Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1832-01-26
SENTENCE FOR POISONING.

.shhcr Sneu the boy who vas convicted nj the
prcssst trrm oi The Monieipsl Court Of Boston of
that city, With intent TO kill him. vas scn,enc-
cd by the Court 20 suffer solitary impri sooment
3 Tor one dry, aad Go be confined 10 hard labor in
the State Prison for two ycsra
On passing this sentence, Judge Thaobcr made
the following remsrks:
The object Of all punishment, by hu.
mau tribunal, is twofold-to act upon
the offender, and To bring him, if DOS.
sible, 70 q better mind; and, to deter
others, by his saaerings, from commit
ting like offence.
The law Furnishes great crimes with
severity, not because il delights TO in.
fiict suffering, but because humanity.
as well as justice, requires that the
community should be protected from
their recurrence.
We should fail in the perfor N ance
OF the duty which we owe to society.
VI, from tender compassion to the youth
of an individual, or from some symp..
thy to highly respected parents and
friends. who will probably feel and
suffer more exquisitely for him than he
does himself. we should inflict SO slight
punishment Cor an enormous offence,
that the law should lose its terror, and
that others would be tempted 10 com.
init like offence, who may have il in
their power SO to do.
ut all crimes, none indicates malice
more strongly, than to attempt to
destroy life by poison. II produces in
It's nature q horrible death, and none
can guard themselves against it "by
manhood or foresight"
The circumstances which marked the
commission of the offence, indicated
deiioera,ion on the part of the unhappy
youth at the Bar, and q determination
by HIM TO effect his fell purpose. He
was OF competent age and discretion,
had been well educated, and wa, Of
sufficient experience in drugs TO know
that he vas preparing for Mr.. Moves
and his family poisonous substance
which was used TO destroy life, He
had committed a fault. Tor which Mr..
Noyes had threatened 20 dismiss him
IRON his service, and to send him TO
his parents, and he had expressed great
dread OF returning home under such
circumstances. His misconduct was
known to the members Of the family
OF MIR. Noyes, with whom he resided.
While in this condition, he conceived
horrid design Of putting arsenic into
the tood which was to be prepared for
dinner for the family, which consisted
OF nine individuals, intending. as he
safossto make them sick, but not to
destroy their lives, and so, during their
sickness, aud in the confusion incident
To such scene, TO return home, with.
out carrying any letter or other testi.
mouial ofhis bad conduct.
He sprinkled the poison upon the
food at nink o'clock in the morning
returned nome again at twelve, and
added TO the quantity, and gave notice
That he should not come back to din.
ner. lie used enough to have inevita.
bly, destroyed all their lives; and he
would have effected this purpose, had
not powerful remedies been instantly
used, and happily with success, TO pre-.
vent fatal result. Had death ensued.
IT would have been murder. He could
not have escaped the consequence of
the deed, by saying that he intended
only to make them sick. but not TO de-
s,roy their lives. If he did the thing
voluntarily and deliberately, and With
the intent 10 any mischief, IL was done
msliciously; aud he is answerable by
law Tor the natural and necessary con.
ssqueneea Of the act.
! wishthst could impute il 10 acct
dent, to want Of discretion, 10 any
thing rather than TO malice but not
only the verdict Of the jury, but the
circumstances Of the case conyinees
me, that the defendant pcrpeirated the
deed with such deliberate malice, as
that he IL a suitable object Of punish.
ment.
have striyen TO find such circum-
stances Of mitigation, as would au.
horIze me to suspend the sentence,
and TO consent 10 send the defendant
to the House o. Reformation for Ju,e.
nile offenders. Bot that house was not
prepared for such An offender a. tina.
II Is rather school. than prison, the
excellent master having power 10 re.
strain the inmates, and 10 resort 10
such severe apple ations. az will sub.
due ihe vicious and obstinate.
~ he should be sent to that place, ID
would not, fear. be- regarded by tie
eommsni'y, and especially by the young,
80 punishment. TO send him home
to his frIeHds, without punishmcu,,
would be . great reflection on the Jos
iiee ofihe lac. Perhaps "a IL o~ihs 10
his expectation that this wo0id be The
result, that he has discovered title o.
no sensib'lily during tie course oI ihe
proceedings.
Neither w our jail. nor IN the House
81 Correction, are there separate cells,
or the means Of classifying the inmates,