The New York herald., 1845-04-16

Ing to the Third Presbyterian Church was burnt out.
Every vacant room taken ap and the cellars aye in
many instances rented
Yesterday afternoon attempt was made TO FIRE vii.
n,arth & Reynolds Board Yard on Irwin street The
double-dyed villain had placed bundle Of matches
gnited in heap fshavings and thrust the whole
providentisy discovered Let the police OF the city be
on the watch These devils in the shape of among
us would destroy ed the whole city if they could.
Trial OF Nicholas 3. Gordon for the Murder
OF Amasa Spraguc.
MONDAY MORNING, April a.
Il may well state here that the stain said to be
blood on the sleeve of the shirt found in Gordon
chamber has been submitted chemical analysis, the
result OF which stated Saturday afternoon by the At
torney General 10 be not unfavorabe to the prisoner
On the opening Of the Court this morning, Mr. Curry,
tor the prisoner, resumed and concluded his opening
gament He dwelt for time the character OF the
purely and on This account would
require greater degree of careful scruny the part
OF jury In making this scrutiny examination the
Jury must bear IN mind certain admitted truths; the frs
that each circumstance must stand alone and depend
not upon the other circumstances bue the testimony
cumstance must be fully established before any infe
renee can be drawn from III the third that the crcum
only tend to the establishing of the
charged, hut they must positively exclude every other
hypothesis which might be presented.
in relation to the guilt of John Gordon the record of
whose conviction had been offered pyma acia evidence
that he committed the murder He he shoud
have committed the murder. The Government had not
offered particle Of positive evidence to show that John
committed than hundreds Of others residing in the vci
nifty He was going towards his home at half past
O'Clock he must have been at home at o'clock. Mr.
SPrague last at half past O'Clock within ten
minutes walk OF the place of murder. John Gordon
again seen at half past o'clock at neither time did he
have gun, coat resembling the found in the
don could have exchanged his clothes after O'Clock,
went to the place Of murder killed Mr. spague secreed
nandrn nh hic han voA
his Clothes and called the Kingstons three quarters
OF mile distant, at half past o'clock.
found in the swamp. The chief witness who identified it
as having belonged to either of the Gordons Abner
m He say % gun strongly
murder was committed He met Gordon in the read,
sen as few E,,kI and md the
had seen Gordon's gun the day before: the former
had previously had it two three weeks in his posses
sion, and had examined with the view of purchasing it
and both CT them swear this is the gun they
Mr. c. went over the other evidence in relation to the
gun-hat given by Mr. Almy and his clerk Yves only to
book, sold to IN Goron Neither of them recol-
lect pretend to state any thing farther than this That
given by the negro Francis that he left this gun with
Almy for sale, not sufcienthe only identified the
gun from its general appearance, and from the fact that
screw was missing from the lock, aud that screw not
properly gun screw, was now in that place Mr. Cur
here took the gum and showed to the jury that
screws neither Of them gun screws, were now in the
lock. Mr.. Curry also showed that there was a mark
about the gun by which any person who had once exam
ined it, could identify it. The stock pieces
and one portion was much darker colored than the other
J was strange Francis and the other witnesses made
mention OF this The ramrod of the gun only traced
or Ben Kit M Williams U had
ed that he did not think Kit competent witness; and
Gen. Carpenter had sworn that Kit told him he was brib
ed to swear as he did. Mr. C. did not believe Mr. Sprague
had brbed Kit but the fact followed that Kit had told
slanderous lie to Carpenter The jury could Judge what
reliance, in case like this should be placed upon his
oath.
Mr.. CURRY next passed to the coat found the swamp
One or two witnesses think they the prisoner
seen tho ordon have and ~aar fisa aia
very coat but had been proved that Susan Field had
she had to what she knew nothing
about; and the witness who called show that she
taken admits that she said nothing abou. the color Of
what she termed Nchoas's old coat Besides this, the
two Stones the very nearest neghbors Of the prisoner
ana two or three other neighbors had that
they never saw him have this coat.
The pistol Mr.. Curry said had not been identified by
any witness Susan Field had pistol in Gordsns
store but pretended that any pistol had been seen
ia Gordon,s rossessio directly resembling this.
roughly zone over bv Mr. Curry and ths copsctins
testimony on this subject completely sted He showed
to the jury what every of them must have marked
from the testimony to the point that the tracing and
suring OF the footprints the house had been
sworn to- was imaginary to say the least OF it, Your
readers who have read the evidence this point,
not help agreeing with Mr. Curry in this con .usion !
he referred particularly to the fact that the
ohm Gordons boot He also dweI upon the fact thar
greet many persons had passed the very ground Of
neSe tracks, from Gordons mouse 10 Hawkins Hole
The Monday after the murder. They must have inte-,
cepted and crossed these tracksbut they did not see
hem; and the men who traced them the day after, pro-
essed to have seen no other tracks. Mr. Curry next
referred to the in the vicinity of Dyers bridges
he undoubtedly the murderer bat he was not John
g ,rdon; he was larger and taller man. as had been
by four and besides this John Cor
ions boot would not fill his track in width by eighth
Dt an inch.
Mr.. curry concluded his argument ut l O'Clock P NJ
OF the britt sketch have given of it will not pass
or full outline even Of what occupied four hours in
me delivery This afternoon, Mr. Rodgers, also for the
prisoner, will make his closing plea.
There is strong probability that Gordon will be
latted The worst that is much feared by his friends
nat the Jury will not agree.
Yours. w.
LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY, &c. The usual prepa-
ations for opening the canals have impaired some
vhat OF business appearance to our streets Still they
working of the law allowing railway companies to carry
reight manifess itself strongly, and the forwarding
'ouses loud in their complaints Previous to the last
election, this law and the policy of its adoption
brown into the political csuldron and every attempt
made to concate the canal interest by showing that
his or that party was responsible for its passage
years to lost sight of in the mulfarous mat
pressing the attention Of the Legislature, for little
This general order day, and of course almost
flank day in iegisstion. But few petitions presen
ed: among hem one for the holding of three Of the
al terms Of the Supreme Court at Syracuse. bill
sssed restoring the distinction between and
in certain counties of the State II occupied the
legislature about two hours and would have been
satisfactorily ARRANGED by the supervisors OF the
les Ths bill introduced some time since by Mr. Morri-
on, Of your city, empowering the Judge Of the first cir
ut to hear mctioos Except in of
prohibition and mandamus, where the attorneys Of the
,sres reside in the first circuit favoraby consider
d. and committed to the judiciary committee to report
he expediency Of extending II to other circuits.
The bill for enton spoken To by MIR Bailey,
Il Putnam, who concluded his speech The committee
hen resumed the consideration 1.-THE general orders On
his question Of convention there IL doubt Of an I'M
outstanding having been come to between The two Sec
ions Of the Democracy. Tho question in difference be-
ween them whether tho convention was to 10 limit
ID or unrestrained.
In the Senate report wos made by majority Of the
ank committee against the bill for par redemption In
Sew York Albany Mr.. Lester Of Ontario, Is opposed
the reports. bill passed TO provide for paying
he debts Of the insclveat safety fund Lcingc
albany Letter, .9prii H.
OREooN EMIaRANTs.-On Monday last our city |
vas in quite excitement, by the number OF |
migrants about leaving for Independence Missouri
heir way to Oregon. Five six wagons were In com
ANY, and about sixtyive emigrents They left this |
ty Monday night their long and psrilous journey
a comfurtably fixed. having /