The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-08-26
Fran the Salem Reg ser Of Monday.
TRIAL John 2. KNAPP.


Tb. Iong pending Trial Of fJoHS F. kNAPP.
a principal in the murder of the late Jos
,pa WuirE. Is brought TO melancholy
close. A Jury of his country, after patient
,earino OF evidence and arguments, has pro |
him Gully and the awful sentence
,f DyATH has been pronounced upon him.
Mr Dexter occupied nesriy four hours
and a half in his closing argument Tor lhe
prisoner. which he finished at half past on
Thursday forenoon. II wssa most ingen-
,ous and m,.terly perfor nance, character'z
ed by an scuieness aud fertility of intellect
ual rrsource. seldom surpassed. lie now
ever. lndulged ~ great severity OF aniinao
version upon tbe Witnesses and others in'er
eat-d in the prosecution.
AIR. WEBSTER then rose to close the case
for The G",ernmcnt. He commenced o.
half pas' II on Thursday, and completed ms
argument little past eleven o'clock on Fr
day, having occupied EIGHT HOURS IN us De
livery.
We shall no, attempt to give even an ou'
line Of Mr. WLBsTER's argument, because
We are sure We should 90 him great irJis,e'
by SO doing II may suffice 10 say, that II
was powe fil, eloquent and conclusive De
vnnd any thing We ever heard ID Courl "'
Justice. and was undoubtedly one OF The
inguisbcd Lawyer aud Statesman.
Judge Putnam. after the conclusion ofthe
arguments. inquired of the prisoner whether
he had any thing further Ia offer in his dc
fence. He replied, "he had nothing further
to offer"
The Judge then delivered TO the Jury, r
clear and impressive Cha,ge, occupying
bout an hour and three quarters.
The Jury retired to their quarters al on'
O'Clock. and the Court adjourned-to meet"
gain when the Jnry should give notice 'h''
they had agreed upon verdict.
At six o'clock the Court bell proclalme'
! tina, the Jury were ready 10 announce 'he''
verdict. The Court House was filed ,o over
! flowing in few minnies--the prisoner wa
! brought in and placed AT the bar. The ~
/ we're in their seats before the ringing %
the bell A soon ns the Court WAS opencc
tho Clerk inquired of the Jury whether th"l
had agreed upon u verdict The rcp'y was
| in the affirmative. The Clerk k--"Wh ho shai'
| s,eak for you ?"--Jurors--"rhe FofemaH.'
! The prisoner (slandlng) was directed to hold
| un his right hand and look upon the Fore
man the Foreman To lonk upon the prisoner
! The Clerk procceded--"Mr Foreman, what
.ay you--is the prisoner at the bnr gully or
not guiliy?"-- Foreman -."Gui''y.' The
Clerk then read the verdict a. recorded, ano
| sald so yon say mr.. Foreman, and SO you
! all saw" They bowed assent. The scene
was affecting; seversl of the Jurors ouo
many others in Cour' discovered evident c
motion--bm NE prisoner remained unmoved
! throughout ne ceremony.
| The prisoner was then remanded, and The
Court odIourned to 9 O'Clock on Saturday
morning.
On Saturday, the Court was opened at the
time appointed. An immense crowd bad az
I .e,nhled TO " itness tho solemn ceremony o.
| passing sentence of death upon the prisoner
! Ills name was called by the C!erk--when he
| rose and answered lth his usual composure
! The Attorney General then arose and in a
very impressive munnsr addressed the Court
| to the following effect:
May IL please your Honors:
John Francis Knapp has been indicted
BY the Grand Jurors Of the Country OF rs
sex, as principal in the second degree IN ihe
murder Of Joseph White upon that lndct
meat he been arraioped and plesded no,
guilty "a Jury of his own selection has beer
emDarnclied and sworn Ia try the issue be
tween hm and he CommOa~ ealth--able
and lrarucd Counsel have been ass gned
h.m BY the Court al his requost--aDd the IN
ry after on attentive hearing of all the evi
dercP and the arguments of Counsel have
returned verdict OF GUILTY. The punish.
men, WHICH the Law requires is Death.
81 therefore move your honors. that sen-
tence of Death, conformaby To the Law be
now pronounced against the prisoner, as o
Just re,ribu,ion for his crime"
Judge Putnam then addressed the prls-
oncr IN these words--"iisve YOU aught 10
say why sentence of Death should not now
be pronounced agains, you?"
He replied with great tilmness and ener
gy as follows:
81 have only to say, that l am inno-
cent of the charge--and / now declare
to the world, that | shall die innocent of
the crime, for which am to suffer"
Judge Putnam then proce eeded TO pro-
nounce the dreadful sentence ofthe law,
in the following manner and terms:
JOHN FRANCIS kNArr,
You have been indicted for the crime
of Murder-and upon your arraignment
have pleaded that YOU were not guilty
and put yourself upon God and your
Country for trial. Able aud learned
Counsel have been at your request as
signed by the Court to assist you in your
defence. Your case has been commit
ted to very intelligent and impartial
Jury, selected by yourself, who have pa
tiently and atten,ively listened to the ey-
idencc and the arguments. All that
learning industry fidelity and talents could
suggest, has been urged in vain in you-
defence. The truth mas prevailed and
the jury ofyour country have established
your guilt--the Court is satisfied with
their verdict, and you conc now to re-