Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-06-01
From the United States Gucette.
THE MAIL ROBBERS.

In another column Will be found the sentence
Of death passed by the court yesterday on these
miserable offenders. At an early hour yester-
day, the court was beset BY a multitude anxious
for admission, and long before the usual hour of
opening the court tie applications for admission
were numerous and pressing beyond example.
The prisoners were brought into court about
half past nine by cOnstabies M'Lane and CARR
cues, who have had the charge of them from the
commencement of their trials to the present
time. AMI to WHOM a passing word OF approba-
ton for their attention to them, and their activl-
" in preserving order in court, during these in
teres;ing trials, is Justly due. We observed that
Porter was seated near Garrisues, with whom he
appeared to be in close conversation during the
interval which preceded the organization of the
court. We know not, of course, what was the
subject of their conversation; but it was such that
a smile was frequently elected from Porter's
countenance, who appeared Ii in the earnestness of
his attention to betray feelings, not COMFORTING,
as we thought, with the horrible anticipations
which we could not but associate with him.
Wilson was no less earnestly engaged in CONVEX
satiOn with MI.ane, but he maintained a more
sedatc demeanOr than his guilty companion.
After silence was obtained, the court asked the
counsel for the prisoners whether they had any
thing to saw; upon which Mr.. James c. Bidtie.
one OF the counsel for Porter, shortly addressed
the court, stating, that before sentence was pass
ell, he begged to say, that on the various other in
dictmeats for robbing the Kimberton mail, which
the grand Jury had returned true bills, and to
which Porter had pleaded not guilty, he now
prayed to withdraw those pleas on all indictments,
and to enter pleas of guilty on all the charges.
TIE Court asked Mr.. Dallas, the prosecuting
Attorney, whether he had any observations to
make; who replied, that he had no objection to
the application.
Dir. Kaae said that he hoped for a similar in
diligence in the case OF Wilson, on whose behalf
he begged to withdraw all the pleas of not guilty
on the bills OF Indictment found against him, with
the exception of that on which the charge was a
capital one.
Mr. Dallas said he had no objection or obser-
yation to make on this application, upon which
the prisoners were ~severaily called up, and the
Court explained to them the nature of the ap-
plications made on their behalf, and the tenden-
cy and effect of the billso on which they wished to
plead guilty and their pleas were amended &C
cordingly.
The Court then by Judge Baldwin, proceeded
TO pass sentence on the carstal charge on which
they had been tried. The sentence was deliver.
ed in a solemn and impressive manner. and seem.
ed to illicit more feeling from the spectators and
l~istners, than from the unhappy men who were
the more immediate subjects oft. They main,
tanned throughout 4 demeanor, not of levity GER
tainly, but ola stoical indifference, which puzzles
all oar philosophy to account for, and when the
last dread PHRASE was pronounced, not a muscle
of their countenances was agitated and they ap-
peared to walk back to their letters with as firm
a step as when they marched forth to execute the
guilty purpose for which they are soon to suffer
with their lives. No earthly hope remains for
them, and our feelings respond to the concluding
words of their just sentenCe-May God have mer
cy upon them.