The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1831-02-17
NOVEL LAW CASE.

NOVEL LAW CASE.
The Cincinnati American, Of the 22d
ult. gives the report Of trial for perjury.
which was lately determined in the Court
Of General Sessions in Hamilton county,
Ohio, and which exhibits degree ofran-
cor, and vindictivensss on the part Of the
prosecutor, TO which il would be difficult
to find parallel in the legal annals Of the
present age. II was, as already mention.
cd, an indictment for puuury against J. L.
Chapman, Z young student Of medicine.
who had lately made runaway match
with the daughter Of Richard S. Wheatly,
who was the prosecutor. Itappeared that
Wheatly, the prosecutor, resides in Louis
vile, Ky. and Chapman. the. n.in.law,
in Cincinnati. The latter became 80.
quainted with the daughter Of the prose-
cutor, in August last, st the mansion Of .
common acquaintance on the Kentucky
side Of the river, near Cincinnat,, whore
she was on visit. Being mutually pleas
ed with each other he prevailed on The
young lady 10 come to Cincinnati and
"get married" The law Of Ohio requires
that (when the consent Of the parent ie
not given) the young lady must be l6 years
Of age before she can marry. Il sieo en-
joins that license be procured from the
Clerk Of the Court before The marriage
can be legally celebrated. In Obtaining
this license, the defendant made oath 70
the best Of his knowledge and belief, that
his intended wife was ,ls years Of eye.
And it was for taking this oath, albeit with
that limitation, that Wheatly Instituted sAs
prosecution for perjury against his son in-
law. The cause excited great interest in
the public mind, and produced, a. was
quite natural, livery general indignatioa
against the prosecutor"
On the part of the state il was sasisfac.
torily established that the lady was but ~
years Of age also-that she had 70 stated
her age in presence Of defendant; bot thas
statement was in the course Of sioliaa
with some young ladics. On
tho subject Of '.old maids. behalf Of
the defendent, II was given in evidences
that she had, in his presence, stated her
sgs to be over l6 years and that when
me oihcer went TO arrest the defendant, a
lew hours after the marriage. she exclain-
ed, as soon ss the canse was made known
1t was not his fault, but mine." Il wse
,lso proved that her sppesrsnce indie sscd
II least Is or 19; and further, that thu
prosecutor had made proposition 10 de-
'endant, that if he would ';make over his
'vife's property 10 him Vheatly the peos.
'cution would be dismissed" Il was also
given in evidence, that Wheatiy, the n.
her-in.lsw, in answer to the expos,ula,;oa,
u friend against persissing in a course.
which If successful, would send the deSeo-
liant to the penitentiary, where his dsaeh-
er would undoubtedly follow her husbss3.
ejoiDed that "hs did not cate If che wses
0 he'll, so that he could punish Chap
The young LADY is Represented q auit,
'retty and engaging in her manners ana
at the examination before the Msyor.~
ays the Cincinnati American, '.she q.
ibited the deepest distress at The unlock
d for event, and chung, with. stresm;ar
yes and all the fcndness Off devoted vi6:.
0 the neck Of her husband, protesting ~,
innocence. and the cruelty Of The psssecu-
or" ~ isA
The trial lasted whole day, ssd tho
ury, with true feeling 90 well % iastiee.
fter an absehse Of Eve minutes, returneS
verdict-Nov GusATy. b ei7lT1l