The Smyrna telegraph. (Smyrna, Del.) 1849-1850, 1850-01-24
A Narrow ESCAPE from the Gallows.

towns of the State of New York, who, after
being indicted for murder and imprisoned for
six months, was found TO be wholly innocent (
The case is one of the most remarkable on re.
cord, and shows how careful we should be in
our Judgment and verdcts. A correspondent
of the New York Mirror gives the following
thrilling narrative of the incidents connected
with the affair. Nothing more fully imbucd
with startling interest can be found in the most
absorbing works of fiction: |
BALLsToN Sra, Dec. Gath 1949.
The most singular and astounding devclope- |
ments that ever characterized the proceedings
of court ofjustice, have just been made before
the Oyer and Terminer now sitting in this
place. You remember the case. of John Tai
madge, indicted here last spring for the murder
Of VIM. L. Dodge, the engineer who was killed
by the running of the cars from the track
The catastrophe was produced by stones plaeed
by the accused on the inside ofthe rails. Tai
madge was an intelligent and wealthy farmer
of the. higher grade, and up to the lime of his
arrest had maintained character and standing
that placed him beyond the reach Of calumny.
Yet he was high spirited and passionate de-
fender ofhis own and the rights of others
And as the railroad passed through his farm,
he had been coolly subjected to the loss Of sew
era cattle, run over by the cars, for which the
company refused all remuneration, and in con-
sequence of which, much litigation and bitter
luminosity had ensued between the partics.-
Talmadge had been heard to say, he chopped
to God the cars would run off, and this, TO-
gether with the circumstance referred to, had
concentrated public suspicion upon him, and he
was indicted At length two witnesses, Qrish-
men connected with the road) were found, who
saw TaImadge place the stones ON the track.
Their story was simple and plausible, and there
i. seemed on the part of the accused no possible
escape from the gallows. The man whom all
had esteemed, who had been honored by the
people with many high public trust, and rep
resented them in the State legislature, was soon,
in the reluctant belief fall, to swing upon the
scafiold, and expatiatc the crime of deliberate
cold-bloodcd murder In this state Of things
the day of trial arrived.
Thousands from all sections of the country
crowded to the scene, eager to catch every
movement, and listen with fearful eyes to every
word, that seemed to make against the prison.
er. The most erain@rt counsel were employ
ed ON both sides The prisoner, pcrssting in
his cn.ire. innocence, with pale countenancc
, and an eye Of wild agony, sat trembling and
restless in his box. The two principal witness
es took the stand. They were calm and ap-
parently honest in the natural and plausible
story which they told, from the effect Of which
it seemed impossible for the accused to escape.
His wife, who sat by his side, and W no, up to
this moment, had preserved an unexamplcd
composure, now burst into flood oftcars, and
by her sobs interrupted the proceedings of the
court; and the friends of Talmadgc began &c
: abandon all hope and to prepare their minds
for the awful sentence, and the still moro APP
> palling scene that was soon to follow ii.
At this point movement ofthc crowd took
place toward the door of the court room.-
> "Make way, make Ways resounded through
the spacious hall. Two men pressed up TO the
prisoners counsel and whispered, agitatcd anc
almost GREATNESS, in their ears. fellow IIish
= man, who had long known that the story o
- these two witnesses was all fabrication, IL
obtain the reward offered for the detection o
! :, the man who placed the stones, had been mo
= we'd by conscience to disclose it, and to conduc
another person 10 the pro,f, positive and un
: dcniable, that when the fatal catastrophe oc
= Cured, they were not in this country, but il
Ireland.
= This proofwa now presented to the prison
: er's counsel. The witnesses were placed upoi
the stand. The evidence of Talmadgc's cntiu
innocence was clear and undeniable--thec tror
! ney for the people at once moved permission
to withdraw the prosecution, and to arrest tn
n two false witnesses on the spot, which wa
n granted, and such shout as rang through thu
multitude present, never before Numbered from
:, the windows of court house.
= Talmadge was borne off on the shoulders o
:. the people, and the booming of a six pounde
as expressive oil their exultation, closed up on,
:. ofthe most novel and exciting scenes thateve
:. transpired in any court or country.
- -~~~@~
IMPORTANT MovEMENr.-A resolution ha
{ passed the House of Delegates, authorizing thu