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

CECIL COUNTY COURT.
The Stale Of .Maryisnd vs.. George SieJ6i,.r
q

TOR the murder OF tNELiSA CesSNeHAN.
PIEA-.Not Gu,iIy.
MT. Wiekes, tho States Attorney, address
ed the Jury rs follows:
Ges,fi<msn Of the Jury.-This most impo
tant casc Is now laid be fore you, and you are
To decide ON u according To the evidence.
lou arc To decide between the State and
George Stebbing. if George Siebbing be the
guilty man, the good OF society imperiousI,
demands that he should be condemned. IT.
on the contrary, there Is not a ,uf,ciency OF
evidence 10 satisfy your minds beyond rca-
sonaoio doubt, II Is your duty 10 acquit him
have no interest in the case, except what
every man should feel; and II fail TO CON
vince you that George Stebbihs is guilty Of
the crime laid TO his charge, I shall rejoice
IN his acquittal. Far be il from me. gentle
men Of the jury, 10 wish for the condcmna-
lion oil an innocent man, charged with n
crime oil this atrocious description. But il i
charge on which tho grand jury, (aiter the
most iaoorious investigation that I ever knew
before grand Jury,) were unarimous in adj
hitting TO DO just. was consulted by them
again and again. and I believe they never
iound bill until convinced Of the prisoner ;
guilt.
tMr. Wickes alluded TO Mr.. Gales censurc
OF the persons engaged in collecting evidence,
and defended tho MT asurcs taken by them n
!
words 20 the following efIect.l
before observed, that there are vast de-
OF facts IN this case. IN the consideration Of
which shall be as brief rs possible. Il II
not my custom Co spend moro tinIe with n
case than is absolutely necessary The iirsi
witness produced on the part OF the state.
was sister To the wife OF George Stcbbiny
with every disposition, no doubt TO shield
ana protect her relation, what does she tell
you mat on the morning OF the day she
was killed ,MissCunningham all'd al the house
OF Stebbing, and paid him some mopey IA,
tells you that herself, the prisoner, and ano-
'her person, ieft the house an hour or an hour
and 4 hall afterwards she VS. asked where
steooing was in the interim, and she was not
able 10 tell you. When asked whether he
was nj dinner, she answers that she does no,
Know. Where was George Stebbing during
that tmef tie was not at his house. We
say he knew well tho way Miss Cunningham
was going; she told him that; he pursued.
overlook her, and pcrpetraicd this murder.
u was about IL O'Clock, when she called al
ms mouse; q was when StebbiDg and bis
company arrived at Charlestown, n distance
of miles. Can any one doub, that be had
time enough TO commit the murder, n is
regular, but almost unnecessary in this case.
10 say word with regard 10 the murder IT,
sen The fact Is too well known 10 need any
Illustration. The question TO determine Is
whether George Stebbing perpcirated the
murder, and not whether the murder was
PerPetrated; OF that there can be no doubt.
This handkerchief in itself IS q powerful CIR
eumsiance 10 convince the jury that George
Steobing IS the murderer. lie preyaricates
and contradicts himself about n. lie told
Matthews, four days after the body was dis
COVERED, that he found the handkerchief on
The spot where Miss Cunningham was muir
dered. II has been proved TO Won that num-
oers VISITED the spot Immediately on the dis
eoIery OF the body, the ground was searched
and scrutinized aud no handke rchief was seen
or heard OF. lie showed the handkerch HE 4
again on the 9th Of May, aud said IL was Ia
Ken from man arrested on suspicion in Yir-
gina. lie has told many diiercat tales about
H. which II Is unnecessary TO repeat. But
can any man doubt that IL really was the
handkerchief of the murdered young lady -
We have his own Acknowledgement the hand
ke'ehiet was bloody and marked with her let
ters. lie showed 1t TO Robb, and said. 'sthere
IS something that would hang the mur,!erc.
OF hiSs Cunningham" lie may have been
true prophet; for, aught know, Il tsiH hang
,he murderer OF Miss Cunningham IL has
been proved that ho could not have received
The handkerchief from Conners or any other
man taken up on suspicion. IL George Steb-
oins did receive the handkerchief from Con-
ners, why did lac tell n different tale. # he
found u IN the woods, Why did he not saw so
on all oceasiOns' Although hc sand lao was
va possession OF evidence that would hang the
murderer OF Miss Cunningham, vet that evil
denec was never produced. A little child
was with Miss Cunningham when she va,
killed. u remained with the bodS more Than
thrce Gays, and then found lis way 10 a ho,se
halt mile OIL. That child must have bcau
nourished and fed by somebody IL did NOT
md ITS way 10 the house without a coudurtor
Tie cbild aust have been conducted by Geo
Stebbins or somebody else. A ring has been
mentioned. Tho ring We thiuk we have traced
- tho property Of Miss Cunningham. Mis-
Cunningham wore two rings, and only one
vas iound Win her. We have every reason.
from me testimony, 10 believe that tie M
uais oi her name were on tho rips I'pon
being asked 10y Hunter where he got The T,n,
SieObing answered, II was none Of IA. hrs.
ness. iie told two witncsses that bs had h.I
u \ considerable time-lor several year,.--
One witness saw The ring on his finger be fore
vac TINE u - reported % have been found -
WIN respect 10 tho ring, a. With tie hand
kerohici, II honestly cimo by. why tell dtf.
ierent tales about q THE RIM. II seems 81.
sold 10 han for twenty-h cents. Reberca
Jennings - produced To- prove ihst si,e Gp1oJ
tho rig 90 Iuiy ias', tl4o ring which Csor-.
'ie3o,ns sad Dee had bad iJr several yesr,.e-
hf' h"sciine letters IS caiiod "a BY The prs.
"Gsr's counsel % support RtOecca Jenn,nr,,
tostn0ny. ADD she proves that tie letter. a.
& were Oh the rug. When asked whether
hoheoea found Ito ring. marx her answer
Size sssd she found ~ Tho manner -,
WHICH tHis vas sad, convinced me f,st Mr..
Fetcr 81 not belle s-i.oascc, frnf h..
Hng' az iho tame shc pretended O. pick d up
IN attempt y madc, gentlemen of TIE ipsy.
ihc Oulcct 81 Which - veil understood. %
prove that stranger VA seen ,onins cot of
the H0vd-. " IS very easy 90 believe that a
man hay have been seen ou tto fJsd. a fuai
Whirh O., ~ constantly travelled ~ almost anv
other Bot how unreasonable O. believe. ,,n.
Dec ~ cirrumstanrcs. tllt the stranger w.s
ihc nurlrftr coal cell story to-day ef,.
irely cffrtCni from What US told before
NV gentlemen. permit mc % ak sou a ti.,.
Dan was tbr murderer. ob4 u,e murder,
certainly 'ipiai-d her. you'd he Va str,n.rr
have violated Ter aod murdered her aG,r,