Indiana State sentinel., 1845-04-10

HANGING AN INNOCENT IRIsHMAN IN RHODE Is
LAND.-Tbe recent execution of John Gordon In
Rhode Island for the murder of Amasa Sprague, is
now the topic of great deal of exciting discussion
and conversation. We have received a number Of
documents bearing on the case, which of great
interest, and appear to show beyond the shadow of
doubt-that the poor man who has been hung, was
entirely innocent of the awful crime alleged against
him.
1t will be recoIected by many of our readers that
the evidence the trial against the prisoner of
the most fmsy character Ii was altogether circum-
stanal, but the facts proved tending to crminate
the accused, were few, isolated and not at all con-
elusive. Unfortunately, however, at the time of the
trial. the native excitement was at its acme and the
awful occurrences at Philadelphia, had stimulate al
most to degree of frenzy, the prejudces existing in
many minds throughout the country against the Irish
The Gordons were natives of Ireland, John and his
brother William had arrived in this country only
year or so before the date of the murder There is
Bow every to believe that the wicked prelu-
dces against the countfymen Of the istarred priso-
ner found their way into the court room and into the
Jury box and produced his conviction contrary to the
facts. This opinion Is quite confirmed, In our mind
by the evidence furnished in the documents now be-
fore US, and which formed the substance of the peti
tion for reprieve, which Governor Fenner denied
The principal circumstance, developed the trial,
which operated against the prisoner was the owner
ship of the gun, with which the deed done, which
was traced to Nicholas Gordon who told DR.. Ceye-
land that he had gun which he bought an auction
and negro swore that the gun produced in was
the one which Nicholas had admitted having purchas-
ed. Now, from the afidavits of William Gordon, of
Mr. Mathewson, one of the jurors, and of Mr. Chap
man. friend of the latter, it is established beyond
the possibility Of doubt that Nicholas gun was not
the one found and produced In court-that Nicholas
gun was in his house at the time when the murder
was committed and that it unfortunately secreted
by VIM. Gordon, under the impression that if found
it might somehow other operate against his bro
thers he recollectng that in Ireland the possession
of firearms by the peasantry, always turned to
their disadvantage. Thus the principal circumstance
against the lfaed man, John Gordon, entirely ex-
planned away, and the evidence against him now
stands fimsey-so utterly inconclusive,, that no
jury, free from prejudice, could possibly on it return
verdict of guilty. William unfortunately concealed
the aimporant fact of the secretion of the gum un-
der the impression that the discovery might operate
against his brothers acquittal, and only communica-
ed the fact before the termination of the trial John
whose full perception of the importance of the fact,
was evident from his exclamation 1t is you, Will
liam, who have hung me =
Such are the important afidavis which were pre-
sented to the Governor 1t is indeed asoni shirg
that Governor Fenner of Rhode Island, did not at
once grant reprieve His refusal is utterly uniusti-
fable We have hesitation In declaring, tha,
John Gordon, has, according to the evidence now be-
fore us fallen an innocent victim TO prejudice ex-
cited feeling, and want of just lenty the highest
executive officer of the State of Rhode Island