American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-04-03
[From the Ladies' National Magyar ne.
THE MURDER.
BIZ CHARLES I. PETERSON.
iCuHCludcd

By CHARLES !. PETERSON.
iCoucludcd
1t is singular what change a few moments,
in the progress ofa trial, will sometimes make
in the feelin IS Of the audience. Like the ocean,
ley are swayed ceaseIessly to and fro, looking
indIferently on, OF with partial interest in the
cause, and too often utterly regardless Of the
hearts that arc breaking at the event. Bat il
was not so in this. The calm, noble, sel.col-
ected bearing of the accused, and the gentle,
yet touching looks of his lovely young wife,
had awakened an interest in their favor, which
made the hundred of spectators catch eagerly
at any ray ofhope, But alas it was not they
who were the arbiters of the prisoners fate
The argument ofthe prosecution now began
and was most masterly display Carefully
euogizing the eloquence of my colleague till
he had destroyed its power in the minds of the
jury, he proceeded TO narrate the evidence in
detail, but SO carefully connecting it with the
former history of my client as to create the inn
preston that the deed arose not from malice
but from thirst for gold. He then boldly
tainted us with our want of evidence, and the
known exeTtions we had made to obtain it. In
conclusion, after dwelling upon the character
of the deceased, he recaptulated the testimony
again, welding incident with incident, until tho
chain seemed perfectly irresistible. All this
time by an apparent candor, and a show Of the
greatest tenderness and liberalty, he had been
sapping the iury's sympathy for the defence
He sat down, and murmur of Impotence ran
through the court. In short, as the trial APP
preached it's end the suspense seemed growing
intolerable. The interest was intense. A few
moments would decide the prisoners fate for
ever.
The Judge began his charge. 1t too was long
talked of atterward for ts eloquence. With
firm voice he laid the case before the Jury, ne
yer suffering his sympathy for the prisoner to
interfere with his impartaty as judge, and
while dwelling long and earnestly upon the
character of the accused, giving TO every word
of the testimony its full and terrible weight, he
admitted that there seemed mystery about the
prisoners connection with such a crime, but he
did not think the discrepancies in the testimony
Of the witnesses more than natural, or that
they failed to prove the identity of the body
"There can" he said in conclusion, "be no
reasonable doubt that murder was committed
and as little, on the testimony of three uninl
peachabe witnesses, that the body found was
that Of Mr. Wilson. With you, gentlemen it
remains to say, whether under all the crcum-
stances, the prisoner at the bar is guilty of that
murder-and in your deoeration remember his
former character, and that he is entitled to eve
ny doubt that may arise. We have both So
lemn duty to perform, in which fellow crea-
ture's life is at stake. Mine is now done.
dismiss you to yours; and may God Almighty
guide you Alright"
He ceased. For moment, after the alter-
ing tones with which he finished had died u
way, there was a profound silence, and then
came a low, smothered sob, as of feeling of
suspense too great 10 be supported. The prso-
ner's wife was faintngi
The jury retired. Few words were spoken
by those who remained, for all felt It was no
time for idle talk. Every eye was directed to
the group in the bar. But the bearing Of the
prisoner was as unruffied as ever, and no s.gn
betokened that like all around him, he felt the
terrible suspense. Calmly, and selEcollected
he sat there, winding his arm around the slerl-
der form of his wife; while that wife burying
her face in his bosom, waited breathlessly for
the word which was to restore him to life, or
send her broken-hearted to the grave.
AT last the officer announced that the YER
dict was made up, and the jury, following
him with slow and solemn steps, entered the
box.
1t is always an eager moment when these
arbters Of life and death appear, as the coun-
tenance OF one or another of them generally
betokens in an exciting trial, the result OF their
deliberations But in vain did scan them
now. Save solemn, awful responsibility de- |
pcted on the face, there was nothing either of
hope or fear
AS the prisoner was ordered according TO the
usual form, to stand up and look upon the Ju |
ry, convulsive culver past across the face of
his wife, and then, with breathless interest she !
gazed upon the event.
"How say you, gentlemen of the jury, said
the clerk, in the usual formality, sis Henry
Duval, the prisoner at the bar, guilty or not
guilty in manner and form as he stands indict- !
ed,n
The moment that follows this is of the most
intense suspense. All the hopes and fears that
the prisoner or his friends have cherished dur
ing long and harrassing trial are then brought
to crisis, and the insta ut elapsing between the
clerks question and the answer of the foreman
seems prolonged into an age. This feeling too
pcrvades the spectators, and on the present oc-
casion it had been wrought up to the highest
pitch. silence like death hung over the
crowded room. The Judge advancing from hls
seat, stood up Just behind the clerk, and looked
anxiously at the foreman. The officers OF The
court leaned forward hreathlessly, while thou
sand ANXIOUS faces, piled one above another, rs
they rose backward from the bar, locked eager
ly down upon the silent jurymen The prison.
or alone hetokencd no anxiety; TO save slight
and amoet mperceptible quiVefing OF the
mouth, he was as calm and set-collectcd as ev-
or One arm res.ed on the chair, and the 9TH
or wound around the trembling form OF his
wife. All this in a moment the eye took i'll;
FIR yenra see med croWdcd into seconds.