition on the part of the prisoners cOun- Ito the admission of Mir. Webster as counsel fSF the State. MT. Webster proceeded tOOpen the case. Alter reading the law and stating the nature of the evidence, Mir. w. called on Mr. Coleman to testify what he knew in re- IatiOD to the case. Mr. C.'s testimony IS sim liar to that gi-en on former occasion. ex- cepting as to the confessions of the prisoner. The admissibility of these confessions was opposed by the prisoners counsel. On the ground that they had been made under the influence of hope and fear and promise. The Court adjourned to hear the arguments in favor of their admission the next moi ming.
 7Nird day.--Thursday Morning. Court deliver ed an Opinnn in favor of admit ting the prisoners confessions, upon the ground, that the pledge of the Attorney Gen. eral, placed him above all hope or fear, tn perfect securiiy-that the influence of hope, which induced the first confessions. had ceas- ed, and there was no motive for him to falsi- .fy; indeed, he was safe. only upon a disclO- sure of truth. The confessions could not be said to be destitute of credit, because they would have been competent evidence against either of the accomplces, and though the prisoner had forfeited the protection of the Government, he could not retract the con- fessiOns, and there appeared no good reason why they should be used against him. The Court thought there was evidence to exclude the verbal confessions, because the prisoner had ths promise of Mr. Colman to obtain a plenge for him. but when he obtained the pledge he had got all he wanted or could get {; and as it was expressly stated to him, that he must act on his own responsibility. and that the pledge was given on the condition that he acted on good faith, every motive would lead him to tell the truth but it was still ques- ton for the jury tO believe the confessions or not, after weighing the manner in which they were obtained.
 Mir. Colman was called. He said the con- fessious were written by him, and were, as near as possible, in the words of the prisoner. The Attorney then read the confessions which were to the following purport.
 FIRST CONFESSION.
 mentioned to my brother, J. F. Knapp, that would give a thousand dollars if the old gentleman (meaning Capt. Whie) would die. He asked me why. told him he had will, which cut off one side of the family. and that, with the present will the bulk of the property would go to Stephen White 1; that Stephen White had injured me iu the opinion of lhe old gentleman, as we'll as all our family, and thought it right to get any advantage of him.
 I told him joking, that the old gentleman often said he wished to go off in flash. We then consulted how the murder was to be done -the old gentleman was never out in the night, so we could not attack him in the street-we spoke Of attacking him in the hOuse-Frank said he hadn't the pluck to do it, but he thought he knew who would. and said he would go to George and Richard Crowninshield. Frank said he got a-hOrse and chaise and went to their house. George declined going into the house as Frank re. ported, but said he would dirk him if he met with him any where out of doors. Frank met Dick by appointment severalt times, once on the Sd of April. He agreed to meet him on the common. Iwent myself, and told him how matters stood. told him that took the will out of the iron chest,-that ;t had the key in it-I turned the key and took it out. I told him as my brother had said, that would give him SlO0O. Richard showed me r the tools he said he should use, one was club about two feet long, turned of hard wood, loaded or very heavy, presume it was lOaded--turned with beads on the end the dirk was about 5 inches long in the blade, sharp, having a white handle as think-.I do not know where he got the dagger, but he said he turned the club himself asked him if he was going to do it that night. He said no, he dld not feel like 1t, that he was alone, and George had refused to back him-he said he would meet my brother another time. 1t was past nine o'clock when went home. | kept the will in my chaise box, wrapped in hay. Alter the murder burned it.
 - My brother said he saw Richard at the bot tom of the common, Thursday evening, that he told him the old gentleman had gone up to Mrs. Stones to take tea. Richard said he would catch him up there, if he didn't come home before dark. He did come home, and they were disappointed. He expected to meet him in Chestnut street. Richard told my brother be would dirk him. went home Sunday night about dark. Frank came to Wenham Tuesday told hin, my mother Beckford was there and would pass the night. 1 mentioned to my brother, that he had better | tell it to Richard. He said he would inform 1 him. Shortly after tea he left the house in 1 his chaise. My brother made this remark as he started-I guess he'll go tonight. We'd nesday morning Stephen Whites man came up and informed us. that the old gentleman was dead. Mrs. Rockford said she would ge directly back with him. My brother came up about noon, and asked if we had heard the news. told him yes, and how we had heard it. After dinner he told me aside how it was done. He told me that Richard met him in l BrOwn-street, in Salem, or near the common, about 10 o'clock. Richard left him and went through the front yard. passed the garden | gate, pasEed up the window, went through 1