Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1841-01-07
TRIAL OF MRS. KINNEY

We intended to have given today, re-
port of the very able and interesting charge
10 the Jury by Chief Justice SHAW in this
case on Friday evening. But having al
ready occupied so much room for week
past in our detailed reports o! this trial, we
are compelled to iorego that intention for
the present. We take occasion to remark,
in this connection, that we are aware oil
one or two slight inaccuracies in the reports
which we have prepared of this trial from
day to day. They were almost unarolda-
Bile from the fact that there was no oppor-
tunity for u careful revision Of auy thing
which appeared Our attention has been
called hy DR.. Storer to our report Of what
Mr.. Dexter spid Of his testimony and we
would remark that we did not understand
Mr.. Dexter to intimate, that DIR. Storef
made any Intentional Measurements.
The importance OF this tial and the in
terest it excited, indnce us TO depart from
our usual course and give place to few
reflections which it has occasoned.
1t is generally known that the evidence
against the prisoner was very slight; and
many have expressed a surprise, that the
defendant should have been put at peril of
her life at all. This whole thing affords a
useful and practical commentary on the
Improperly Of not leaving to the proper of
fcer, appointed by law, the sole discharge
of his appropriate duties. We nave good
reason 10 know that the Attorney General
from the first, has not considered that there
was evidence enough in this case to war
rant conviction. On this account he was
slow TO move in the matter at all ; and it
" as not until the public prints had taken
up the matter, and great excitement had
been raised, and that excellent officer had
been accused Of neglect of duty, that he
moved the law against =" The victim OF pop
ular prejudice" He did not urge an in
dictment by the grand jury, but when none
was returned, his only cou Sc was that which
his duty as a prosecuting oiflcer pointed
out. But the result has been what he pre-
dicted ii would be from the first.
One thing more the defendant in this
case. after very long trial, in which the
whole evidence was examined with great
care, has been declared not guilty by a ju-
nv of the country. With very few, if any
exceptions, all who attended thu trial and
heard all the evidence are satisfied of her
entire innocence of this charge. 1t is,
therefore, matter of sheer justice that the
community at large should also acquit her
ofsuspicion. They owe her more. The
Attorney General well remarked that, if
innocent her sufferings in confinement and
her agony at the trial could never be re-
paired. She can never be placed where
she was and she can receive no recon-
pense for the terrible hours she must have
passed in her lonely cell, and during the
five days she was exposed on trial for her
life. Let her receive, then, the sincere
sympathies of generous community.
We do not hesitate to say, that whatever
may have been the past character or histo-
ny of this woman, of which we express no
opinion, because we have no knowledge,
her conduct through the trying circum-
stances by which she has been surrounded
and indeed. during the whole period of her
marriage to her late husband, has been not
merely above reproach-it has been re-
msrkable. The trials ola wife whose hus-
band was ruined gambler aud drunk