Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-11-24

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\ Fosa siss po<sa Patriot. Nov. ~.
TRIAL OF JosEPu yENKINs KNAPr.
Tuesday morning the prisoner plead
ed not gully tsss mseh Of the indict.
ment ~ charged him with being scees.
sary 60 John Francis Knapp, IN the
murder Of Joseph Whine To that part
of the insiicsaent whieh charged him
with being sceesssry to soor person
unknown, the Cosrt directed him not
to plead.
"A jury having been impannelIed,
the Attorney General vac proceeding
Ia open the case. when the prisoners
counsel, after some inquiry az 20 the
persons who arc Ia conduct the case fur
the Government, objected TO Mr.. Web
ster's being Engaged in the case. The
Attorney General said Mr.. Webster
was there NJ his request.
The court, after q long considera-
ton, could not decide, aud ordered
that the Cause should 70 on under the
conduct of the Attorney and Solicitor,
TIL the morning, when they ~oaid set
tie the question.
/ Mr.. Webster then said, ! came solc.
" at the requcst of the Attorney Gen.
eral-no other inducemcnt had the
least influence upon him.
The Attorney General then opened
the case to the jury, and cited authori-
ties to support the doctrines, that IL an
accomplice confesses, and 10 called a.
witness, and afterwards testihes frau
duIently, or denies his confessions, the
Government Is redeemed from the
pledge Of protection, and he is 60 he
tried by his confessions. lie then call.
ed Mr.. Colman, who testified that the
confessions we're given without com.
pulsion. promise, bride, or inducement,
except the pledge given by the Attor.
ney, which was shown to the prisoner
at the bar before the confessions were
ea~e"' AAc "su Hot Niitteu CohtcS-
sion.
Dexter objected that any thing Of the
confession should be given, or the con.
tents Of the paper in any way stated.
The Attorney General stated that
the paper contained m account Of the
murder, authenticated on every page,
containing nine pages, by the hand
writing Of the prisoner, aud accompa-
MED by note in the handwriting Of
Joseph Jenkins Knapp, stating that he
had done it without pledge or bribe, or
solicitation whatever. If that was not
to be introduced. he did not know what
could be given in evidence.
Gardiner was going on to argue o.
gainst the admission Of the confession,
but the Court thought that all the facts
relating to the mode in which they
were obtained, should be first known,
when
MIR. Colman was again called, and
testified: first heard of the arrest of
the Knapps on Thursday morning. the
9th. but ! did not visit him till Friday
morning.. l went to the prison with
the knowledge and appreciation Of the
family. l told him was much dis
tressed. That was sorry for his stu
alton, and If could render him any
service which it was proper for me to
render. he might command me. He
asked me if thought they could prove
it. / told him l did not know any
thing about il, other than what certain
gentlemen, in whom had great con-
hdencc, had told me, that in their
opinion the evidence was conclusive.
ieharged him it he was innocent, by
no means to involve himself,-hc must
be the Judge of that. lie asked me
again. aud think repeatedly, if they
could prove IL. and ! answered him as
before, that didn't know. He sat on
!, the bed and drew close. lie look ed
} up 10 the wall and ! looked up, and
saw orevice from which the saw dust
appeared to have fallen. lie appeared
TO be anxious not TO be overheard, and
this excited my suspicion, and asked
him who occupied that cell. lie told
me George CrowDinshield was over
head. He told ne he had let down a
pencil and paper through the creyice,
and Showed u 10 me. As was going
out, he asked If would return.
returned 10 the cell about three
o'clock on the same day--very much
the same conversation passed, with the
addition. that then told him that the
gentlemen of whom bad before spo-
ken, had authorized me TO use their
names. mentioned Mr.. Chase, DIR.
: RarStow, and Mr.. Fettyplace, as hav.
ing given the opinion that the evidence
: was decisive. Tie asked me if I thought
they would bring Palmer up. under