The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-01-30

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fsl-pst nine at night without signs Of life or mo-
fion Colt then, for DE first time exhibits marks
OF Animation. Denoes hears his get up aad leave
the room-he goes down stairs; he returns: He
hears the sound of washing, rinsing Of CLONES
the water dropping in the pail And next morn
ing he u awakened by the sound Of hammer and
saw; Colt, in the meantime, according to the
Next morning we have the testimony of Mrs
Octon, who sees him 60 up stairs, and seat
himself on bench opposite the door; and with
MS head dropping ON bis breast, remain for some
minutes That circumstance bring into strong re-
iic, as entiins the man to your faroyube considers
uon. lie pauses opposite the door of the room
which contained his victim, whether Of deliberate
murder, or OF nanslaughter, or homicide. He
which Shakespeare has put into the mouth Of Mae
beth lIn-4
Look ont sgain, dare sot.7 = f',..lf
Al least this is the Only evidence of feeInr Tim.
prudeHce) he exhib. ted frem the time of commit
ting the act till his arrest by the Mayor. We then
have this box prepared; and prepared with a skill,
with foresight, with precaution against all pos
concealment rarely eqaaed in the annals of death.
The box is stated with paper-it is covered with
An awnng-the body is fixed in manner requiring
almost the skill Of the anatomist to fix it-the legs
are tied up to the neck-ths blood 10 stopped-the
body placed in the centre of the box-it cover
ed with awning--t0w is put round the heaa-the
coat 10 laid underneath, probably to absorb the
blood. The box cover is nailed on-a direction is
given to distant city-ccnceaed, too, with an art
and prudence, by which ne one except those
aware Of its. contents could have failed to
to the care Of Dr. Clay at New Orleans He then
takes i carefully dow stairs, trusting no one else
might be exposed. He then went out to get car
man, and here he exhibits the same prudence he
had shown all along; he selects the first he meets
rather than any particular one who might easily be
recognised again, and having engaged him, he as
sumes an air Of infinite uneoncern the box is put
on the cart, Colt having previously ascertained
that ship was 10 sail for New Orleans, from par
foot Of Maiden lane. Almost every other man il
ten Thousand would have jumped upon the cart, and
rode down with the load to watch it-they would
not have trusted the carnan alone with that dread
iul secret But he, with Characteristic GOODNESS,
and with full sense Of the safer course, saanters
carelessy along; when he arrives at he dock allows
the carman to jerk of thelbox as if it had been box
OF sugar-it is taken on board the Kalamazoo-he
takes receipt from the mate-but no bill of ladinq,
for il is not his purpose to give any name-he
leaves the vessel and tears up the receipt i'm
stantly. Then again in the PREPARATION Of his
room, the same wonderfully regard to minutia is
discovered Every trace OF blood is carefully erased
the spots are wiped off, linked over-oil is pour
ed on the floor to conceal the blood -(and I have
been told that oil has wonderful effect in correct
ing the stains made by BLOODY then the space in
the middle of the room, which by washing had
been made winter than the rest, he causes to re.
semble the surrounding portion by the use Of to-
bacco and his spitte; and he tells Wheeler that he
smoked till it made him spit blood. He goes home.
GOV Ri: sesk up battle; himself with spirits
air of gaysty when away from home; and with a
coelncss which it is impossible not to admire as
trait in his character, he goes to the shop Of
Adams, talks, to his foreman; speaks. OF Adams in
terms of conmendation. and Of the kindly feeling
that had existed between them; goes then 10
Wells, and there perhaPs exhibits some emotion
falls back IN the table-eaused perhaps by the re-
mark Of Wells to his inquiry after Adams, "l don't
know, he last VENT see you did you see him ~
Putting all these circumstaBoes together, we have
brought before man OF foresight and de sign of
Of self depending character, and Of
coolncss such IS has rarely ever been brought into
a court Of justice. Such at least are the deduc-
tons make of his character. But submit the
facts to you, rs twelve unbiased men, better
able to judge of it than am. And if you form
the same opinion, it will perhaps have its influence
in leading yoA TO judge Of the other circumstances
Of the affair TO one circumstance, TO which l
will refer, more importance has been attached than
i deserved. The question as to whether salt was
found on the body. do not regard this a. At all
except that il would show still more at
tentionite minutio still greater nicety Of calcula-
tioa, still more wonderful presoencc Of coming
vents, still more care in guarding against the pos
able development Of the secret. II he reasoned
that it might become too putrid, and so betray the
secret, why, then, the putting in Of the salt in
kee ping with all the other acts though It did not
sho greater atrseity. 1t is admitted on side,
that he did attempt to conceal IL and that, TOO, by
a scheme rarely cqualled that, in the execu-
tion of it, as in the language of one Of his
eloquent counsel, he icorked nerer icOrkedbe-
tore-dnd erinced heart to conceive, hea to plan
and a hand to execute any design But whether salt
was there or not, no matter. The salt could add
nothing Of MISUNDERSTANDING to the crime
We have no evidence that il was salt At the same
time we havesthe evidence of Milliksn and DENIM,
son, that there some substance resembling salt
But whether there was or not, confess i can
not discover; it is matter comparatively imma-
teral, and | think that the warmth and excite
ment on both sides entirely unealled for. There
was no excuse Tor the remarks hat were made. 1t
may have been circumstance calculated to in
flame the puolie mind There was something hor
rifle in The idea that The body of human being should
BE- cut up and sailed dozen like the of any
OF the inferior animals But locking at il cslmly,
rs If il was merely part Of his scheme for conceal
ment, it takes the same rank with the other acts,
that go to disclose the extraordinary foresight,
calculation and tact for concealment,
of John c. Colt. Now, gentlemen, If this act was
not excusable or justihable homicide, the first
question: is was there any evidence Of premeditated
design And having now considered the circum.
cumstances subsequent to the murder, let me
come back to the chronological order Of the evil
dcnce anteriort TO Adams entering Colts room Is
the re any evidence of premeditated design Here
we have the testimony of three witnesses on this
point, Wheeler, Seignette, aud Miss Henshaw; also
the witness called from the tomb the scull. IL
there from these any evidence Of prsmeditated de-
sign anterior to Adams entering the room Of John
G. Colt. What evidence was there Of design on
the part Of Colt to get Adams ntohis room for the
purpose Of killing him If you can see any, and
death ensued, then you must render verdict OF
murder Of course. The character Of the man, as
have delneated it, may have some influence here.
1t is, perhaps, one Of the circumstances. have
endeavored to connect together the various
eircumstances connected with this view OF the
case, and they appear to be these.
at this time In want Of money. At any rate, from
Wheeler's statement, he owed him Sl5 for rent
which he was unable to pay, and for the payment
of which he had given books as security. He was
also very urgent that the books printed ny Adams
should go on to Philadelphia. That he should get
in the proceeds, some l20 to $50. 1t is said that
the saw was borrowed the day before, 10 which the
District Attorney seems to attach great impor ance
This evidence depends upon the testimony Of Mrs
Octon and Ridner's man. In relation to Mrs. Oc-
ton and her husband, may say that have rarely
seen two pers ons in court ofjustice exhibit more
GOODNESS Of manner, accuracy Of thought, aud pre-