Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1835-05-14
MBsl'EILANY.
Prom 1< FSoder,sk.sry .4rsna, Of .sfas 1.

ffsm Ae Fredericksburg .frs1sa, Of .pfas 1.
Sentence OF Death Was, on Friday last pro
novDced by Judge LosAx, on Thomss Jones
IN Wcstmoreland circuit court, for the murder
of has Wife, on the 18th Of last month The
substance 81 the sentence h published AT ia,
earnsse solicitation Of many Tho heard il prv
bounced. and no suggested that the pubiiea
lion might greatly promote the cause Of TEN
psrance:
! sENTENCE or DEATH.
TRoass JoSEs
You have been convicted of the
murder OF your wife. by excessive
beating. Thus is regarded as one q
the most heinous offences which car
be committed, and the Law denouncc,
against il its severcst sentence. Tha
sentence, II is now my painful duty
as the minister Of the law, To pro-
nounoe. But before ! discharge il,
cannot refrain from making some OBJ
servations suggested by your situation
not made. assure YOU, in any spirit
Of reproach, but Of the deepest com
misseration and concern for your un-
happy fate: and they are made with a
hope that they may not be wholly un-
Profitable 10 yourself or to others.
IL has, no doubt, occurred to YOU. in
all the bitterness Of grief, that the last
month has been most eventful In
your destinics. One month ago YOU
were In possession OF most of those
means, which, when rightly improved,
give assurance, in your humble sphere
OF life, ofusefulness, respcctability and
happiness. Your humble home Nigh,
nave been consecrated 10 conjugal al
fiction, to domestic peace and felicity.
But your own hand converted it into
the charnel house OF your wifc-and
you fed in guilt and horror from ats
blood bespattered'' walls-and YOU
left her covered with bruises, speech
less, senseless. and weliering in her
gore. Your home, with all the com
forts which you might have there Sc
cured, has been exchanged for the
gloom OF Jail, and you must have
been more than man-more than fiend.
II its solitude has not been embi,tcrcd
by agonies of remorsc and horror unut-
terablc. You have passed through all
the agitating hopes and fears of an ig-
nominIous trial-and Just and law
ful conviction places you now upon
the brink Of an abyss, iadcscribably
awful and tremendous. Before the
hand Of Spring shall drop n blade OF
verdure upon the fresh grave of your
murdered wife, your body too will
have been deposited in the silent
earth.
What demon was il, that entered in
to yosr dwelling, fury spreading around
him. and blasting with such terrific ru-
IN and desolation ITS wretcncd inmates
Your defence sought TO mitigate, and
even TO excuse, your crime, upon
the plea Of insanity, produced by the
incorporate use of ardent spirits And
IT was vainly hoped, that the guilt OF
this murder would be overlooked by
the Law, in Ms benignity to mental in
trinity. II was indeed most clear and
indisputable, upon your trial, that
drunkenness, infaming the constitu-
tlonal malignancy Of your passions, in
stigated the enactment Of this shocking
tragedy; and that without the drunk
enneSS, this crime would never have
been perpetrated. But il was also most
clear that il was a drunkenness, which
did not incapacitate you 10 perpetIate
the murder BY "wiIful deliberate and
premeditated killing" Drink then is
the proven and the acknowledged cause
OF the Preparation Of this most cruel,
and inhuman murder. II was but this
day week, that IN the adjoining county
Of this circuit, an unhappy wretch was
condemned 10 die for an offence origi-
mating in Drink-and now IL is again
exhibited as the abominablc cause OF
the most atrocious crime that can shock
the heart Of man.
Has there been, amongst the crowd
which has gathered in this Hall, pend
ing this trial, one individual not habit
uaied TO the strictest sobricty, and has
be been deaf TO the suggestion, which
your crse must have whispered TO him
IN its progress, that his condition might
be soon Ike yours; And Was his con-
science not startled with terror ard dis.
may at his own perilous state If be
hugs himself in the false security, that
he has the power TO stop short OF that
inOrdInaie excess, which inAames the
passions TO outrage against the law. and
infuriates the husband 10 raise his hand
against the partner Of his bosom, you
can no doubt, tell him that there was q
time. when you also confidently re-
hed upon The same delusise security.
Let him call up from the grave the
dead who have heretofore expiaied
upon the gallows, the crimes proyok cd
BY their IntemPerancc-or let him
summon, from the pcniieniiaFies. the
CHASTITY crowd whom similar offences
have there immured-alI Of them, with
unHed testimony, will proclaim that
ihis securiiy Is most false-most illuso.
~. This security Is the grand mystic.
~ IN the devotions, which arc paid q
the God Of in.empcrance, who, tern
after term. j. casting his victims 20 be-