Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1831-03-21
From ihs n. Y Courier Of March IL
CAPITAL SENTENCE.
uSirgp STATES CIRCUIT cuURI

p
! Al m eahy hour, yesterday morning me
j Civ Hall was ltrrslly crowded by those "hl
J ueTe aurious 10 witness the awful snd impo-
sing ceremon. OF ann 'UacIog tn a fein" being
/ the n. Rod at wlIch he Is 10 cease II i've Al
/ SOME distance upon each SIDE OF the door OF ne
/ Court IN which the seItance Of the law was "a
] he pronounced, a uafIeade was erected, WIN
+ view OF aTording admission 20 the ohfers o'
lie Court. and the other persons whose bust
ness II WIS Ia lac there.
/ ALoat II ociutk his Honour Judge Bets en-
+ tered aud took his seat on the bench, and the
doors we're ordsred TO be tnTown opon. In A
fe minutes that part Of he room aloited TO
the public was completely filed. The c9nSicls,
Wansey aud Gibbs who had heen placed 10
the dock about an dour before the opening oil
the Cont, BOXED upon the crowd OF persons
who where rushing ia 10 them, win en- ire
| calmuc,.--ih seemed rather 10 be engaged ~
the enjoyment ofthn excitement caused by the
rosh OF speetat ne than IN thinking OF the aw-
0nl .iiuniin Ia which lucy were placed.
On the opening oflbe Court the Judge ad-
dressed himself 10 u soldier Of the u. }. A.
nv. VINO vas convicted at ibis term VI The
commission OF larceny At F0It Cnldtnbi", fud
stated, thai the seri"nrr was suspended dh'il
the nert session al lie GonIf
The Attorney General then arose, aud mo
we'd that thr Cont proceed 10 pass > nfefi.h q"
Thomas J. Wansey Tor The crime of murder,
Of which he had hren convicted.
The Court then sad, Thomas J. WAnsley.
YOU have been inaicted by the braad Jury Of
The y nraern D,strict OF Nv York. for the
sillul murder Of Captain IhoTater ; yDu have
been nut upon yoIr trial belore jury of your
cannir,1nsn, vino have found you gully, aud
II IS moved that tie Court do nOp proceed 10
pns, upon you the sentence Of the la. Have
YOU any hing to say, why taIs sentence should
not be pronounced
The prsoner Immediately replied with a
clear aud steady voicr, IN these words II has
been often said that IN orr cuuris OF justice.
there is prejudice sbosn against persons Ut
my coioT, and to my gfief nave sen this urC-
judice TOO fully exercised IN my own ease--It Is
too true there is an annpathy IN rStfy place u
gainst us, amongst The whites, although II was
they who dragged usfrom our own county ~
us over this. nave seen all ,hls seri-
frd no. only IN the evidenceiat the wine j. the
manner OF the urors, but IN the mode III whIch
the district attorney conducted my trial. The
attorney admitted the testimony of the boy
Dawes ag anst me- although he was as much
guilty Of The conspiracy to Kill the officers as
well as any one ofu.--and yet he is taken out
10 be saved. CUES. have said enough, be-
lieve I vii not say any more.
The Jidge--" say on, the Court will whit
with patience H. hear ali YOU have 10 sly coll
ect yourself, and II you have any thug 10 aid,
OF may do SO.
pu.oner after few miuntes--in the
frs place. when weut GA board The Vineyard
knew no person IN tn vessel except Church.
was fret on board, II was therefore mol likely
would b. GIN IT, L.. tho course of my trial
was not allowed 10 say how il happened that
vas then first 10 mention the money was Oh
board. II was first mentioned III Iukr, some
of the crew wee talking about money, aud
some said they had som, hnd Others SAID they
had not, and happened 10 say there " As plea
" on board, aud At"ell Immediately ss.i
what do YOU think Al WE take II. Al thai time
considered II - jose, until some time after,
" hen II uas decided IN 10 Xiii The officers, rud
this first heard from At~el. no SAID, UoI 10
IN. IN particular, bui 10 all hands, hi At an,
one dared 10 tell he should be killed. D. was
not the origin oil tue plan. have no more To
say.
1he prisoner here sat down, aud after n
lapse of few minutes thu District Attorney
rose and moved lhat sentence Ue passed upon
CHARLES &. n.
The Court sad, You Charles Gibbs, have
been Indicted by the Grand jury for the ma;
der Of William Roberts, the mate oil HE brig
Vineyard. lou ware put upon your trial, the u-
~ Pronounced yOu guilty, what have You 10. ay
why judgment vi deutn shall not De passed d.
gsinst you!
The prisoner Immediately said in a calm,
even lone, and IN style watch told lie vas Il
man "t no ordinary requirements, that h.
wished TO explain how far he was guilty, and
how tar innocent la the Transaction tor which
he Was convicted. Upon n certain day, sad
lac, Atweil, DAVIS, aud CaurCh asked me il |
would consent 10 the project OF taking the ship
aud the monty ia il. At the Tine. did no
consent, but as the conversation went on every
day. did couseut after n lew day. Al this
tine all the crew mad consented, DAVIS and
Browning rs well as the Others. Alter a tpw
DAYS reflected Upon what a dreadful ID ne At
was to take away The life oI fellow heinz, ana
r.so we'd not to nave any tL.ng 10 do " tu II ,
Hnd vent 50 lar as TO induce all IN crew TO
give up the plot except Atwell aud DAVIS
some days alter did sgain cons mt, and III e
mntdef Mas committed and this man here
(ponling to Wausiey,) struck the blow which
XII ed tue captain, waom helped to throw O.
! yerboard hut had nothing To do with the
j nurdrI oil the mate, Tor which crime WAS in
dlcIed and convicted, aud 10 the truth ofllis |
call upon that Judge to testify, who IS to puni, h
the nurdcrcr-the robbel-aud lhe false swea,
er. | We no more 10 say.
JUICE BErrs.-rhe Court has listened with
| attention 10 your appeal, but alt,Iuns h there Is
something IN II 10 touch upon our lesling, vet
there IS nothing in II which dos not lrnd TO
prove the Jasiice of ihe verdict rendered ia
gainst you. You, Nansley, have SAID, that
justice WAS not done you b-cause of your CO.
lour. This is not 50. Admit, for a moment.
that Brownrigg aud The hoy DAVIS, have sworn
falsely admit for IA moment that they have
concealed some facts winch they ought to re-
veal, yet, according 10 your own confession he,
fore the Court and all who are present, YOU
have participated IN the commission OF the a.
trucious crime for which you were convi,t-d
II the Canrl had the shtest shadow of a
iohht MS 10 your gulit, they would have SIS
pended yonr sentence aud afforded you every
tduitity lpr having n new trial : bui there cGu-
not he a doubt bot that YOU are guitiy and We
see 10 possible reason 10y which We eau avoid
tho most painful aud most solemn duty which
a civil magistrate has to perform. Situated ss
We are, we must judge according to the ieai-
mony winch /. laid beiois us aud soaptimss