Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1830-12-06
from he Cincinnati 1msrieah. Nor. -
INTERESTING LAW CASE.
State Of Ohio
p, Trial for Perjury.
John l.. Chapman, }


John l.. Chapman }
Richard S. Whestly Prnser"ior
TIL. ,r,. an Indictment against John L.
Cbapman. tor Perjury, tried last week at Inc
C,nrf Of CpmmoI Pleas aud General Sessions
IL, Hamilton Couaty. now - season. "a iH's
civ. The Circumstances ef the case were ns
c.ttoWs: In August last, Chapman mane
E, ebat !. usually ternedj . runaway match
win the daughter 81 Wheally. NheaiIy
member Of the Bar. Hni resides ~ L"u's'h'f'
Kentucky HIS daughter was on vs." 10
friend IN Kennedy. about five miles Rom ms
civ where Oh tpin,n visited her, aud induced
her 10 comp I, tbs CRY aud get mar Ted. Chap.
man was n student of medicine The statute OF
tbiz STATE reauirrs, (Where tllr consent OF Tue
mar .ats - not glvrn) maj the young lady mus
he Is years Of age heiora she can marry II
q also necessary to get hcenNe foh 'iT
Clerk Of the Court. In obtaining marriage II
cense. Ghanaltn s.urre 10 Bhe bed " ms kh0W-
Iedge and belief tina, his intended VIE was opef
IL Beqrs o. are. and Teade1u oil ffam'ioo
count. On this affidavit Wheatly, the iather
oftbe Young lady, commenced prosecution
apsi,,i Chapman for perjury. This extraorh-
nary apd unnatural proceeding CHAT of Ia
tber prosecuting his own son-in-lnw tor per- l.
ry) excited great interest IN the pn'dic mIha'
ant produced yrrs general ihd'gna'ian against
tie Prosecutor. The daughter, who rs quite
prety and engaging ~ her manners, exhibited
the Deepest 5r.tsess aitlls unlocked Tor e'e"t,
and AT the ex tu.lnati u before the Mayor,
cluog with streaming eyes and all he fnndness
Of n devoted aud ahtttionate VIE, 10 ne hPck
oil her husband, pt testng his Innocence AMI
the shameless cruelty other father. The Gene
" as enough to have melted any heart but mat
Of her relentless niher.
The affidavit, before spoken Of, pntportfh 10
have been made before tn, CIerA oil the toufi,
and signed bg him, whereas II was ~ Hulh
IN ado before the De- niy Clerk, but whose
u ,nc did not appear. The deputy Clerk nan
LEGAL sntho f,ty To admin lister the oath, but II
vas contenlrd Ivy Defendants Counsel thht
the d puty's name should have appeared. va
rous legal objections were taken by De'ts
Counsel 10 the indictment. which were reserved
by The Court for consideration,
II WINS positively proved on the part OF the
State that the young lady was but II years oil
age, had resided IN Kentucky previously to the
day Other marriage, and mat she lad snug
property Of her own held IN trust by friend
Il " az also proved that she had ated IN pres
ence Of Drie ndanI that she was hui IL years oi
age. bu, the conversation was OF Joking char
ncler among some young ladies who were iaiS
iug OF " old maids.
twa. proved, on the part Of the Defendant.
that the young lady had stated in presence of
! Defendant she was over Ia years OF age, and
that ..hen thc omCer went 90 arr's' Defendant
+ q lew hours after the marrlage) she exejsi ned
/ 90 soon rs the cause was made known 1t WAS
NOT his fault. bur hers. II was also proved that
/ her appearance Indicated her II be at least ID
or 10 years ofage. IL was further proved that
/ the Defendant, at The line of taking the oath
stated 10 the DE ,alv Clerk that the Young lady
! had formerly resided in Kentucky, aud had Just
then arrived In HE city. 1t was lurth-r p-cyr /
TIL me Prosecutor had made proposition to
ID fendant thd Ifhe wonll make over his
wife : property to him, Whea,Iy] the prose gu
ton should he dismissed. II also came out in
evidence that Wheaty hnd sid, on being urged
by the officer not % proceed with the CASE, be-
cause, II successful, II would only destroy the
happiness oil his Gaugnttr, send his son-in-law
10 the fenlten'iary, where she would nnd0uhi-
I'd follow him, &c.-that on this, Nheatiy re-
marked he "did not care if she weit 10 He'll
50 thai he could puni Chapman :"
1t WAS alleged by Wheahey. TINT his object
was To Srnd Chapman 10 the Penleniinry, and
then get him divorced from his daug her, Ms that
woIld furnish legal cause fer a divorce
Whratey all dyed also that C6apman's cha
racler was bad, but this d d not al al appear on
The trial, tron my Other soarc'. Chapman is
handsome grnteei ln"ling man AID belong,
10 respect &c family IN Virginia Tire ,rai
occupied whole day. On this sia'e of !art,
Defendants cnunsel proposed Il submit the
case 10 the Jury VI haui argu,neEt IhIs was
declined bY the council for the state, and Mr.
Starr addressed the J ny. lac dciendai L. coun
sel then submitted the cssr. Tue Jury retired.
aud IN five minutes brought IN verdict OF
MOI GUILTY. Counsel Tar the Staie, Van
Matre, prosecuting Aitorney,) Starr and Srn-
nam. Counsel for ptiendant. Este, Wright
and Hodges, Stprer aud Fox, aud Conover
The above remark, have been very hasiiIv
thrown together, y all the mnultr particulars Of
the trial omitted. The vindiciteness win which
the Prosecutor appeared Ia pursue the Defend.
act. we have never sren eqlaied, under the
circumstances. The result of the rial, SO TAR
as We have heard, has gwen universal salts.
faction 10 this community. How any man
Calling himself a father could act as the Prose-
chto' IN thIs Case has done, especially from the
same motives, IS 10 us wholly inexpiicabe.
! The New York Post states that the prize oC |
Tered several months ago by Mr.. Hack.ii, for
"a fon'dy in thrre nets. has been Judged t,t,,.
author OF "A piece entitled " he lion of u,e