The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-01-14
MHSCET1LANEOU US.
From The ". Y. Observer.
SENTENCE FOR MURDER.


Judge Edwards recently pronounced the fol-
lowing sentence, in the case of John Smock OF
New York, convicted of the murder OF his wife!
The fact stated by Judge T.. that in the last nine
uenrs eleuen men had been orraigned before htm
for the murder of their ,oives, ten of whom were
trunkards shows the vast importance OF contin-
t,ed and increasing efforts TO give efficacy to the
temperance reformation. a-a...
Prisoner-Listen to what am about 10 say 10
YOU. After patient and thorough investigation
of Your case; in the course of which you was
faithfully and ably defended by your counsel,
YOU have been convicted by jury of your
country of the crime Of murder, COT numbering a
woman whom you lived with, and acknowledg.
ed ms your swile,) and you are now arrai gned
for the purpose OF receiving the sentence which
the law awards to your crime.
Upon this solemn occasion it may not be un.
attended with good, to advert 10 the cause which
has reduced you TO this deplorable condition.
This by your own confession, was rum. With.
in the last nine years. have had eleven men ar
ragned before me on indictments of numbering
their wives, ten of whom were! lrunkar'is What
stronger proof could be afforded of the depora-
BILE consequences of intemperance? ...
These victims were urged on by it from one
degree of depravty to another, ill they were
nor only induced to to imbrue their hands IN the
blood Of their fellow beings, but to sacrifice The
partners Of their bosoms-those whom they res
ted under the strongest obligations to love, cher
ish, aud protect. .4.f.
Inst end Of encrcing them in their warmest
affections. they deprived them OF life, and they
now lie Wondering in their graves.
From my own experience and the best infor.
nation have obtained, am satisfied that three
fourhs of the crimes committed are consequent
TO intemperance Drunkar,ls crowd our peniten-
tiaries and our aims houses are filed with them
or with those who are brought 10 want by the
intemDe,ance Of their natural protectors. In
spite Of the adnionitions OF wise anu good men,
victims of intemperance daily swell the throng,
and the tide Of misery consequent upon 1t moves
on and will continue TO move on, as long us
like cnuses continue to produce like effect.
We're it n possible thing to portray the misery
consequent upon the use OF ardent spirits, from
The first anxious look and suppressed sigh OF pa
rents and wives through all the sickness, powers
~. and crime, attendant upon IT; from the hfsi
t:isre gard OF the kind adnionltion OF friends, M
the hands of the victims reek with the blood ,oi
the partners of their bosons, society would look
with horror upon the scene. The counsel oil
the wise would not then be disrcgarded, nor
the tears of neurest and dearest relations she'd IN
vain.
Every Young man should come to the fixed
determination never TO taste the accurseu cup;
and every old man, should 10 his example, add
his influence to eradicate the evit-an evi whIch
has swept one race of human beings from the
lind on which we live and which Mt one time
threatened to demon alize another.-But TO return
from this DEPRESSION ,.. D.. s.H...
Miserable mani What can, what ought ! 10
say TO you? You now stand trembling before
this earthly tribunal, upon the very verge OF e'ef
nity. But FOR habits of intemperance,yo you would
now be moving among your fellow men, respec.
table as you once was, and in the enjoyment OF
conpetence What ,,oplorable contrast TO
YOUR present condition! With frame enfeel'led
by dissipation, and with a conscience reeking
with the blood your victin',you must now pre-
pare to meet the immaculate, the Divine CTea'
tor of all things 1t can be hardly necessary tor
me to admonsh you 10 prepare for the change;
for if YOU have human nature in you, you must
be aware Of the importance OF 30 DONG. hiter
few revolving SUNS this world Will cease 10 be
YOUR habi,a,ion-From the society of men, from
friends and relatives, from the busy hum OF So
cetv from all which here awakened nope, or
gadcened the heart, YOU will soon be remov'
ed.-Your lamp of life is about to be extinguish-
ed. Prepare then for the awful change.
To the Creator of all things, let yonr most
tervnnt supplications he raised AS II wus to,"
him which you received all which you have en-
joyed here so to him alone must you look Tor
all which you may hope to enjoy hereafter;
| will now proceed to the discharge of the last
and the most painful duty OF the Court Listen
to your sentence. %, .-r-l.r....s.. g.. --,r4t 80 .
The judgment Of the Cour, is, and such is
your sentence, that you, John Smock, be taken
hence to the Brdewell of the City and county OF
New York. from whence you last came, ana,
on Saturday, the 24th day OF January next ensu-
ing, to the place of execution, and then ana mere
be hanged by the neck until you be dead. ana
may God have mercy on your soul.
Singular Trial.-Zaphe, the German boy who
shot his co,nrade in the woods near Jefferson
vile, Indiana, a few weeks since. has been ac'
quilted of intentional muyder.-This case 10 one
OF the most singular OH record. Four German, man
boys, it seems from the testimony, went Out u,rd
hunting with single gun,which was carried ny
zaphe, who was the oldest, and scarce Ia. AT,
ter being in the woods together some tune, ana
killed one bird, Zaphe told the other boys ne
would shoot them "mouse dead, and immediate
shot down one of them. No motive coulu DC :
assigned bv the surviving boys for the act OF
Zaphe. There had been no quarrel or disagree
ment among them. The comrades OF Aapne
bound up the wounds Of their fallen companion
with handkerchiefs, prayed over the e. noay
which they were joined in by Zaphe. ne ~, o me,
dragged the body 70 some logs, struck MS VIC