Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-12-04

trial in Vermont, show tho ~f,llibility Of all human ,csti.
mony.
Two prisoners, ON being arraigned at the Bar on a
chargc oil murder, pleaded guilty--and were desired bv
the Judge to reflect ON and recall their confession. ma
their hves must pay the forfcit-whcrcas, the humanity
~ te laws required full proof before condemnation.-
ihey persisted in their plea, averring that. poaded bv
rehorse, They, were prepared TO cxpiate, with their lives.
the murder of a fellow being. IL seems tb,t tbc;r VIC
tam had been LEFT us dead, in a barn. which was consumed
the night of their brawl, and u skeleton found in the
smoking ruins--yet the Dead, rcsurrected, appeared in
open Court, and saved from the scaifold those cousc;ence-
stricken imaginary murdercrs.
In the course cfhis examination and clucidation. JUDGE
story went over, laboriously and minutcIy. the whole of
inc testimony Tor and against the prisoners.
with reference to the good character given bv some Of
.nc witnesses oi Capt. Gilbert, the Judge said that a good
character certainly avaiied much, but numerous instan-
ces were ON record Of men, long held in high cstimn-
Ton, suddenly committing the greatest and most horri-
riDie crimes. With regard TO De Soto. the mate Ill.,, ,a-
hcrous act performed by that individual was fully csi.
mated by every person in the Court. | stand humblsd
oeiore you, gentlemen, said the Judge, by a fact brought
OUT IN the course OF the testimony you have hcard-the
iact IL an American ship passing by and leaving American
citizcns to perish in sight ofthcr countrymen. We have
hau from The Counsel for the defence. eloquent illusions
TO the paTabie of the Priest and the Levlte. and never
ironi the days of our Saviour till now, can that parable
ndNe ocsh more fully illustrated, than by the fact to
whlch l have alluded. The American passed by the
sniiercrs-the Spaniard stopped and saved them. But
thc PRISONERS guilt must outweigh all these c~onsidera-
uohs. We cannot dispense mercy-that is the attribute
OF ahlgher power. You and 1, gentlemen, ire bound To
DO our duty according to the law; and we should be
false TO our oaths, our country. and our God. if we rere
u smut our eyes to the face OF the testimony before us.
The learned and eloquent Judge gave to the precision
and accuracy Of history the fascination and beauty of ro-
nance, ana lett on the minds of his hearers a melancholy
convietionof the guilt of the accused--on which the Jul
~ VIII have decided ere you receive this"
THE above account t. of the closing scene of the trial 10
rom the correspondent of the Baltimore Gazette. The
following account of the verdict in the case, is from the
Boston papers;l
THE VERDICT OF THE JURY.
The Court was thrown open ON "Wednesday morning
a, ~ o clock and was simultaneously flied with a dense
multitude OF citizens, anxious TO hear the announcement
OF the verdict OF the Jury. i'm Whose keeninr v.~, ,Io,
ca the lives OF the tccfre prisoners at the bar. The Bos-
ton Fost remarks that from the delusivc, circumstance tina,
tne jury did not make their appearance for a c~onsidcra-
Die period alter the opening OF the Hall, an impression
tlat they had come to a conclusion favorable To the pri
soners; or, at least, that they could not agree, became We
ny prevalent throughout the assembly; but at halfp pas
eleven, the Jurors were ushercd into Court, with the sen
tence ofdeath so legibly and solemnly written ON thel
countenances, as TO cxtinguish, in an instant tho fo;nIas
%glimmering of hope for the majority of the accused
Judge Story was not present when the Jury came in
and a further period of GREATNESS suspense OF fifteen mi
nutes occurred, till the prisoners roll and the panel wcr,
called. The prisoners were then called. one by one. an,
The verdict of the Jury was declared to each separately
In the following manner, viz: -
ferk-Gentlcmen of the Jury, have Won agreed mo,
your verdict?
Jury-We have.
Cferk-Who shall speak for your
JuTy-Our foreman.
The prisoners were then directed scvcrally to rise a
they were called and receive the verdict OF The Jurv
The Captain. Pedro Gilbert, was the first named. III
arose, raised his hand, and regarded the Jury with 4 firm
countenance and steady eve.
Cicrk.-Jurors, look upon the prisoner: Prisoner lool
upon inc jurors. How say you, gentlemen, is the pr
soner at the bar, Pedro Gilbert, guilty or not guilty
The same verdict was pronounced against De Soto
me mate, huiz, the carpenter, Boyga, Castillo, Garcia
~ nion.ehegro But Costa; the cabin boy. Ferra, tn
negro, thurman, Portana, and Velasquez, were declare
NOT GUILTY.
After having delivered the verdict of the jury. Il,
foreman read to the Court the following rccommienna
ton to mercy:
"Ihc s%ylnPatlies oftle Jury have been strongly NOV
ed in behalf of Bernardo dc Soto, on account of h. rer
'ipho, HODtc. ana StiSdCTltclnU cOnuuct Ii cayi,r al
hives OF more than seventy human beings. constitn,in,
the passengers and crew OF the ship Minerva and the
desire that his case should be presented to the ,i,erciE,
consideration of the Government"
Judge Story replied thnt the wish of the Jury woul.
prosecuting officer.
MIR, dillard, (says the Gazette then rose and move
thal Nicholas Costa, Antonio Ferrar, Domingo dc Guz
man, Juan Antonio Portana, and Joseph Velasouez. n
forthwith discharged, without bail.
mhg court granted their discharge, and uo five me
were informed, through the Interpreter, that they wer
at liberty to go where they pleased.
GREAT FlRE-BURNING OF SNOW Hill.
BALTIMORE, Nov. Give learn that a most coI,mi
Ms NIasn Ir occurred on Monday night last at Snow Hill
niaryiahd. IL consumed forty houses, among which arr
te court House, eight stores, two hotels. &c. The re
o1iuS rhu papers, IN the Court House have been preserv
kers shop. """a
Since the above was prepared, we have been f,yorc,
with the following letter. from, ono of the Exoc,,iu
Council of Maryland. confirming the account of his ,r,
~ melancholy disaster.-GG=.
"SSow HUI, Nov. oath, 1884.
My dear friend, our village is in ashes-it took Cir
from IA carpenters shop in the centre of the town. Tn
whoie central portion is burnt-every house ofevery dc
scripton-all the stores except Jenkins's and John Den
ms s-Doth the tavcrns-JohnB Blair dwelling. Denwoo,
"illianiss Ananlas Joness. Isaac p. Smiths, f.. DIV
Ilohds; George Hudson's, DIR. John II. Purnells. Ms
Due s. LEVIN Iownsends, LEVEL Jenkins; all the mil
nh'ly, shoe-nakers, tailors, and all other little shops il
the central part Of the town. The Courthouse is 1
aSnes-it Is sad, however, that the records and the mos
valuable papers are saved. / have given youa verv inn
perfect account OF this most dreadful calamity. / am ex
hausted almost to faintncss. What can be done ?-mn
ny OF our citizens are houseless, pennyless, without foo,
ana clothes. ! have lost nothing. The saving of ]
Dennis store and J. p. Smiths stables We ,"e ~.
oi saving all the southwestern part of the town. tn,
WIND was about west-north-west, and blew a fresh breeze
Those who are acquainted with the location of the house.
burnt, Will readily know who are safe.
very respectfully, your obedicnt servant,
JOHN $. MARTIN"
The uaners inform nc ,Lo, ,Lo II @ 60. ,