Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-06-23

o'clock, MIR. Brown the gaoler, went to
the cell to carry the prisoner a note from
his father, and calling to him, received
no answer. He then looked through the
hole at the top OF the door, and saw the
prisoner hanging to the grating OF the
window. He immediately called assis-
tance, entered the cell, and had the body
cut down. The watchman stationed in
the prison entry, stated that he fastened
to the cell when Mr.. Brown called, and
saw II. Crowninshield, jr. hanging by
his handkerchief from the window CRATE
with his face towards the n. The turn
key cut him down, and laid him on the
bed-there was no appearance OF liie IN
him when he was taken down--thought
he had been hanging about 10 or 20 ni-
nutcs-had no reason to think he had any
previous intention of committing such an
act-the prisoner had eaten his dinner as
usual about half or three quarters Of an
hour previous.
The physicians stated, that they were
called to the gaol about quarter after
2-found the prisoner lying on n bed
could not find any pulsation at the wrist
or heart-the countenancc somewhat pur-
pie, apparently from strangulation--open-
ed vein in the arm and he bled freely
for q short time-a vein was then opened
in the neck, which bled more freely than
the arm-attempted to produce an artifi-
cial respiration without any ehect-the
Galvanic Battery was also used, but it
had no effect.
Two short farewell letters written by
the deceased, and dated on the day of
his death, which were found i'll his cell,
were read to the jury. One of the let
ters was addressed to his father and the
other to his brother, one of the eprisoncrs.
Il We learn that these letters contained no
disclosures in relation to the murder, or
illusions to any persons as concerned in
it, but that they in general terms acknOw-
lodged vicious life, and expressed his
hopelessncss Of escape from punishment,
had he lived to stand trial.
| After full deliberation upon the evil
dcncc produced, the following verdict
was recorded:
"That the said Richard Crownnshield,
! jr. came to his death when in full posses
sion ofhis faculties, by deliberately hang
ing himself by the neck, with two silken
handkerchiels made fast to the CRATES OF
! his ccll.'
The body of the deceased remained in
the prison until yesterday at | O'Clock,
| when it was delivered to the care Of his
relatives, and carried to his fathers resi-
dencc in Danvers for burial. There was
an intense curiosity to view the body, and
! great numbers of our citizens were per-
mitted to see it previous to its removal
The deceased was 26 years Of age.
The effects of the prisoner, his cloth
! ing, sc. found in the cell, were folded
and packed up in the ncatcst manner
and the bedding, books, &c. left in the
best order. lie borrowed razors in or
der to shave himself only an hour or two
previous to his death.
n The account in the Ccntinel of q con-
vcrsation between the deceased and his
brother, overheard by the keeper about
the time of the suicide, is entirely erro.
ncous. The cells in which the brother:
were confined, are not "adaccnt" to
each other, but in different stories of the
prison.
! We have heard many doubts express.
cd from various quarters, not of the pro.
/ lcssional class, as to the legal operation
on the prosecution, of the death of Il. G.
Ijr., on account of his having been indict.
ed as principal in.thc murder. We are
informed that he was not according tc
law the only principal; and further, tina
had he even lived till the trial, it is in the
highest degree probable that the former
:, Indictment would have been nol-pros'd
and new one found by the grand jury
framed on the evidence that has been de-
vclopcd since the present Indictment wa
found, and so as to include all the person!
accused. The statute of the Common
wealth cnacts,
"That if any person shall commit tht
crime Of wilful murdcr--or shall be pre-
sent aiding and abctting in the commits
sion of such crime, or, not being present
shall have been accessary thereto before
the fact, by counselling, hiring, or other
wise procuring the same to be done
every such offender" sc. "shall sulie
DEATH"
We subjoin the following from the Gazette:--
/ II. Crowninshield, Jr., was an extra
ordinary character-such as is not oite
reared in our country or produced unde
our institutions. Though his conduct 70
eight years past has been the topic c
/ frequent remark in this town, and he ha
: spent considerable portion of his tim
in it-yct very few of our citizens eve
!, knew his person or ever saw him. III
: was the leader among his associates, owe