The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1840-12-23
IcoSr,Nusp FROM FIRsT PAGE.

10 the dock.
She was psle---deadly pale. bur her step was
firm and graceful, and her dark eyes were
burning with brig chtness. She was dressed in
arepmourning; her long black hair giving s'rik-
,oc effect TO her features, and her bean'y Wild
in,ercs, 10 The dreadful situation in which she
stood. Bowing modestly to the Court, she
seated herself on the chair which courtesy had
proyiJcd for her, and waited with seeming calm.
ness the opening Of the procc ediDgs.
The iiictmen, was read. and the charge was
made. The prisoner, in \ calm. firm voice,
wbish eas distinctly heard in every part Of the
Court, pleaded moi guilty.
The csancl for the prosecution then opened
;he case. lie began by reeret,ing the nature
ot,hr da,y which WAS iha, day assigned to him,
and pr ayed the Juryio cas, aside all personal
considerations in the s,aiemcn, which he had
10 make.
He alluded 10 the rank, yonih. and beauty Of
Ihe prisoner ;-hu, observed that these were
no p,lliatives of crime on the contrary. 10
nnprcju3iced minds they must seem TO agcra-
va,e il to III, natural wish OF all to suppose
a wonan--a ilpch;cr, innocent-innocent of
her fathers lraih to the rnmors indnstrously
circulated thai the prcsrn, prosecution had been
Instituted At The inslica'ion of the next in
.nccession 10 lhc family lanl3--whch he in the
csur~e u the evidence he had TO lay before
,hcm would abundan,ly rcf'te to the appl-
rent absence Of any cause for such au act rs
,ast alled.ci--a seeming diTcuy which it was
~, -. a.
Ia, to o5via'e; reminding them thai no one
su, the Almighty WAS a searchcr Of hearts, and
u every crime Of vas enornry WAS to be consld-
cred improved until sufficient rational cause
for its perpetralion was adduced. the greatest
edmina's would 90 unpunished. That here Al
leas, he hercss of her fathers lands, (and with.
ant specu'ting upon motives he would confne
himself 10 fhc,sl rhar the high name and hiih-
rrto spotless reputation of the prisoner would
no doubt be urged in her bchaIl-ard anic-
patns such argument in her favor he rcadi
Is admitted it TO lis fullest extent, warning the
Jury howeYcr. tia: il went no further than re.
quiIng The stronger evidence OF guilt, and in
no way extended to render guilt impossible -
AMI tha! if u good name were such n safeguard. !
il you'd unly be necessary once 10 obtain ii, 10
commit with imprny the most henious ca les.
That the Nviicn ce which he would lay before
ihen--anI upon which rather than on all thai
he could urge OF his learned opponents plead |
in answer,-wds that uron which they were
called ID iudgc--was clear. close, and to- his (
conviction perfect; that it brhooved them 10
guard their sympathy from mere eloqucnce. so
liable to be effective in such cause and IN CON
iorni;ty with their oalhs in spirit and iu tenor
To give a verdict according as their conscience |
prompted them, ircm the facts which they .
should hear to throw aside all considerations
but The simple yea or nay, Is the prisoner AT
Tho bar guilty or no, /
From this the Council proce cdcd to give
clear AMI suecinc, statement of the various Cacls
whirh would be supported by the csidcncc,
and which in.eniou.y united BY him. seemed
II established to leave I,ile doubt of the prison.
sr's guIIt.
The Court became worked up to the most
brcdth'ess interest and the general conviction !
"t all present "a', that Maria lie Courcy would
fall just sacliGcs TO the offended laws OF her u
,odnry.
The irs, witness was calltd--lt was William
M"r'is, the old bu'lcr who narrated the manner +
ot his masters death. The Council thorough.
ly convinced of the guilt of the prisoner, thought
ai 10 extend his questions ss to her previous :
and subsequent behavior, to the period alluded ;
TO ;bnt here the Grown Advocate was at fault {
the old domestic seemed glad OF an opportu-
IN Ii.,t, {
ter's thil! he narrated how she had support
% his head in his dying agonies, kne, by his
courch, and hung over him like one distracted.
'.enrs started fom the old mans eyes as he
spoke, nor WAS lie the only one that wept.--
The Council for The prisoner declining the hint
Of his senior to put questions in cross-examina-
ton TO The witness, suffered him without word
10 be led from the box.
Jahob Har'y, the Surgeon. was next exam
Cd. His evidence threw n dark shade over the
picture. He mentioned the interview in the
'aornns with the prisoner in the chamber were
tie body ail-his having attended the deceased
some lime pie'ious-ani having been prescn,
~heni the corpse was c,humea and opened, and
poison discovered in the stomach
Marray now FOR the frs, time rose. He
cross examined the Surgeon with closeness
which embarrassed him; made him Reluctantly
confess that his desire 10 examine the body
had moi been occssioned from any professional
doabts-any iniuriSc medical knowledge las he
bad almost hin,ed in his first deposition) but
was the result of gossip heard among the ser.
wants; that when he visited Lynwood, and saw
'nAt Mr. DeConrcy was dead, he had no sus.
meIon OF any thing crininaory Of the prisoner
ana lie would have left the house with the