The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-04-14

Trial Of John and William Gordon for the
Murder Of Amasa sPrague.
Qseported for the New York Herald)
SUPREME COURT-AralL SESSION.
PROVIDENCE, r.. !.
MONDAY AFTERNOON, April 8.
The case was opened for the Government by Mr.
POTTER, who said he had been solicited by the
other Counsel to act as their assistant Although
he considered himself but poorly qualified for this
office, he should proceed to give an outline of the
evidence which would be offered to establish the
guilt of the prisoners. The question before the u-
ry, he would remark, incidentally, was, were the
prisoners guilty of murder, or We're they notl No
other question would come before them The pri-
soners were charged with murder-nothing short
of it--nothing more. No question of law was in
volved. and he presumed no other question than
the one he had stated would be raised A murder
had been committed-a cruel, cold blooded muir
der-and the prisoners were charged with it-but
with nothing else. The trial was an important one
pended upon the result important to the Government in
asmuch as it was the duty OF the State protect itself
and vndicate its rights Thelaws had been violated and
1t was necessary TO the permanency OF these laws that
their inracton should be punished was important to
the communiy-every citizen was interested, and the
safety OF every one depended, in degree upon the
result for their interest that whoever committed
this crime should suffer the penalties Of the law The
government had but one object in ycwto ascertain vino
Committed the murder and then administer Justice stern
y. and fearlessly II had feeling ofrevenge TO crafty
re hon.' !. Wou ascose, nVne ~ .he tiia
the indictment upon which these men were araigned--
they would bear in mind however that the charges
npn u,u sr had 'v ;,s wo PRISONERS
principals and accessories at the fact The guilt was the
,ha nm,,ies va. co,om;sd and dJ yo,h;npP m,t
bring the principal to justice they
at the fact, and quite as guilty as the real murderer
pr,cnced bv the rovernmmt~i woniS he aei Ee
rumstantioi uosit;ve and direct ue tLsnnh, ho
var tie inrv ,yopIJ admit with hi ,h. o;ousn' noW
evidence where the parts though seperts and ;dana
quite az much TO be relied upononite as conuincin 90
mat which was direct and nosvs rLere uaa is 90
portunity for detention iabv 70 err and , o
Chance tor effective perjury '' "AN 'e''
Ue exhih;ted, and eyni.;reJ ~ tho ,,,r,, o,, c.
plan of the premises on Which the mnrdyas nn.,t
lie hnriI poa Ms Ss as i. @ oohlisteu
a. ,ha ~, ~. ttaas ~, SaIs . s1 o Pun
no was IN his ,yov fro,n h;s - =, IL - ~
house so called over nath Itch laI
Inv gronnd and across n SIN, .tream Ue rel Lann
fonnd an bonr or two af,erv," q, C" Zoo, I a, n
foot bridge which led over m" ream and ~ he nn .o
was made which resulted in his death The Goxernment
woud also nresent in ev;dence the mart. Of ann tnnna 49,
and near the spot and coat also found near the spo bob
of which would be identified as belonging 70 on M III
versions charged with the murder sSirt would nj ~,
presented having blood upon one of the sleeves in
exactly correspondinr with a hole in the coat mes,
oud also show pisiol found near the mn rdered man
the boots of one OF the prisoners which corre,ponded wifi
tracks found IN the snow They would trace one of the
prisoners near the spot short time before the
was Committed follow him TO the house Of neghbor af
terward where he remained till the news of The murder
arrived; show that he went with his neghbor IN Mr.
Spragues CUTE and then turned home ANOTHER of the
thew would show wa, seen on the road To pro-
haste they would also show motive for the mn in
the long existing hostility between one Of the
at least and the decease and that one of the
had bruised eve and face when he as arrested
Mr. Potter having concluded at preciselv five o'clock
the first witness for the Government was called several
witnesses were examined but all to no as will be
perceived by reference to Tuesday Is proceedings
TuEspAY MsRS,yG.
(soon after the assembling OF the Court this morning.
the Jurors arose and TO the that
account distress his family he wished to be ex
cused from serving further in this capacity The Cont
ties. Consent was given and a new Jury was sworn
consisting Of the eleven remaining and one other The
prisoners again pleaded guilty, and the trial
day again caed-four or five in number-and their
testimony follows j
RoBERr WILSON swom.--Am coroner of the town Of
Johnston; called on by Dr. Bowen to examine the
body OF person found dead Sunday evening" Decem.
Der 3is went to Dr. BPS house, and thence the spot
partially; quite dark had light beside one Ian
term wounds the head; the jury were satisfied
the wounds had pr oduced DEATH found pistol on the
ground near the bridges put it in nv pocket left the body
with the jury and to Dr. houses the pistol was
loaded heavily with powder and ball. the percussion cap
exploded Of the jury drew the charge at Dr. b
house 1.-THE pistol ball and powder were here
witness had handed them to Justice Bowen when the exa
mnaon of the prisoners was had soon after their
called from the meeting house in
Oneyyille to examine the BODY: went first to NV own
house then to DR. Bowen,, but sonped only fe min
utes at each; the meeting house is abont two miles from
the place of murder could not ascertain who first
verad the pistol law partly under The bridge when
IT. cannot tell how long the can had been expodod an
reared to have been scue in The snow between the end
of the bridge and the water number of persons had got
there when come up and great manv tracks were yisi
bio: thought there had been ule from the fact that
the tracks were confused and the snow about saw
blood on one of the posts of the bridge railing
AZ the time that the deceased had been Knocked OH the
bridge
Drcf p.dTbere had be.n grant dca, of ira o.
ling about the PREMISES when rot there and could not
distinguish one track from another.
oace of the murder last aw deceased alive about hale
past three O'Clock SUNDAY afternoon: was between nv
house and tho path deceased usually travelled from hs
horse n tbe arnentor so,y lin 4, ho ab ,o;n,
towards carpenier place cannof see ali The na,b from
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