The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1848-03-23

dence-it would be unsafe to give it weight
The whole confidence reposed in witness, is
oyerthrown the moment he is found to be ca
pable OF committing perjury. These are not
principles got up for this case-but settled
principles to be applied to all cases. The jury
are sworn to bring in their verdict according
to the law and the evidence-a part of the
law is the law of evidence telling the jury
what they may and what they may not believe.
The jury has right to say to the government
the law requires them to do it-bring us tes-
tlmony that is free from suspicion. Perjury
has been committed on this occasion or on a
former by this witness-which we do not
know. lie must be corroborated in material
matters bearing ON the guilt of the prisoner,
or his testimonyis of no weight. Instead of
being corroberated Flint's testimony is con-
tradicted in some points. If Hills testimony
Is correct, Flint's is not. Hill cannot have
been mistaken i'll the Notwithstanding he
met Hasty and Gray-they know what even
ing it was, for they were called the next morn
ina to account for their being out that night.
Hill started from home at 20 minutes before
10, and after walking about 10 minutes, he
met Coolidge after walking few minutes lon
ger, the clock struck ten. The time therefore
must be right. Flint's story therefore is not
true. Flint testifes that about III o'clock on
Friday he saw DIR. G. at DR.. Thayer's, and
Immediately he went to the Office, and saw
DR.. c. making the charge of 5000 to Math-
ews. If the other witnesses tell the truth,
this story is not true. Flint says DR.. C. had
not then been in the hall-had not been exam
ined. But the other witnesses say that Cool
idge went into the hall with John Mathews
about i, and it was not till afternoon, and af
ter he had nearly completed his testimony be-
fore the inquest, that he went to his Office for
the books, and brought it with fresh charge
on it. Flint is corroborated in few minor
unimportant particulars, but in no important
matter connected with the crime. 1t is of lit
tie Importance that Flint has made other false
statements, after it is proved that he has COM
mitted perjury. The improbability of his
statements as to getting the body down in the
darkness-the narrowness of the passage, and
the impossibility of its being done without
moving the chairs, are all against his state
ments. His statement as the blood and hair
GA the carpet, is contradicted. He says he
picked up the hairs, and Dingley and the boy
might have seen if they had looked. But,
Dingley says he saw no such thing. His
creeping down the stairs, their narrowness-
their going down in the dark-their nerves
not the steadiest. it may be MISUNDERSTANDING
over the wood pile, only . l-2 or 8 feet from
the floor above, and depositng the body near
the door, is totally incredible. Th4t hody
never went over there-it was put into the
door. 1t is possible that it was taken over
the other way, but is not probable. 1t is said
the boots were clean, as though body Ecould
not have been carried along the street outside
without dragging it. As to the cleanness of
the boots, it is in evidence that deceased, after
his boots were clean, crossed a muddy street
| l.,
some degree. Mr.. L. contendeG that the
whole story is improbable-that to have taken
the bo4y down, and through that narrow pas.
sage without moving the cloth, was mpract-
cable. 1t may ne asked what motive the wit
ness could have: That we cannot tell Mr..
E. would not say that he intended by his ties.
timony to produce conviction, that he might
reap some of the benefits he desired is the
successor of Dr. G. But it is not for the Jury
to seek for motves-it is enough that the tes-
tmony OF this witness is not CONFERENCE.-The
not pro oable-not worthy of credence.
The evidence OF a uniformly fair character is
more than enough to outweigh the testimony of a
person who coniesses himself feon. ANY num-
Der from one to oke thousand witnesses might be
brought to prove the uublcmshed character of the
prisoner. Born in this State and never having
been abroad to receive contamination from vicious
society-laboring till of age on his fathers farm
educated at the public schools, aided by an uncle
who was literary man-with the fairest prospects,
whrt could be expected but that he would have
continued in course of virtue. None but the
most abandoned the most insane person could
have done this crime under such circumstances,
leaving the evidences of guilt scattered all abroad
Mr., f.. said if he believed the whole testimony of
Flint, he shonld believe that Coolidge stated the
truth to Flint-4.that this not n case of murder
but of sudden death and that these parties agreed
to seize on the property of Mathews; and convert
it to their use-ann this would be the crime
colamtted and not the charged. Not believ-
ing either Mr. +. asked at the hands of the jury an
acqutta
| iremblc. said Mr.. f., at the imperfection with
which haxe presented this case. haxe aimed at
no display am capable of none. least of all in
such a case He would not appeal to the sympa-
thies Of the iurY. but would ask them TO temner