Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-12-08
FROM IA. Cin~i1sati .7msrirnn.
INTERESTING LAW CASE.

= L. In
I Trial for Perjury-Richar y Wbe.tlv Pro.ocu,o,
inns was an indicim ent against John l.. Chapman.
Ior Perjury tried last week at the Court OF Common
Pleas and General Sessions or Hamilton County.
the case wereas follows. In August last Chnnnan
mad, what Is usually termed. a RUNAWAY match"
with the daughter of Wheatly. Whcatly !; a mon
ner OF the Bar, and resides in Louisville Kentucky
his dangh'er was on visit TO q friend in Kro.ucky
about five miles from this city, where Chairman v;;;
ted her, and induced her to to this civ ard rn,
married. Chapman q student of medicine Tb.
statute OF this atc requires (where the consent or
the parents Is not given) that the young lady mus,
III years OF age before she marry. II is also NO.
cessary TO get license from the Clerk Of tho Court
In obtaining the marriage license, Chapman swore TO
the best Of has knortedgs and beIC thai his ;nendo1
wife was o0sr i8 years Of age and a res;Jen, of 10
milton county. On this affidavit, Whea,ly. the IA
Their ofthe Young lady. commenced prosecution a
gaInst Chapman Tor perjury. This extra ordinary and
unnatural proceeding, (th,t of futher prosecntjnr
his own son-in law for perjury excited treat
IN the public mind, and produced verv general mdig
nation against the Prosecutor. The daughter who
Is quite pretty and engaging IN her manners, exhbI-
ted The deepest distress Mt this unlock for event and
at tha cxauin ton before the Mayor cIunr yv, h
streaming eyes and all the fondness of devoted and
aiiectonaie wife. to the neck Of her husband protest
ing his innocence and the shameless cruelty of her
father. The scene was enough to have melted any
heart but that of the relentless father.
The affidavit before spoken of. purpor,ed 70 have
been made before the Clerk of the court and soned
ii bpfn fho
Deputy Clerk. bn whose name did not apDear Tho
Deputy Clerk had legal authority to administer tI,.
oath, but 1t was contended by Defendant, Counso
inst ire Dcputys name should have appeared. Va
rlous legal objections taken by DeCendapt,.
, Counsel to the Indictment which were reserved bv
the Court for consideration.
IL was positively proved on the part of the Slate
that the young lady was but ~ years of age. had
resided IN Kentucky previously TO the dav of b.r
marriage, and that she had snug propsr,y of ho,
own held in trust by friend II was also proved
that she had stated in presence Of D,fend,ni thai
she was DAT ~ years OF age. but the conversation
was OF Joking character anonr some Young lad o.
who were talking of''old maids :"
III was proved, on the part Of the Defendant that
the young lady had stated presence of Dnfendan
she she was over 10 ye'Is of age, and that when the
officer went TO arrest Defendant Ia few bonrs no.,
the mnrriage) she exclaimed $50 soon as the couso
was a3e KNOWN 1t was not his fumlt but hers II
was also proved that her appearance Indicated b.r
10 De az lc'st ~ or 10 years ofage II was further
proved thht Inc Defendant n, The time of takpr tho
ontn, stated 10 the Deputy Clerk, that ti,c y,,no
lady had formerly resided in Kcntuckv and had iu9,
then arrived in the city II was further proved liza,
to' PROSECUTOR had made proposition to Defendant
that II h" would make over his wif.s pr,pnr,v IN
bn' Whca,lyl tho prosecution should be- dismis
scd. u also came out in evidence that WboatIv
had said, on being urged by tho officer Tot IN prn
coed IN the case, because, if successful il womb
destroy the happiness of his daughter send Ina
son ln-lnw TO the Penlteniary where she would I'm
donmedly FOLLOW him, &c.-tbai on this WbestIv
remarked nc 'dd not care If she went 10 hell so
that he could punish Chapman!"
u was alleged bv Wheatly. that his Object WINS
to send Chairman to the Penitontiary and then oc
him divorced from his daughter, MS that would fur
nish legal cause for divorce. Whea,ly alleged
also that Chapman's character WINS had hu, In.
did not nj all appear the trial, from aoy other
s7ource Chapman is a handsome ocn'eel looking man
and belongs to respectable family ~ Virginia The
t'nl occupied whole day. On this s:ote Of facts
Defendants counsel proposed TO commit tho caso
10 the Jury without argument This was dcoIn
ed by the counsel for tho state. and Mr. Starr nd
b'ossed The jury The Defendants counsel then
submitted the case.
inc Jury re,red, aDd 10 five minutes brought ia
n verdict of NOT GUILTY.
The above remarks have been vcrv hastily