Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-05-27
SENTENCE OF MARLEY.

The following are the remarks OF Judge Bncn-
anan in prOnouncns sentence OF death on John
Marklev, who was tried and convicted last week
in Frederick County, of the crime of murder:
After rigid and laborlous examination of many
witnesses, and an attentive and patient hearing
of counsel in your behalf, who with zeal and a
biity creditable 10 themselves and worthy OF
better cause, left undone in conducting your de-
fence, nothing that ingenuity could suggest, you
have been pronounced guilty by jury OF your
own choice, of the horrid crime OF murder OF the
first degree, attended by circumstances disclosed
in evidence, of the most shocking character; tor
which you are doomed to suffer the highest and
most solemn punishment known to the laws OF this
state, whose sentence it has become my duty as
the organ of this court to pronounce; duty to
the discharge Of which approach with feelings
correspondent to the appalling magnitude of the
Offer .e with which you stand charged, my deep.
settled and painful conviction of your guilt, and
the awful sentence of the penalty you have-in-
Cured.
To die is the appointed lot of man. but death
in its mdest and least hideous form is not devoid
of terTors even for such as are best prepared to
die. 1t is sad adieu 'twixt soul and body, un-
til the coming of that day, when 1T the sound OF
the last trump, the portals Of the grave shall be
thrown open, and the earth be made TO Weld up
its dead.
And when it is inflicted as just and merited
punishment for crime-whcn murderer is called
TO Weld up his life on the altar of retributve JUS
tice. however obdurate he may have become,
however scared his conscience, and whatever
outward appearance of hardihood and insensbI-
tv he NAV assume, it is difficult itnot impossible
for him to contemplate it without horror, and an
awful and inward dread of entering upon differ
ent and unknown state of existence, in another
and unknown world, with the stain of blood upon
his hands, and the weight Of whitening and con-
Stunning guilt pressing upon his soul. Murder oil
any degree, land under any circumstances shock
inc to humanity; and he who is not lost to every
proper feeling, must ever turn from the contem-
piation of it with abhorrence; but that which has
been perpetrated by you, bears the stamp OF the
highest grade of atrocitv.
John Newey who was your uncle, and in whose
blood you have SO cruelty and wilfully revel!ed.
was some years ago unfortunately for him and ms
family, called by the process of this court to give
evidence against you in prosecution that con-
signed YOU to the penitent airy; for which, as now
appears in evidence. you then made vow Of ven
seance, and have but too faithfully kept that fatal
vow.
Discharged from the penitentiary on the expi.
ration of the term for which you were sentenced.
with revenge still ranking in your heart land bent
upon the destruction not only Of him, who had
alone offended, Gfindeed offence it could be call.
ed. to give evidence when required in court Of
Justice, but Of all his family. you sought the ha-
Litation of your devoted victims and at the still
dead hour of night, stole into the apartment in
which they slept, unconscious of their approach
ing fate, and dreaming Of naught but safety IN