Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1834-05-22


a tather. brother, or q son, ~ held by the
Ia" 10 be not les guilty than he who CON-
hits the act. n any ono knows Of fact
which may lead 10 the detection Of a u,ur-
derer. AMI keeps At concealed, II makes him
." accessory to the murder. Mr.. Chamber
read several authorities. There Is no obiee-
lion y" the case, because nothing but eireura-
sts"nh evidence can be produced. The oath
"i man who should come into court. and
swear that he saw Stcbb,oy plunge a knife
INTO Miss Cunninghans breast, would not be
suuieient evidence. unies. supported BY other
proofs. Combinations may DO formed meo
may swear falsely the innocent may DO ae-
eused and conds1,uod unjustly, on the oaths
OF dePra'ed and interested persons, but cir
cum>tances cannot lie.
n Train OF circumsspntial evidence is the
strongest evidence that can be produced, [Au-
thor'ties We'll. then. to prove that George
stebbing did thi, murder. j. To convince YOU
mat he dad do Il. maxim has been re DC at
ell that ninety mine g,.ilty should escape ra-
.h-r man one Innocent person should suffer
NO principle OF law has been so generally
misunderstood a. this with such liberal CON
structions, u would turn loose upou society
the villain who would have ingenuity enough
to conceal his crimes. To acqut on slight,
Insuhieieht grounds, ~ not justice or mercy
"eie ~ no case where n jury can produce
ohe OF the learned counsel has endeayored
excite your sympathy for the wife and
'"huren OF the prisoner. lf he should be
convicted, his family cannot attribute the los,
OF husband or father to YOU, but his doom
aud their bereavement must be traced 10 the
source from whence they emanate; the law
e>s ana violent conduct of the man whose re-
Iah'es they have the misfortune to be- Not
SeNs honest men Of Cecil county shall make
OTnhan. h..N a.
winch dis1uaiify him for every social relation.
Let us look into The facts have no de-
SIRE 10 use one word expressed by the wit
hesses IN sense different from what MAS in
tended. Let the evidence be reviewed i'm
partially. Miss Cunningham was undoubt-
cdIy murdered on the 9TH day OF April, 1895.
She was undoubtedly murdered ne ar Georee
Ste0oinss house. She was Undoubtedly muir
uered oy an individual who violated her per-
son. u - now conceded that the murderer
was either The stranger seen on the road or
Geo. steb5ing. Mr.. Chambers proceeded to
consider the testimony Of Mr. Coal, Mrs. n.
reters and Hannah Jennings he drew infer
ences from thence that IL was improbable
that inc stranger could have been the murder
er.I While the whole neighborhood was A.
reused, all were looking for the body all, ex-
oePt george StebbrLg; he remained at home
aha never made his appearance at the inquest
uhtil he was sent for. When he did come, he
showed unequ.vocal symptoms OF agitation
and alarm. He had her handkerchief. but
That handkerchief vas not produced before
any magistrate. Four days after, he showed
IL 10 Matthews; but did he then make use OF
IL 10 any honest purpose Not i again
seereted. have listened with the most pro-
found amaZement to the narration of these
circumstances. How did he get that hand
kerchief? Have not his relations in the iail
asked hims Have not his counsel asked him !;
Is The possession of the handkerchief con.is-
,ehl WIN any rational idea that George Steb-
bing ~ not the murderer; Thirty or forty or
hily people came To the ground, every thing
was picked up even to q small portion Of the
wrstoand OF shirt, and yet, the white hand
kerehiei, stained with blood, escaped the OBJ
serSation OF all these witnesses. lie has been
asked, he has been Intercepted repeatedly /:
the handkerchief can only be traced by his
tory oil The murder. He told FIVE differen,
taies TO account for his having il. If George
SteooinS were on his trial this day for larceny.
,he possession OF the property would confirm,
ms CUNT IN the present case 7; IL should have
tee same weight. lie was in the CUSTODY of
The law; the grand jury was sitting on his
case all his relations urged his disclosure.
NIT Grant said expressly II will not do 10 nut
tue handkerchief to Mr.. Miller's account !:
days weekSand months have passed, and even
10 -day, you know no more Of where the hand
kcrchief came from than tie tale toIdto cha.
Matthews
We are told thst.it is all idle talk! When
man IS on the point OF death; when he Ia.
every indGcement TO make 4 disclosure: why
snouiu ne remain silent unless his tongue Is
enehained by conscious guilt lie has been
called on for months, he is now called on To-
Jay, but no response is made. IL il all idle
talk' Does any man doubt what Matthew,
says Does any man doubt what Miss MafIit
says The man bad the bloody handkerchief
OF Miss Cunningham, but he suppressed il
when he thought intelligent men were in 2ur-
,ait OF the murderer. when he was in
Chariestown, and HarPersFerry. the hand
kcrchief was concealed. u MAS shown Co
several persons from whom he expected a
few inquiries, but when he came before a
magistrate, court Of justice, then the hand
kcrchieI was kcP, 10 the dark Why did he
act thus Inconsisicutly, aud why IL he nj
length detectcd' Why, by that sort Of diree-
hon which orders Il thai when the perpetrator
nj crimes shall suppose those crimes buried
IN oblivion, some circumstances shall oecnr
HiNi1I IN ihemlelVes, but which, followed up.
shall lead to detection.
VIC have been reproached, we have been
adnonShed, We have been rebuked, because
We offered the declarations Of the child tbi.
source has been dried 10, and yoa ar. nrr.
vented from gaming any Information there
from. The laws 81 this country secure 10
The prisoner many chances Of escape which
Ice would not have under other governments.
ard we would not wish to see those chance,
iurther extended For nine years, hts cum
hing hand has gwen a different direction 90
Publio opinion although the proof, Of his o~n
guilt was abundant.
Md not The Isa.t evidence of hi, guilt Is
mat hardIhood Of face with which he has re-
sisted All She trying cIrcuiBslARces Of his sit
uaiioo. It's tricks, has subterfuges, M. false
hoods, his crime, have been unveiled, vet
uherc he sit, apparently uncOncsrned. A
monument The mere sxfsviOr Of human be-
ng This y not the cal@ness' Of conscious.
lcIu'hde. The satisfaction which appear.
~ his mos unprePOssc ssing countsnanee - a
PROOF o. hOlhing Bat hes fcii.sco on hls own
sche'ae, and tAs efforts that have been mai,
'" shieh him from Justice u remains vgith
yoH' ssnuc'acn OF The Iury,io determines whe.
thef 90 not these efforts shall be sueee..f,,i
The jury retired, and after a. absence ~
about two hour, returned with q VERDI, a.