Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-06-21
APFBcr1Na CASE.

On that day Judge Craw ford overruled motion for
anew trial Of Daniel It. Woodward, who on Thurs
day. the 9Th instant, was convicted of killing his
wife, by shooting her, on the Path of December
last. After the lapse Of few minutes, the Judge
asked the prisoner, ttDaniel T. Woodward, have
you anything to say why the sentence of the law
shall not be pronounced by the courtp'
The prisoner, who had risen in the dock and
was leaning upon the rail, replied in firm and
audible voice, ri have your honor" All eyes
were now directed towards him, and there was
more than usual quiet in the courtroom. He con-
tinued-
al am not guilty of the charge brought against
me. did not cause the death of my wife. The
witnesses aga INST me swore to fnlsehoodS. My
wife's feelings were wrought on by her father; do
not deny that there had been differences between
us. She knew i never raised my hand 10 her
less provoked to such degree that lid not know
what was about. From the first day of our
marriage until her death never knew that she
was going to deprive herself of existence. TIA
"On the evening ofthe 2Sd of December Hilton
came to the house for me; don't recolect the
hour-and ] found my way 10 the magistrates
Office. asked what was the matter. Squire
Drury said had uttered abusive language. re-
| piled, do not know that l had, except talking
roughly. He then said If would leave the pistol
might go home. l at first hestated. but finally
gave up the pistol Hilton said to Maston that
Mrs. Woodward was afraid of her husband, and
you are single man and can go home with her,
and that he would go along too. We sat down
there, talking, but about nothing in particular
1t is said by witness that had proposed to sing
my wife's favorite songs, 'Washington's Grave
and the Irish Emigrants Lament Hilton said
TO me, 'irs strange that at one time you are low
spirited and melancholy, and at othel times are
given 20 leVity' don't recollect my answer, for
the reason he did not inquire the cause of it.
's1 have been labOring under strange condition
ever since left the jail. After the officers had
been tiny house, Hilton. at ten O'Clock, proposed
| ff
l hove myself on tie bed with a cigar. My wife
was on the opposite side of the Jed. 1 appealed
TO her feelings, and will tell you what languageI
made use OF. After lying there with my clothes on,
said 10 her: 'Why do you go after the police Off
GERS, and have constables running after met What
have done that you should do so? l was injured
in both arms and ankles III JAIL After appealing
to her feelings, said could not live so and il il
was agreeable we would separate. l asked her
what she would do Considering few moments,
she said. .We. Dan, you shall never go 10 jlil
while live. got up and went into the shop to
see what was dong there, and she went in;o the
back room and taste ned the door. When went
into the front room heard the report of pistol,
and entering the other room saw my wife breath
ing her aSt.''
The prisoner acquiring additional earnStness, and
in tremu lous tone, continued
al could not destroy the only friend had on
earth, had nobody 10 care for me but that wo-
man. Whatever my failings were, she was my
friend, and hers. lAfter pause.l That even
ing she said she was afraid. did not Ilalass her
feelings to my knowledge. Neptr! NEVER! | new
cherished feeling of ill-will hate towards any
body. My character has been principle, honesty,
and uprightness in all my dealings in lie. have
been soldier, sailor, and been i.:various parts
of the world, and no man can say that ever
wronged or injured or had spite against him.
[Fhe interest in the narration on the part of the
| audience seemed to increase with every successive
sentence. reside in Washington. In youth
| associated with friends now greyheaded, and not
ons lady Urgent emen can come forward and say
n IT.n1, =. 4
to any family or lady, or any ones sister. II had
killed my wife would acknowledge il in the ace
of the world and of God, OF whom expect for
| giveness. l stand before your honor and before
God an innocent man. t
"Tlie witnesses testified falsely against me. l
did not know them. 81. = a- -.
elf were guilty mani have the heart of
man-let my feelings be what they may, would
| come forward, and, in the presence of my God aud
you acknowledge my crime. ids.
81 pray your honor 10 grant TO this who
stands before you new trial. Do not let that flag
which has waved over MY head in suffering, hun
ger, and thirst, wave over me now condemn
| ed man. have travelled under the American flag,
and rode upon the waves at sea, but have yet to
suffer death as an innocent man. l never knew
| what it was to be considered criminal, and have
my life plotted against by wicked persons, who
have been the cause Of the death of my wife,
| They sold my wfe's clothes at public sale, and
my property, and afterwards contrived against my
| life.
"Oh, God! it is hard case. God knows the
| failings of human nature. We can't know things
too mysterious TO find out. tell you, judge, L
| should be afraid TO stand up here and open my
| lips with falsehood upon them. fesr not DEATH
1t has no terrors to this feel that it would
be stigma On my greyheaded mother to say that
her son died criminal. (Tears came into his
eyes, and at this point they who almost GREATNESS
ly to hung upon his words appeared deeply to SYM
pathize with the prsoner.] And my sisters'
heats, too, would be SO wounded If Dan died as n
murderer. list hard. IpEay Tod TO show JUS
| lice.
"I know that am an innocent man. Mywife's
| father and brother drove her to destruction. She
loved me. She could not help it. She knew
never would do wrong if | knew what was
| about.
"If ii is possible, pray you to grant me new
| trial, and leave the cas-. with Almighty God. 1t
is hard thing. Were guilty of the charge
which was brought agains. me | would have no.
thing to say in defence. would say did the
act, and pray God to forgive me. There was no
soul in the house 10 my knowledge. l think it
was shutup. don't know how it occurred, un-
less she destroyed herself. I'VE here noticed
many oil the auditors i'll tears, occasioned- by The
Solemnity of the scene and sympathy for the pris-
oner, i'll view of the awful sentence shortly to be
pronounced.l pray your honor to CONSIDER my
case-to reflect, not for my sake in Particular but
for the sake of justice and for the sake OF my poor
old mother and my sisters, and for the sake Of old
acquaintance who have known me here in Wash
lington. While learning trade. and growing up
to manhood, no person could say that a wrong act
was done by me. None can say sou
There was an interval of profound silence of
several minutes duration, and all eyes were now
directed to J Judge Crawford, who, havi"g taken
from his drawer sheet of manuscript, and filed a
blank therein, proceeded to sentence the prisoner
in the following language. He was very much af-
fected willie discharging this painful duty, his
emotions at times nearly choking his utterance
and causing him to shed tears:
4 'You have been convicted of the crime of muir
der. TIE jurors who tired you, il they cannot be
said to have been OF your own choice, were free
from all exception in the estimation of yourself
and your counsel They devoted themselves with
commendable assiduty throughout nine days to a
full understanding of the law, the evidence, and
The arguments which were brought to their consid-