Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-10-14
McLeod,s Trial.

ed with the detailed evid nee given or
Nelson's case. The testimony for the
; prosecution Of course comes first. Some
Of j, appears to be strorg and decided. al
though II is said that the prisoners coun
sci are confident in their expectation o.
, proving an abb.
The evidence OF one OF The witnesses
Samuel Brown, is very direct and posi-.
tive ss to the fact Of the prisoners psrti.
cipation in the attack upon the Caroline.
This witness declares thar he knew Alex.
snder Mcleod in 1897. and three years
prier to that .ime--that he saw him on
the evening Of the attack after the Caro-
line was on fire, and in one Of the boats
returning from the attack. The witness
was attracted by the light oil the beacon
fire which was kIndled and kept burning
to guide The heats on their return. He
says:
The boats landed below The river on
Chippewa creek, about IS rods from the
head of the Gu: up to the creek they
landed close TO the river. There were
three boats. was at their side. There
were ten or twelve men in boat. Nc
Leod was one, should say was or
10 feet from the boat--saw all get out of
the boats--was 10 feet from Mcleod
when he got out. Smith was with me.
They walked 10 or II rods to Davis tay.
ern in the village. was i, company
with them. They were talking of the
destruction Of the boat. Others came
down where they landed. All stopped
outside the house; some one said let us
go in and take drink think there was
a lamp outside there was light inside
the door was opened and shut. saw
Mcleod there, Don't think am mis-
taken; at DIS tavern was within 8 or 10
feet of him; he stood about 10 feet from
the platform | heard him speak did not
talk with him. am as sure that sac
him there as am that see him now Sit
ling before me. went from there to
Smiths. Did no. 60 in at Davis. Some
one said, "our bar keeper is with US. let
US go home." Five men went with me
do not know where the rest went; some
to Davis. Saw Mcleod next morning
between day light and sunrise, A mac
came in the bar room and sad Mcleod
was standing on lhe steps Of Davis tav-
ern; that he was wounded said he
was mistaken, for saw him last evening
md he was not wounded.
Another witness, lsaac P. Corson, a
master builder living at Niagara Falls,
testifits that he knew Mcleod in 1888,
and from TINT time on. He saw the pri.
soner at Chippewa on the afternoon Of the
day Of the destruction of the Caroline.
Mcleod WIS in store and several per-
sons with him drinking. The witness in
his testimony proceeds to say: ~
| saw Mcleod again, about o o'clock
in the evening, at Davis tavern; he came
out of the bar room door, as was going
in; he was not armed, as far as noticed !;
there was man with him; don't know
who no was. saw Mcleod again next
morning between day light and sunrise
in the shop Of MIR. Davis, OF the Steam.
boat Hotel; did not see If he was arm.
ed; there was a crowd about him, and he
was telling about his exploits on the steam
boat Caroline /; he was telling what tho
pc Torrance had been in her there was
a great number Of persons around him /;
he was telling tina, they would not wish
to see him over there again, as no had
killed one damned Yankee or two, and
had put them out OF the way. There
were so many around him, ! could not
hear oil he said; some OF those around
him were also Boosting about being in the
expedition with him. None Of them dis
puled what Mcleod said, or said he lied,
or any thing of that kind. don't recol-
lect seeing him afterwards, that day.
One Of the witnesses was on board OF
the Caroline when she was boarded. 10
coming up from the cabin he was struck
with a sword by man at the head Of the
companion way. He says:
! saw the man that struck me with q
sword as stood on the companion stairs.
There was a light in the gang way, just
al the head of the companion stairs, so
that could see his face. The light was
perhaps two or three feet from the door,
Il then supposed aoas Alexander Nc
Leod. | had been introduce to him
about q week before at the Eagle tavern
in Buffalo, and knew his appearance. |
was examined the day after this at Schlos.
ser by n magistrate, and my attention was
called to the person who struck me and
| told every one that asked me, that sup
posed it was Mcleod, but it was done
very quick, and might possibly be mis-
taken.
II will thus appear that much difficulty
will DO experienced in proving an abb.
Ii cannot well be done, j, would seem,
without throwing absolute discretion upon
the testimony just referred TO. However,
as one side Of case often appears clear
until the other side is brought forward, no
definite opinion should yet be formed re.
specting the guilt or innocence Of the pri-
soner. If The fact of his participation in
the affair shall be fnly ests blshed, there
will yet remain most important plea in
his behalf, viz. that he acted in obedience
to the authorities of his Government.
Upon the validity of this plea, which in
deed involves the main question at issue,
at least in a national point of view, may
turn not only the fate Of the prisoner, but
also the question of peace or war between
two great nations.
THE TRIAL OF MCLEoD.-The trial Of
Il