The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-11-17

hind wall. There was in it about $l3. lie
passed in his retreat, one house where person
was out who knew him and spoke to him. In
Midway, at an early hour, he found the Hart
ford stage at the Post Office, but Cloyes, the
driver, refused to carry him, supposng he had
run away. In the afternoon he was taken by
Mr.. Mason, the Constable, and Mr.. Geo. l..
Parker. This was at Tavern in Mendon,
while he was hiding himself in the barn.
When asked by Parker if he knew for what he
was taken, he replied, "yes-I have done
enough gave that Partridge boy id beat
ing, last night''-his motive was, he said " to
get his money and watch" though at subse-
quent time he said that it was because Part.
ridge had once whipped him at school. He
said to Mason that in giving the blow he meant
d" TO go the whole hog" He disclaimed at all
times any intention to kill When Parker
asked him what he meant to do with the axe,
he replied to stun Partridge by striking with
It, He denied that he had knife, but said he
knocked down the boy with club, and at the
first blow the loft however was so low that it
may not have been full blow. He also con-
fessed that he tumbled Partridge out of the
window, or that in their scuffie, they fell out
These confe ssons may have been made by
cheney under some msconception of their eff.
lect. Some time since he read the report of
knapp's trial. and said to q person, that if any
one who has committed crime should confess
tor turn states evidence, (for it seems that he
had contounded the two things) he would be
pardoned. He had for some time previous to
the act, been reading what books he could get
OF the adventures of pirates, buccaneers, &c.
AT bis capture, on his trial, and at his sentence
he showed no emotion. He preserved without
effort, the unrut1ed expression that belongs TO
ms age-and spectator might have supposed
HIM the least interested person in the room.
( There M LIST iof
dict of the Jury. They were, therefore, sent
out again, and on their return, it was some little
time before the verdict was handed in Yet in
all the interval OF suspense, when the anxiety
| OF all present, was wound up to a most painful
pitch, the prisoner gave no signs Of either
bravado or fear. The Chief Justice, in pro.
nouncing sentence, was impeded in his utter.
ance, by the emotions, that move all good men
at such a union of youth and guilt, in one con-
demned to violent death. The counsel were
much moved, and the spectators were many of
them IN tears, but the prisoner was unmoved
himself, by situation that created SO much
sympathy him in others.
Ills counsel were Horace Mann and George
! e. Wilde, who brought to his defence the zeal
OF warm hearts and the sagacity of cool heads.
! with their limited means of defence they did
all that could be done. But their cause was
almost as hopeless as the advance of a vessel
against current and wind. There was against
them, too much evidence and law. The Chief
Justice acknowledged (what was felt by all pre.
senI,> tho ability displayed in the defence.
! There are, In Cheney's case, so MANY exten.
uatlng circumstances, that the mercy of the
Executive, will, perhaps save him from VIC.
lent death, by communication of punishment.
ne was young-a mere boy-and could there.
| fore have had but ndistinct concentions Of b;s
deed, or the nature of the wong. He took not
life, and did not intend to take il, unless in the
legal technical intention, shewn by the nature
of his weapon.