Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-12-29
lCorrespondssse OF the Hcrald.1
PaILApELPHIA, DIE. rs, l0P M
Mr.. EDITOR.

Mr.. EDITOR.
We have just get through the merriest Christmas
we have seen for many year. philadelphia and
Che smut street have beat New York and broadway
all hollow! The crowds and cakes were the biggest
we have seen hereabouts ! doubt whether any
thing in New York this CHRISTMAS comes up 10 il
within FIVE miles, though will say that in Dragging
New York beats the world!
Among the trials in the Criminal Court this week,
| no iced two for Iafanficide. One intelii-
gent girl not very handsome or young, whose in
FAINT was strangled born, by s,ufng flannel
down its throat The paramount OF the girl was pre-
sent at the time, and IT being doubtful which was
the murderer she was acquitted and so both escape
She is of Jersey family, and very respectfully con-
nected. The next case was poor Irish girl, a SER
want in the family Of Mr. Murdoch, the play actor
il is not yet concluded. The girl was delivered IN
the garrett of the house, and soon after went t work
as usual. In few hours, the infant was found wrap
ped up in blanket, in the cockloft, dead The "a !
insisted that it was stillborn' On examinatloh'
quantity of cotton was found crammed down its
throat; and lswer down the throat was discovered
| a twisted aper. No doubt, shame led the poor
girl to hide her crime by greater one, IT the enid
were really born alive. Much medical testimony
was given as to whether it was a stillborn chIa-
and the doctors usual disagreed If the defend.
ants doctor is right then the girl thought the child
was alive, yet strahs led corpse. In such cases 1T
seems hard law to try the seduced, and not the Sc
Queer; they both to be fetched up at least IN
the first case why the paramour (who was pre-
the strangng of the child, and more likely In
point of strength than the mother, to have commit
ted the cfence) omitted in the Indictment In the
last mentioned case the putative father OF the child
was in Pttsburg. A conviction for this offence
scarcely ever takes place; there is generally too
much dOabt Of the fact whether tho child was actu-
ally alive; and this doubt strengthened BY the IDEA
of rna affeci ion revolving AT such crime, and
the sympathy always felt for the unhappy wretch
accused, rarely fails to turn jury.
In the other branch of the G imina Court before
Judge Conrad, the case of DR.. Edridge is progress
ing. The evidence for the defence closed yester-
day-the last witness examined was one of the Tel.
tr Of the Phi adelphia Bank his evidence knocked
the point Of identity into cooked hat. he sara mat
the person who presented the forged cheek was
snail man, with black bushy air, and black WIS
kers The trial began nearly four weeks ago, think
and the evidence is not finished many rebuting wit
nesses are going to be called, it is said, and the
speeches of counsel will follow so fortnight more
perhaps will be consumed before the close Of the
case. The jury in these long criminal cases seldom
agree, where there is so much to be SAID on potn
parties are created IN the jury boxand as law
yer told yesterday, ii 1t takes so long TO try
case, there must be doubt about IT. 1t might nave
been foresecn that the first verdict would raise a
dovbt that would prevents conviction, and the pup
lie would have been saved the tax of another trial.
but il 10 said that there is help for it, because SO
many bills were presented 20 the Grand Jury, and
therefore they must all be tried il the prosecuting
banks insist upon it, The result of this case Will DC
acquittal, or sscant agree; the last mentioned d.
lenima is getting to be the ia hioa of the courts
P.S. have just heard from good authority that
this trial of DR.. Edridge is to be the last whether
the Jury agree or not, a. the judges and Attorney
General cannot give more of the public time TO TINS
account Of the pressure ofbusiness,
and the Of other duties oil the court
SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
The trial of Jane Callaghan for Infantcide was
gong on to-day the speeches Of counsel were
concluded. The jury separates at adjournment, as
in civil cases, by consent; a cnstom very common
here no a DAYS and mach better than the old bar
ba ity of keeping the jurymen like state prisoners.
The law might well be altered in this respect Mr..
vaux, the prisoners counsel, made touching APP
deal the Jury, in alusioa to the Situation oil me
,~r,.o ard h. In r
present season OF mercy! He is a promising young
lawyer, and bids fair to become distinguished.