American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1844-12-02

tildI Incy WOulu nOt DclcNc nlil ul HIS Odln
witness would not himself believe him on his
oath.
Walton Gray, Esq, sworn. Witness acted
as Magistrate in the case of Torrey; there are
two rooms connected with the office of witness
Torrey was in the back room; civil suit was
being tried in the front room against 'Torrey fol
causing the death of Mr.. Woodward's horse
Messrs. Gallagher and Cox, were counsel
for Mr.. Torrey; young Charles Heckrote in
giving his testimony as to seeing white man
talking to his fathers girl, was asked if he
would know the man again if he saw him.
said he did not know whether he would, but
looking around to Torrey said he thought that
he was the man.
n Cox, sworn. Had been employed to
aid in defending Torrey in civil suit; had moi
then heard of any criminal charge against him;
young Heckrotc, on the trial of the civil suit
had said, that the night he saw the man talk
ing with the girl was dark, and he did not
think he could tell him if he should see him
again
Robert Gamble, sworn. Knew Southmcad,
had been confined i'll the same room with him;
Sosthmead, in the effort to break Jail, used a
saw; the saw was in the room when witness
was placed in it; had only been in the room one
day; there were five prisoners engaged in the
attempt to break Jail.
Mr.. Graham, recalled. The morning of
taking the prisoners from the room, after the
attempt to break Jail, Torrey expressed his re-
gIet at having involved others in the difficulty,
and said he had planned and conducted the
whole affair.
Simeon HAYS, sworn. Had seen a letter to
Mr.. Ieckrote relative to his slaves from Mr..
Rigdon; had not received any himself; about
month ofior hainr cbpyup tho lettnr TnrraN
was arrested.
John Zell, sworn. A letter was brought to
our office by Mr.. Heckrote, written by MIR.
Rigdon; witness was associated with the firm
of Hays & Co.; the firm had never received a
letter from Mr.. Rigdon on the subject; had
gone to the Jail to see Southmead, but deter
mined on not hearing any confession from him
in reference to his knowledge of the slaves;
told him he had better see Mr. Heckrote; in
the afternoon went with MIR. Heckrote to tho
Jail, and they conversed together; had no posi-
tive knowledge Of any inducement being held
out to Southmead, to make the confession, but
believed Mr.. Heckrote told him he would use
his endeavors to procure his pardon.
Cross-examined, by the state. Southmead
sent for witness and said he desired to tell him
about Heckrote's slaves; went to the Jail and
told him he had better communicate what he
knew to Mr. Heckrote; he afterwards told
Heckrote about it.
DIR. Heckrote, recalled. Had told South
mead that he would use his influence pro-
cure pardon for him, but told him not to ex-
pect much, as the Governor was a Locofoco,
and he being wing he would not be likely to
exercise much influence; the proffar was gra-
tuitous, after learning from him that he knew
something about the slaves.
The testimony for the defence was here con-
cluded.
G. R. Richardson, Esq, States Attorney,
opened the case in brief and concise narra-
ton of the evidence on the part of the State,
in proving the criminalty of the prisoner.
Nathaniel Cox, Esq, on the part Of the de-
fence, addressed the jury, being his maiden eff
fort, and after some appropriate remarks in re-
ference to his position, touched slightly and
cautiously upon the novelty of the charge upon
which the traverser had been indicted, and
took brief review of the testimony of some of
the witnesses.
After MIR. Cox had concluded, the court took
a recess for one hour.
AFTERNOON.
The court met at half past o'clock, agree
ably to adjournment. The hall was densely
crowded in every part.
Reverdy johnson, Esq, senior counsel for
the defence, addressed the jury. He expressed
himself as having felt the most anxious soil
ctude in the case of the traverser, from the
fact that there existed between the people of
the North and South, difference of opinion as
to the right Of property in human flesh; and
declared, that, whatever might be his peculiar
opinion in reference to that right looking to
Nature or God, he would be the last man to
oppose the legal right, until the laws upon the
subject were changed He contended that so
long as the present laws existed, the people of
the North had no right to oppose their legali-
ty by any overt act He hoped, however, to |
see the day when but one opinion should pre-
vail, in reference to the subject, all over the
country. Though he possessed peculiar views
upon the subject of slavery, as an abstract
question, which, as a citizen of Maryland, it.
might not be proper to advance, yet he feared
not to disclose them, any where, or at any
time. In agreeing with the traverser to de-
fend him, he had frankly told him, that while
he should have fair and impartial trial, he
would not be drawn into any discussion of the
question of right of property in human flesh.
The counsel expressed much fear, least the Pc
culiar position, social and political, assumed by
the people from whence the traverser had
come, with other circumstances, might have SO
formed public opinion in this section of coun-
try, as to give a bias so preudicial to the ira
verser, that it might operate even in the breasts
of jurors, imperceptibly to themselves; and
that the accused, under such circumstances,
would have been brought to trial, rather as
one already condemned, than as fireman.
He congratulated himself and cliant, however,
upon the hope that these fears were without
foundation.
Mr.. J. said he had felt al interest in the fate
of the traverscr, from his seeming forsakcn and
impoverished condition, and had volunteered
his legal aid, in defending him, without promise
of fee OF reward. He had more recently been
led to feel deeper sympathy for him, from