The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1843-11-04
From the Baltimore San
TRIAL OF
PALMER T.. RICKETTS,.
FOR MANSLAUGHTE


Associate Judge EocLEsroN
Trial Of Palmer C. Ricketts,, proprie
tor and editor OF n he Cecil Whig," in
diced for "Nlanslau Inter-" in the killing
Of Amor II ForwooG, by shooting hin
with pistol, and nhicling three morla
wounds. on the 30,h Of August, 1913
whereof the said Amor # Forwood dice
ats O'Clock, P. M, The same day. The
prisoner was placed i'll the bar and at
raIgn ed, the indictment charging The of.
fence al length in three several counts
being exactly siHilsr, bu: each referring
TO particular Wpun', cne Of which was
inflicted upon the left side, abont the hip
one in the left breast, and one in the righr
breast. In repl' to the question Of the
clerk, whether he was guilty or .no,
guilty." the prisoner replied distinctly
mot guilty." and chose TO be tried "by
his county"
! The excitement in relation to this trial
in the vicinity is very great, and E kton
is full of vl|ilers from The country; tn
court room was crowded To- excess, the
stairs Ia the upper rooms being also
| thr nged; there were scarcely less than
500 Oeople in The room during the whole
day.
Alter the prisoner had been arraigned
the Chief Jud ge stated that a n"le had
been received from Judge Hopper, his as
-"cIa,e "n The bench, stating thai he was
tn much lndIsposed ln attend
| The counsel engaged in The case are
for the State, Joseph " ckes, Esq, pro-
scouting attorney, Henry Stump. Esq. ri
Balimo eand Henry C Mackall, Z q ul
this place; for the defence, Hon John NJ
Clayton, of Delaware, and John c.
Gr""me s James II, lamar, EsGs, of this
place.
That the trial may be better under
stood by the reader, it is proper TO say
! that the street in which the occurrence
! took place runs cas-! and west, and is be
tween 50 and so feet ide at the parlicu-
ar spot in reference. The post office is
N the south sldc,and has porch of some
or 5 feet wide in front. and elevated "a
few inches from the ground. Mr. For
woods Office is the second door above or
| on the east side. A. &. Nowiand'4 store
is Immediately opposite the post Office;
| Drnavcn's tavern IS some 20 ieeI easi.
diagonaI> opposite both the post office
a I'd FprNood's Office. Mr. Furw I'd boar
ded al this tavern.
The Click proceeded to e,npannel a
my. and III regular panel was called /"
the box Judge Chamh r. then address,
I'd the nrs, to the elect that If any OF
them had formed and expressed al opin-
ION on the merits of he case before the
court, they would declare the fact IN re,
| ply to the question: OF counsel, and thus
make known thtn lmcDmpcteucy To serve
The cal ing of the jury then proceeded.
but tn, hrS, reply gave rise to some dis
cu>-ion, the jurvman saying thar he heard
one side Of the affair on the dav OF the
occurrence, and on that statement said
IF he mad been in The same situation thai
Tickets was, he should have acted exact,
as he did" Mr. Clayton contenCed that
the juror having expressed this opinion
on "a one sided hearing Of the case, did
not render him incompetent. he being
now in a position Ia hear all the testimo-
nv, aud TO make up a lair and unbiased
opinion.
Mr. Stump rose to object, and urged tina
the juror had not said whether, if he hac
been in Ricketts, place, he would have
committed 'mansaugh,er' the ofiencewllI
which the prisoner is charged, but merel,
on all opinion Of the innocence of the pr
soner, had SAID he would have acted il
the same way. The counsel gave til,
juror credit for the candid manner il
which he had expressed himself. but ar
sned that an opinion thus formed at th
time on pr'Judlces suggested by one
sided statement. had in all probability re
NAMED unmoved and unaiered until lhi
dav. and should therefore he deemed sni.
ticlen, to di qualify a juror from servin,
in the case.
The court asked me gentleman to pro
duce the authorities on the subject.
M CLAYTON referred the court To tn
case of the United States v. Anron Bur,
,ried for hlgh treason. in which Cine
Justice Marshall decided. after horoup
and elaborate argument on the propp
qu sti"n to be put to nrors. that but on
single question was necessary. which wa
"tave Won formed or expressed any opln
ion with regard to the guilt or lnnocenc
of the prisoner" No collalera! question
were permitted. and proper regard 70
the feelings of the jurymen should prohi
bit them. The question was deeme
sufficient. and the investigation thus car
ried as far as delicacy could permit it g,
IT variety of collateral questions follow
ed The reply Of The juror, instead of try
ing Palmer C. Ricketts, for manslaughte
the court would be occupied in ryin