Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-08-20
TRIAL OF MURDERERs.
SALEM Au,,ust Ri I.

To day, a little after nine O'Clock, the court
opened for the purpose Of trying the cases of
the two knapps aud George Growinshicld
After the Count had been organized the
three prisoners wore brought i'm and placed
at the oar they are all respectable looking
young men ana would never be suspected
tron their appearance Of such foul crimes
John Francis Knapp, approached first. His
dress was light grey stuff frock coat, liyht
vest, blue pantaloons, and yellow handker-
chief around his neck. His features are oval
and rather regular-his complexion some
what dark-and his hair very neatly cut aud
parted IN front. Ills dark brows hung hcav,-
ly over his eyes, but there was nothing re-
pulslve IN his Appearance. He might be
termed good looking. His brother Joseph
JenkiiS Knapp, presented quite different
appearance. Indeed there was no family re-.
semblance between thum. Joseph was dress
cd In DARK irock coat, blue pantaloons, dark
vest and handkerchief. When he entered
the box, tie cast his eyes around the audi.
onco and smile urked beneath his eyes
His face was thin and salow-his cheeks
sunken, and ms hair fell very care.cssly u
round ms forehead and brows. His appear
ahce was ny NJ means preposscssing. Geo.
Crownlnshlold was the handspmest fellow of
the lot. His face had fine ford complex
ion-quite youthul-his nose prominent
and his pro;uson of very light hair was quite
remarkable. Had justice been blind u while
longer his hair might have rivalled red pep.
per GEORGE squte n young man-almos,
touching stout boykood. He was dressed i'm
an olive irock coat, black silk vest, black
hanckerchiet, and blue pantaloons.
When they made their appearance In the
prisoners box they were addressed hy name
separately, and desired to hold up their right
hands This they did throughout tho read
my VI the Two indictments, both of which are
'or"ed oil severai counts, varying the form
oi accusation so as To meet any pnssiblc oh.
lection anticipated from their counsel. and n
vailed ut through the suicide of Richard
Ciowninshield. John Francis Knapp was
iirst put on hts trial, and the two others were
rcnianded. lie was arraigned on tho sinUle
'no'Gt'nenl IN winch he is charged as prin-
u,pai WIN h'charh Crowninshlcld, deceased.
70 .ii's ne P'eau IN FAINT voice not guilty. :
The empannelling OF the jury then took
| place. In the course of finding Jury, lac
| challenged perhaps over twenty men In re-.
ference to his selection, | observed Tn 1t he
had decided paruality to hard featured
weather beaten faced men, who had snant
'iiahy years at sea, or at hard work on shore
ANY man with genteel ex terror and dressed
better Than usual was challenued without
ceremony. In about two hours iury was
soi-a set OF fine, hardy, honest looking
men as ever saw. A good many on beinU
called as Jurynen were disqualified ON reply
'"g mat they had made up their uinds
August 9TH, 1880.
Yesterday afternoon, the examination q,
"'.''esScS on Tue part of the prosecution Il
gaInsi Frank Knapp commenced The frs,
Stage OF The enquiry was tie evidence rela.
i've To the murderous dced-thc examination
| M appearance OF the body, and the traces
loi' around the house by the perpetratur
| he interest, however, did not Commence iii
| young man by the name of Laiton, from
| "enHain was put on the stand. IL appears
tlat THIS Laighton, or Laiton, was employed
! us farui servant about the brother in law
OF joe Knapp. Sometime previous to the
murder, the two knapps were one day walk
ing down the averue leading from the house
aha approaching the gate OF stone wall, ON
Tue otheI side OF which Laighlon was al
! WORK. They were talking together. On
reaching within tuur feet OF the gateway ha
heard Joe Knapp say to Frank - have YOU
sven hichard CrowninshIeld ?" No" re.
Pped FRANK Do you KIN w. asked Joe,
IN ne mas killed hin?" 81 don't know" said
Frank. Well continued joe, if he does
,n't won't pay him the money" After this
CONVERSATION they moved of IN another di.
recuoh. The witness did not particuIs rlv
understand the drift of these words al the
tme. on The Gay after the mrurde. was com.
mitted' IL struck him that their application
4 was men foutd out. He had mentioned the
woios 10 another person, but hen lie had
noa'u cne news OF the murder, he expressed
l, h ~ store before some persons *
| KNOW mFc OF the murder than thew think
Tor Subsequently, he told to some nersnns
what ne Lad heard, and during the excite.
meni he was once, if not oitener, threatened
oy one OF nc hnapps. if he SAID any thing a.
ooul mem Knapp showed him ii dirk which
~ CARED about his person, and told him 10
VIC quiet. ne witness underwent 4 severe
rN,''i"at"h by MIR Dexter, yet he Showed
't''e e''o'FtaSsinent or hestancy in his re.
plies wheA he understood the questions.
me evidence given by him produced a
consIneratIe sensation. He Tad not been be
n'e 'he 1and Jury, and it was not supposed
tna' any SUCH evidence existed Sui il is
SiIc,'tns'ai tial, aud will have to be supported
ny olnei Witnesses The principal difficulty
| unprecedented is that arising from legal poiuts
Richard C'Ownnshield deoth has nrodnced
IL all. The great point-the knotty ooint is
WhaI constitutes constructive presence =
FRANK hhapP Ia the one indicted for this sne.
cles OF PrIncipalshp. He was. it is sumo.
sec, at the corner of the square with Crown.
| ihshieid when the deed was done. He is n
young fellow of some da ing and resolution
Joe Is The weak, paI!id, cadavcrous rome
VINO yet had pride to keep loot from The
gang until he had job for their leader to
| perform.
10 day, the Rev. Mr.. Colman and Palmer
! have Been examined Mr. Gilman WINS ar.
| rested IN the midst of his disclosures on a IL
gal point. Before that arrest had taken Mace
he had given several interesting disclosures.
CoIman, with a relative of the Knapps. went
TO the cell in which Frank was confined
Frank was spoken to in this languaoe-
Frank we have come to tell you that Joe
has determined to confess, and he wants
your consent" To this Frank said. thai ia
hard, as the thing was done for his benefit {,
joe had taken this course for the purpuse of
endeavOuring TO save his life by turning
siato's evidence. Frank was disploased with
it, and expressed his dlspleosure i'm the words
stated. He added in subsequent mari Of
the conversation, that when joe first nro.
posed it, the murder] said it was n s,lIv
business, and woald bring us all into difHcni.
ty.' Here a very considerable discussion
took place between Mr. Webster, on the mart
vt the government, and Messrs Dextor ,,d