Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-05-12
G. w. DAVIS, ESQ. Wilmington, N C.


cape of the two Wards the murderers of poor Butler,
has by no meaps abated Every day the conviction
grows stronger and deeper that the acquital of the
criminals has been high handed outrage against all
law and justice, and the result of subornaon, perjury
and bribery. The people of Kentucky dete mined
to repuGae the stain which this transaction is calcu
lated to leave upon all concerned-to show that the
public in that State is much outraged those of
any other can be-that sympathy Or completely in the
affair cannot be laid to their charge The Louisville
Democrat gives the following atering picture of the
Hardin county jury, before whom the case was tried
at Elizabehtown:
(From the Louisville Democrat, April 29)
We find the following extraordinary language in an
editorial of the Times, OF this morning, speaking of
the late trial of Matt F. Ward:
No subordination corruption, collision or bribery is
charged have been 7esorted employed decision
given under these circumstances if satisfactory to ALL
stand as fnality.'
We presume Subornatlon the word intended to
be used Can it be possible, then, that the editor of
the Times have heard it charged that perjury
or bribery, corruption was employed 10 bring about
the result! Does he not know that from the moment
the jury was empanelIed, the honest portion of the
citizens of Hardin county said unhestatngly, that
twelve Just such could not anywhere else be
found and that, no matter what the testimony mil ht
be, conviction was not to be looked for A g ance
dI tbe ldCeS ny Stranger "OuIu dG OfCc nave leu
him to conclude that it was sentence day. in court,
and that the convcts of protracted term had just
been brought out to receive sentence.
/ There was but one man on the jury whose face
would not have condemned him in any civilized COM
munity-we mean Crutcher He looked like an honest
man. We hope. though with many doubts that he
was-but that finding himself in a den of - 1--WE
going to say thieves, but respect for the inmates
of the penentiary fOrbids such comparison ,)ndng
himself with eleven such men as he was associated
with, he permitted himself to be overrued. 1t was
sickenng to hear the comments of the neighbors and
acquaintance of the jurors upon their history and
character. One had been indicted tor burning his
neighbours barn and acquitted. Another was
we'll known to have committed base perjury Another
had visited the prisoners in Jail repeatedly and had
said again AZ: again that the prisoners innocent
and yet had >worn as juror that he had formed no
| opinion. Another had brought hoy with him from
the country TO take back his horse telling his family
that he expected to be caught upon jury try the
Ward case: and yet when sworn as TO having formed
any opinion, with the most affecting air of innocence
asked what case it was and had to study some time
before he could remember whether had ever heard
of the case before. These comments and opinions
were not promulgated after the verdict but from the
moment the jury was empancled, it was the common
, talk OF the whole community.
1t that the principal cause of the excitement
against Hon. John j. Crittenden on account of his
connection with the affair was that his appearance
and exerons to procure the result that followed were
those Of volunteer.