Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-12-01
JUDICIAL.
Froi" hc.c I Mercantile advertiser.
COURT OF OYER AND TERMINKR.

Uednesday. Nou. I6.
The Court assembled at half mast
o'oiock-prescnt his Honor Judge Ed
wards. and Aldermen Stevens, Wood.
run, Palmer, and Lamb.
In the case of the People VS.. James
Ransom, heretofore convicted or muir.
der, and the prisoner, having been
placed at the bar. the District Attorney
rose aud read the rule of the Supreme
Court. directing the Circuit Court of
oyer and Terminer TO proceed Ia Judg
ment. The District Attorney there
fore moved for Judgment against the
prisoner.
! Ransom was then directed to stand
~. and the usual question being pu,
by the Clerk, whether he had any ding
to say Why sentence of death should
not be pronounced against him, he re-
piled in substance as follows:
{" have only word or two to say /:
As God is my judge don't know as
was there that day. ! was driven TO
distraction by her mother. that wo-
man there. She has been the cause of
all the difficulty. II is not reasonable
to think that | would Kill the woman
that so loved i; against whom never
spoke an i'll vord. Ii does not stand
to reason that had my senses when
killed her. Was il for money: No.
Was il jealousy: No; for never had
cause 10 suspect her, and but the Sun.
day before she died, clssped her in
my arms for an hour and n half"
I Hunsnsu H.
many circumstances in relation 10 the
conduct Of Mrs. Abbott. his mother
in-law, which we omit, during the
course OF which he frequently protest
ed all knowledge of the murder
Butt" said he, ~ submit to the
| law"
Every thing has been conducted
iairly on my trial, and the District
Attorney showed me favor, for which
| am thankful. ask that my children
may be taken from heir grand mother.
believe the law allows me TO appoint
guardians for my chi'dren-for can
not die and leave them with that wo-
man. l wish that two ciergynen be
allowed tovisit me in my cell, as many
more may come as please; but I wish
the two have named to the officers tn
come. TO contradict any Of the stuff
that may get into the newspapers.
shall say no more than what l have got
written here. am no scholar, bot
here are the lines.
Here he pulled a paper out Of his
pocket. and read twenty. four lines of
metre, which he handed to the consta-
bic AT his side at the close.
Now" said Ransom, Z" am ready
to hear the sentence"
Judge Edwards then pronounced the
sentence Of the Law, nearly in the fol
lowing terms -
James Ransom, a fair trial,
IN which you were defended with dis
tinguished ability by your counsel, a
Jury of your country at previous
Court, have pronounced you guilty OF
the crime Of murder. Upon the ap
plication Of your counsel, the Court
suspended your sentence. To enable
you 10 take the opinion of the Supreme
Court upon question which arose OH
your trial. That Court has confirmed
the decision Of this, and u now re
mains 10 pass sentence upon you. The
circumstances attending your case were
OF a peculiarly atrccious Character
Your victim was the wife of your bO-
som, and by necessary consequence her
happiness mainly depended upon you.
Every consideration Of justice and bu.
mani;y required that you should have
contributed your best exeriions for pro
hor ,pafl-~o VI
these obligations requited? You aban.
doned Yourself TO course of iniem
perancc you exiled yourself for veal
from your family; and finally, without
any reasonable cause for compliant.
YOU premeditatedly inflicted a deadly
blow upon her What a scene Of desc.
la'ion did YOU spread around you By
one fatal act, your wife was sent To
the cold and silent mansions Of the
dead: your children deprived Of all
the eodearments and fostering care oi
their mOther-and you rash and ruth
less man. are fAted to cxpiate your
crime upon a gallows. UpOn a review
Of this shocking transaction, the qucs
ton naturally presents Iisclt--Who
could 80 have perverted your nature
wha, could 80 have sieeled your heart
The answer is--Spirituous liqnOrs. II
has had the effect To- estrange YOU from
the NEST endcaring relation. from the
ties of blood, from your obligations Ia
your fellow being and TO your Creator.
IL any further evidence was wanting
To- manifest tie desolating effects 81
ardent spsp., which have moved Ike
a destroying <ogrl over ths land &c
have % 30 ne astonishing fact, thai
within the last two months three men
have been arrsigncd before me ca char.