Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-08-11
TO CORRESPONDENTS.
ZENo-Shall appear next week. Poetica
favors, shall also be attended to.
TO CORR ESPOl

SALEM TRIALs.-On Tuesday after
noon the trial of John Francis Knapp
was continued The Attorney General
concluded his statement of facts with
which he intended to open the case, stat
cd the points he intended to establish,
and the law upon which he should reply.
1t was proposed by the counsel for the
prisoner, that the jury should proceed to
view the premises upon which the mur-
der was committed but as draits& s. surveys
had been taken, the motion was overrul-
ed by the court. The witnesses for the
government were called. The first cx-
amincd was benjamin. White, domes-
tic in the family of the late Joseph White,
who explained the situation of the house,
and the manner in which the assassina-
ton was first discovered. Mrs Kimball,
another domestic, was also examined in
regard to the same points and the habits
of Mr.. White. DIR. Samuel Johnson,
the ilst Physician who attended, was
next upon the stand, and related minute
ly the condition in which he found the
body Of the deceased the character OF
the wounds and the manner in which,
and the instruments with which he sup
posed them to have been inflicted. AT
this point the Attorney General said he
had now proved that the murder was
committed he should next proceed to
prove that there was a combination to
commit the murder for that purpose his
witness would be Joseph jenkins Knapp,
jun.
When he was placed upon the stand,
the Attorney General asked him If he
was willing to be sworn ?
i The reply was in the negative.
What reason do you give
l Mr.. Dexter said he would submit tc
the court whether it was regular to ask
the witness his reasons
/ The court thought he was not obliged
to give his reasons he had the OPP
por.unity of tcstiiying if he pleased.
The Attorney General said the pris-
oncr ought to be told that the pledge Civ
en- by the government, that he should be
protected upon full confession, was re-
deemed. You still refuse - testify, dc
you sir :
II do, was the reply.
Messrs Dexter and Gardiner both
stated that the refusal of the prisoner to
testify was not in consequence of their
advice ! he acted upon his own respon-
sibility.
Joseph J. Knapp was then remanded.
The Attorney General said he should
cndeavour to prove the conspiracy by
other witnesses. lie would merely
state that in case Of this kind the act of
one was the act of all concerned. He
then called John Layton a young man
residing in the family with Joseph J.
Knapp Jun. at Wenham. OF the testi-
mony of this witness, il will not be proper
in the present state of the case, to give
any report. AT the close of his examin-
alton the court adjourned.
Yesterday morning the trial proceeded.
The Rev. MIR. Colman was the first wit
ness called, but as most Of his evidence
related to confessions made by Joseph j.
Knapp and Francis Knapp, nearly all
the morning was consumed in discussing
points of law relative to the admssibiliy
of such evidence. A majority of the
court Judges Wilde and on,dccided
that the confessions should not he rcceiv-
ed, and Mr.. Colman was dismissed.
John Palmer was next placed upon the
stand he was objected to by Mr.. Gardi-
ner on account of inlidelity, but his an
swers to questions of the court were satis-
factory and he was sworn. lie had