New-York daily tribune., 1842-12-08
Trial of Alexander.

the plea Of insanity, and it is sustained mainly by
the following testimony:
Thomas B. Murphy of Decatur, Alebgma.-A
few days after the report that Miss Mosely of this
immediate neighborhood, had discarded him, the
defendant became gloomy and rorose; he left here
on the 18th OF July last, as deponent thought to
go to his family, in Kentucky.
Thomas L. Miner, OF the place.-The
| breach OF the marriage engagement with Miss
Mosey had obvious effect upon the mind OF tire
defendant. The deponent was the confdant of the
defendant, and knew tbs effect of this disappon,-
upon him.
James Clayton, Sworn. u had the command
OF one OF the steamboats, running between Ba!t-
more and this city last summer l recollect being
on board the boat on the 26th of last July: reco
| lect having young man on board whose name
afterward learned was Alexander: this young man
came on the deck, came up TO very respectfully
and asked if | was TIE captain of the boat;
answered yes, and he said the clerk had him
up to me respecting the payment of his passage,
| that ne thought he exactng too much dis.
count, besides objecting to the note; he also said
he would abide by what said; told him had
great confidence in the clerk. knowledge of notes
and knew he would do what was right; | said
could not leave the deck; be then left me, but did
not go down, but stepped toward the after part Of
the boat upon the same deck. returned hastily and
| passed over TO the other side he crossed again.
and l took the occasion TO request him TO descend
from the upper deck; pointed to the ladder, and
| told him he had come up that way and that he GER
| tainly had not forgotten it; his manner little
extraordinary, and drew my attention to him par-
ticularly; it created an observation from me which
reached the ears Of my pilot and helmsman, and
which had reference to an alteration OF mind;
this drew another from the helmsman, who said
he believed the gentleman to be crazy.
saw more of him till we reached French
| town. After the all ready, and l was
about to give the word to start, him walking
rapidly down to the boat; | called to Mr.. McAles-
| ter and sent him in pursuit; when be returned,
| told Mr.. M. to place him particularly in charge OF
MIR. Smith, as he was evidently insane; told him
! not to ask for his passage, but to keep him till
daylight, and keep sharp lookout for him.
Cross -Ezamined.--It was off North Point, a
little after 8 O clock in the evening, when the pri-
soner first came up to me on the upper deck of the
boat he did not 20 to the clerk desired him,
! but he walked backward and forward across the
deck with great strides, looking over the sides and
mutterDg 10 himself; | thought he was looking
| tor steps, and when pointed them out he went
| right down the lower deck; asked the pilot
what he thought of such conduct, and he replied
that he thought him crazy.
By tie Court am certain he was not intoXi,
Gated or any way under the influence of liquor.
John .Stewart, sworn-I was deck haRd on
board of the steamboat Robert Morris last July;
on the morning of that day saw this young man
on board at Chester; he walked about in strange,
discontented manner, and appeared as if he could
not make himself contented it absut three
o'clock in the morning he curiously dressed;
had on panama hat, light pair of pants, tucked
under his boot-tops; he came out of the forward
part of the boat, and went on the upper deck and
then down below and when he got TO Philadelphia,
he looked overheard steadfastly; he would walk
the length of the boat and then the breadth of it,
in an irregular manner, and he continued to do
this till we got to the wharf. kept my attention
directed towards him pretty much OF the time l
asked him if he wished his baggage carried up,
and he snapped me up quickly, saying no, he did
not; told one of the hands that he was mighty
dissatisfied.
Robert hscin, (sworn. )-I am a watchmaR in
the month of july last / was q deck hand on board
the Robert Morris saw this young man about
quarter of on board the boat at the wharf, on
the morning of the 9th of July; had not seen
him before he was on the larbourd side, the boat
heading down the river, walking in space OF or
| 10 feet with his trowsers tucked down into his
boots, and all at once he made start for the rail-
ing toward the water; | thought somebody had
called him.
stepped up and saw him with his hand on the
larboard railing, looking into the water; there was
nobody with him; he then walked back his place,
and taking a turn or two, sat down. he sat there
awhile and then started up, and between walk
and run he rushed down the cabin thought he
acted very strange, so watched him; ne came
up again, went to the same place he was before,
walked about, rushed again TO the railing and
looked into the water the same as before; went
to John Stewart, told him the man att acted
strangely; and he said yes, he had been observing
him.
A, this juncture, Mr. Banks, one of the Jurors,
was taken ill, upon which the Court adjourned,
and gave directions to attend to the juror, and
send for the physician he should name.
The evidence for the defence being completed,
the counsel commenced summing up on tuesday
morning.
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