New-York daily tribune., 1844-04-11
a Hard Case,

JdHudlY last, on d CidlSe vi Sioiie i"4Se'ii 'N'
having gone with man named Joseph Francis
10 house OF infany, where, In room construc
ted with trap-deor, he was robbed (and well he
deserved it, OF SO. She was sentenced TO three
years imprisonment. The state Of her health
| has hitherto prevented her removal TO Sing Sing
She has been attacked with severe hGmorhage
of the lungs, and the physician Of the City Prison
has considered that she probably would not sur
vivein the State Prison. the term OF her sentence
| Since her trial, facts have come to light, which,
while they cast great doubt on the propriety Of
her conviction and sentence, appeal very strongly
20 the sympatliies OF every person Of humane
or even human feeling in her favor. Earnes.
efforts have been made by the physician OF the
| prison to obtain pardon for the unhappy gill
and we understand that a gentleman Of this CITY
whose attention ne had drawn TO the case, went
up to Albany few days ago for the purpose Of
ureing the application before the Governor. We
10 not knew what s.stcess may attend the effort,
'eut cannot wthhodItl,e expression of our strong
hope that it may net be invain.
The girls story is this. In August last she
was dccoycd to this city from Canada by wo-
man named Clancy, on the prctcnce by the lat
eer that she was m!lner, with attractive pronl-
fses of instruction in the business, employment
and good wages, She had been in a respectable
service in Canada, where her conduct had been
ireproacl,able. She was placed, on her arrival,
| in house where her destruction was effected by
force. A dayor two after, man visiting the
house, touched by her detection, elected from her
the recital other story and in reply to her inqui-
nv what she could do, gave her the name of
highly respectable Clergyman of her own denom-
ination, in the neighborhood, to whom she should
70 for advice and aid. She went, but at the door
saw only an elderly unmarried lady, relative of
the clergyman, by whom she was told, in reply
to her story, that DR.. - was confined to his
room by illness and could not be seen that she
could do nothing for her;-'th1t she lad gotacr-
self into her trouble andmust get herself out cf
it.. Thus repulsed, discouraged, cast back into
the abyss out OF which she had made an honest
effort to cscape-dcsttutc of an acquaintance in
the city or country-without food or shcl.er-and
in the recklessness of ruin already irTeparablc-
it can be no matter of surprise or even Of very
harsh condemnation, that the poor forlorn young
creature fell back into the life of in;amy into
which she had been so cruelty betrayed, and re-
turned to the house which was now her only
home. About three months afterwards occurred
her meeting with the man Francis, whom she
took to a house recommended to her by some of
her associates in shame, without herself knowing
It's peculiar character as orc constructed for this
mode of robbery The rest of the story has been
already told They remained there but short
time the man discovered his loss the next morn
ing.
Now all the parts of the girls story admitting
of vcrhcation hare been fully confirmed, her
character and conduct in Montrcal-the mode OF
her being brought 10 the city-and her applica-
ton at the door of the Clergyman in question,
with such story, and with the result above stat
cd That gentleman and his wife, IN bearing test-
S.nony to t!,at e.ct. sase unitcd in recormerda-
ton of her TO the mcfey OF the Governor There
is every Just ground OF probability IN favor Of the
rest of it, and especially TO the important point
of absence of participation by her IN the robbery
or its proceeds. Not particle Of testimony on
the trial tended to bring it personally home to
her. The proof was simply that she had taken
the man TO the house, where they renamed d
short time-that he missed his money the next
morning,-and that trap-door was found in the
room The officer who arrested her has stated to
the physician of the City Prison Or. McRaady)
that he did not believe she had any of the pro-
cceds and the fact is well known TO the Police
that women often 60 to such houses without
themselves knowing their peculiar character and
construction. The girl had no counsel at her trial,
which was very short and summary.
Another essential point is this-that the wit
nesses who procured her conviction the man who
had been robbed, and an associate who was stand
ing with him when he was accosed by the girl)
Score to the dress in ,okich she appeared in
Court,-which must OF course have materially
contributed to her Identification. Yet it is after
wards proved that she had borrowed it on the
morning of her trial from another prisoner (Ame-
LA Norman,) being a very different one from her
own. This fact alone, independent Of the others
above stated, sufticcs to cast sufficient doubt upon
the fact of her guilt Of the alleged crime, to au
thorze and demand a revision Of her case by the
only power to which it now remains open, the
Executive. No one can doubt moment that if
she could be tried over again. with the fair aid Of
counsel, OH the foregoing facts and testimony,
she would be instantly acquitted, without leaving
the box, by any Jury that ever sat in one.
We understand that the poor girl has been
wretchedy crushed in spirit and penitent ever
since her arrest. She has made q very strong
and favorable impression on those who have ap-
preached her, as far more a victim of misfortune
and trcachery than of criminahty OF her own
She has been in confinement already for nearly
five months At the worst, she is very young in
vice and corruption well as in years. Indc-
pendently of her health, her ruin for live would
probably be completed by three years at Sing
Sing; and anxious as she has been TO return to