Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-12-27

4
: persons or at our board. and remembe
how many years we were SO occupied
and SO alfred, without suspicion O
! wrong doing even in small matters. a,
taching to US. there will be good sense
and good feeling enough ia the city TO dc
us Justice"
There were sound sense and much
consolation in this reasoning; the obviou,
probabilities of the case were in favor o.
the fulfilment Of the locksmiih's expccta.
tons. But a scene of trial and excite,
ment. ofprolonged agony and nope defer.
would have been difficult. if not impossi.
BILE. for him then to have forcseen. Fooled
in the search. the directors Of the bank
sen, one Of their body to negotiate with
Amos; to offer him large sum Of money.
and guarantee from further molestaiion.
| if he would confess, restore the property.
were. 1t was in vain that he protested
Of the crime; the banker rallied him on his
assumed composure, and threatened him
with consequences, until the locksmith,
who had been unaccustomed 10 d; alogues
founded on the presumption that he was
" "AhuAu, OtNSIeu MS tOItileUtOT Out OF MS
shop, with the spiiit Of q man who, though
poor, was resolved TO preserve his selfse.
spect. and protect the sanctity Of his dwell,
ling from impairment and insulting intru.
sion.
The banker retired. baffled, and threat.
ming vengeance. A consultation was
held. and it was finally determined to ar
rest Sparks, and commit him to prison, in
the hope that by shutting him up, and sep.
arating him from his family and accompii.
ces, he would be less on his guard agains,
the collection OF evidence necessary to 4
conviction, and perhaps be frightened into
terms, or induced to make q full confess,
ion. This was a severe blow to the fami.
ly. They could have borne much toge,h-
er, for mutual counsel and sympathy can
soothe many Of the ills Of life; but be d.
vided-to have the strongest mind, around
which the feebler ones had been accus-
toned TO cling, carried away captive 10
brood in solitary confinement on an I'M
Just accusation, was almost too much.
when coupled with the cloud Of suspicion
that seemed to gather around their homc,
and infect the very air they breathcd.-
The privaiions forced upon them by tho
want of the iocksmith's earnings were
borne without murmur; and out of the
little that could be mustered, portion was
always reserved to buy some trifling but
unexpected comfort or luxury to carry to
the prison.
Some months having passed without
Sparks having made any confession, or
the discovery Of any new fact whereby his
f8dRd iSehIse vSssss"i Isihaclahiiy "ss S%Sslsa
10 bring him to trial. They had not 4 tit.
tie of evidence, except some strange locks
and implements found in the shop. and
which proved the talent. but not the guilt.
Of the mechanic. Yet these were SO vari-
Gus. and executed with such elaborate ar,
and such an evident expenditure ofiabor.
that but few, either Of the judges, jury, or
spectators, could be persuaded that a man
SO poor would have devoted himself 80
sedulously to such an employment, unless
he had some other object in view than
mere instruction or amusement. His
friends and neighbors gave him an excel.
lent character; but. on the cross.examina-
ton, all admitted his entire devotion to his
favorite pursuit. The counsel for the
bank exerted himself with consummate T.
bility; calculating in some degree ON the
state Of the public mind, and the influence
which vague rumors, coupled with the ev.
licences Of the mechanics handicraft OK.
hibited in court. might have on the mind
OF the jury, he dwelt upon every ward and
winding, on the story Of the iron chest, on
the evident poverty of the locksmith, and
yet his apparent waste Of time, if all this
work were not intended to ensure success
in some vast design. He believed that .
verdict would be Immediately followed by
confession. for he thought Amos guilty:
and he succeeded in making the belief
pretty general among his audience. Some
of the jury were half inclined to speculate
on the probabilities Of confessions: and.
swept away by the current of suspicion,
were not indisposed to convict without
evidence, in order that the result might
do credit to their penetration. But this
was impossible, even in an American
court Of justice, in the good old times of
which we write. Hanging persons on
suspicion, and acquiting felons because
the mob think murder no crime. are mod
ern inventions. The charge Of the Judge
was clear an decisive; he admitted that
there were grounds Of suspicion-that
there were circumstances connected With
the prisoners mode Of life that were not
reconcilable with the lowness of his hnan-
ces; but yet, OF direct testimony. there was
not a vestige, and of circumstantial evi.
dence there were not only links wanting
in the chain. but in fact there was not .
single link extending beyond the lock-
smiths dwelling. Sparks was sccord.
ngly acquitted; but a. no other clew was
found to direct suspicion, il still Law upon
him like cloud. The vindictive merch-
ant and the dissatisfied bankers did not
hesitate to declare that, although the
charge could not be legally brought home.
hey had no doubt whatever of his guilt.
This opinion was taken up and reiterated,
until thousands, who were too careless TO
the story, were satisfied that
Amos was . rogue.
Amos rejoiced in his ac4uitfal q one
who felt that the jury had performed q
,olemn duty faithfully, and Who v.s dad