Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1830-08-16

trace lea around the house by the perpeifstor.
! The interest, however, did not commence I'LL
| a youog man by the name of Laiton, frnm
| Whenham was put on the stand. IL appears
that this Leighton, or Lsit0n. was employed
as farm servant about the oroiherin-law OF
Joe Knapp. Sometime previous TO the murder,
the Kuapps were day walking down 'hs
| avenue leading from the house, and approach
any the gate ola stone wall, on the other side of
! which Laghion vas al work. They were
talking together. On reaching within four feel
Of the gate way, he heard Joe Knapp say 10
Frank" have Won seen Richard Crownin-
shield ?" j" No." replied Frank. I" Do you
know" asked Joe, if he has killed MIN =
" don't know, said Frank. Well" con.
tinued joe If he does not ! WONT pay him
the money!" After this conversation they
moved of IN another direction The witness
| did not particularly understand the DRIFT oil
these WORDS at ihe time. On the day after the
murder was committed, il struck HIM that their
! application was then found out. Tie had men.
/ rloned the words TO another person bur when
/ he had heard The news of the murder. he ex.s
pressed himself in store before some person,
| -" know more of the murder ,han they think
for" Subsequently. he told to some persons
what he had heard, and during the excitement
he was once, il not oftener, threatened by one
OF the Knapps, if he said any thing about
them. Knapp showed hima dirk which he
ca rried about his person, and told him 10 be
quiet. The witness underwent severe exam
nation by Mr.. Dexter, yet he showed little
embarrassment, or hesiiancy in his replies, when
he understood the question.
The evidence given by him produced p con-
siderable sensation. He had moi been before
the Grand Jury, and il was not supposed that
any such evidence existed. Sill tits circum.
4.
er witnesses. The principal difficulty appre-
hended is that arising from legal points. Rich
ard Crowninshled's death has produced IL all.
The great point-the knouy point. is what
| constitutes " constructive presence Frank
Knapp is the indicted for this species of
principaship. He Was, il is supposed, at the
corner OF tue square with Crowninshied when
the deed was dons. lie is young fellow of
some daring aud resolutio0-Joe is the pride
paIlid, cadaverons rogue, who yet had weak
TO keep aloof from the gang, until he had
job for their leader 10 perform
To day the Rev. Mr.. Co,uan and Palmer
have been examined. Mr.. Coman was arrest
ed in The midst of his disclosures. Colman
with a relative OF the knapps went to the cell
in which Frank was confined. Frank was
spoken to in this language" Frank, we have
come to tell you that Joe has determined TO
Frank said. +" that Is hard, as The thing was
done Tor his benefit" Joe mad taken this course
for the purpose OF endeayorIDg to save his life
by turning states esidence.-FraDk was dis.
pleased with ii, and expressed his displeasuIe
III the words stated He added in a subsequent
part of The conversation. that" when Joe FIRST
proposed H. (ihe murder) SAID il was a silly
business, and would bring us all INTO difficulty"
Here very considerable discussion took place
| between MIR. Webster. on the part Of the gov
| ernment, and Messrs Dexter aud Gardiner, on
| the part Of the prisoner. II was relative TO the
admlssio ihty of the further evidence, denied by
the council Of the accused on the ground Thai
The res, oil Frank knapps declaration was
affected by the hope Of clemcucy, or fear OF
| punishment Mr.. Nebser made a very in.
the genious argument, bu he MAS overrnled b.
| Court and so, Mr.. Colinan's further evidence
was sa, aside
| Palmer was then called up. He is sppa-
renhy young man, iolerably good looking,
rather small and slender, has an impeachment
| in his speech. He related different converse
| tons, showing the conspiracy beIeen the two
| Knapp aud TWO Crowunshield's TO murder
! Capt. Wine George CrownlnshIeld made a
! proposition 10 him 10 be concerned IN the mnr-
! der, and he was offered third OF TIN thousand
! dollars. He was associate aud acquaintance
/ WIN 'Ht ANU bhh HdHJ ibiti-
views with them--When he demurred 10 the
proposition, he was reminded by one of them
thai h- was " ont of funds and that this affair
would he good opportunity to rPpensh his
| purse. Joe Kuapp was TO pay $1,000 dollars TO
| Crownlnsh'eld's Tor the preparation OF the
| murder. The testimony Of this witness WAS
! the most singular ever heard. II disclosed
one Of the most cool Conspiracies to take away
! the life Of fellow being for hire, that ever
! was or could be conceived. Here was an
actual bargain and sale, cooly and dispsS.ion.
! ately followed up by four individuals, who al
/ the same time endeasonred 10 ensl recruits
/ in their service. The destruction of Captain
! Whites will, by which his property was to be
conveyed alter his death to Stephen White,
Esq. was the ohjec OF Joe Knapp. On thai
basis he built his hopes of realizing through
his wife's relationship part of the property,
from which he expected TO be reimbursed for
| the cost of the murder To all these facts
Palmer testified, by relating propositions and
declarations OF the two Growninshieds and
Joe knapp. In obedience to a rule Of law he
was not allowed to relate ATTY part connected
with Frank Knapp who was on his trial HIS
evidence went 10 prove the conspiracy.
After The murder OF Capt. White, Palmer
went TO Boston Providence, Lowell, and uli-
matey to Belfast, in Maine, from which lie had
written the letter 10 Joe Knapp extortIug mo-
ney, and which led TO the development Of the
whole plot When this letter was received by
Old Mr.. Knapp, he showed it TO his son Joe.
Al that period he aud the others were suspect.
ed. BY singular fatality, Joe advised it to be
handed 10 the Committee of vigilance who then
had discovered nothing 10 satisfy or allay the
Indignation OF the people Joe took the idea
rom this letter TO form d plnn tor We puspose
OF screening themselves by throwing the mur.
der on other persons in Salem. For that pun
pose ne "role couple Of letters, one to the
COMMITTEE OF vigilance, and the other 10 the
individual in question, threatening to disclose
unless certain sum Of money was sent in a
certain way, He answered the name of the
same writer which had sent the letter from
Ma'ne.-lhls attempt however ia, led from the
apprehension OF Palmer, aad the subsequent