Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-11-30
Statement OF DR.. Boale.

charge OF committing gross outrage upon the
person Of Miss Nudge, very rcspectabl,
young Lady in that city This result excited
at the time good deal Of surprise, for II was
the impression Of very many that he was moi
guilty OF the alleged crime. Almost the sole
evidence brought against him, was the testi
mony Of the young lady herself who admitted
that she was SO strongly under the influence O
.ether when her person was outraged as to b,
utterly incapable of resistance. This comics
sion induced many to believe that the offence
charged was the sole creation ofherimaginaton
when powerfully stimulated by artificial ex
| elements particularly as the doctor had al
ways borne an excellent reputation, and strong,
| ly asseverated his innocence.
When, therefore, verdict Of guilty was rem
dercd, it was generally thought that his appli
cation for new trial would be granted, espe-
cially as the conduct Of portion Of the jury,
after they had retired to deliberate, was in the
highest degree reprehensible. 1t is said that
when they came into court with their verdict,
some Of them were very much intoxicated. The
judge, however refused the application, and
sentenced DIR. Bcale to confinement in the
county prison for the term of four years and
six months. Before the sentence was pro-
nounced, the prisoner read the following state
ment which the court allowed to be placed on
record 1t win be found very interesting, and
il Is certainly not surprising that many who
heard ii, should have left the court room, salts
fled Of the doctors innocence
We may add that, before the termination Of
the trial, the young lady sought and no doubt
found, solace for her griefs in the temple Of
Hymen. She was married to Mr.. Throck-
morton few days ago.
DIR. BEALE's STATEMENT.
am aware that the declarations and the solemn
asseverations Of man placed in the circumstances
in which stand before this court, have but little
weight upon the public mind. At the same time,
! am constrained to give utterance to the truth,
however cautiously or skepfcally it may be re-
ceived. 1t will, in some measure, assuage the an
guish of my hours Of confinement to remember
that protested my innocence Of the dreadful
crime of which jury have convicted me. This /
now do, in the most decisive and solemn manner
appealing to the Searcher of all hearts, my Maker
and my final Judge, to witness what l say.
never contemplated its commission, never at
tempted II. My whole soul revolts at the sugges-
ton.
had feelings toward my accuser somewhat like
those of parent toward child. She had grown
up under my notice, and on many occasions had
received my professional services and attentions.
1t was strange halucination that led her to sus-
pect me of crime and it was nearly as Strange that
she should have made the charge against me; a
charge which once made would be likely to be
persisted in whatever her subsequent convictions
might be-
There were those, am sorry to say, who stood
by her. counselling her to make confirmation doubly
strong by the solemnity of an oath, instead Of
cautiously and anxiously inquiring whether she
might not have taken impressions for facts---the
vagaries of the imagination for the rayishment of
her person. Once committed on that side, the mo-
tives were powerful enough to make out their case.
They rejoice in their success. They have torn an
innocent man from cherished and heart-broken
wife and eight helpless children.
At this point in his address the wife, sister, and
other female friends of the prisoner burst into
tears. DR.. Beale became much agitated, and
also wept bitterly.
The sister said aloud" Yes, and from his poor
old father and mother, who are dyingl"
Mr.. Brown then offered to read the remainder of
the statement but the prisoner declined the offer,
adding that he would soon recover himself, and
that he hoped the court would pardon the weakness
They have torn an innocent man from his wife
and helpless children, and from aged parents who
so much need his care and solace, who have almost
reached the grave, to which they now are rapidly
fastening with sorrow, deep sorrow. / say they
have torn an innocent from all these loved
ones, who depend entirely him for their comfort
and support, and made him prisoner prisoner,
say; not a felon. Paul was often prisoner, but
never felon. II win mitigate the sorrow and an
.l.n.
and no verdict Of any jury can make me So The
power and the right to assert my innocence my
Maker gave me, and in asserting ! need not ask
the privilege Of any earthly tribunal.
A word in regard 10 the dark mysterious hour,
unaccounted for, from ten TO eleven O'clock on
which so much stress has been laid. Why is it
unaccounted for? Because my lips we're closed as
IL the seal Of death was upon them, and now they
are unsealed / need only refer to Miss Mudge's
own statement, and candid, intelligent men can de-
eide whether the representations so positively
made on this point true or false. IL should be
borne in mind that the time, though called an hour
was but thrce-quarters Of an hour, for according 10
the evidence given in cosrt, the workmen were at
the operating room door every few minutes from
quarter before eleven, to the time Miss Nudge left
the houses
Miss Mudgc's evidence on this point is this"
went 10 DR.. Bcale's about ten o'clock. went into
came in and said he not quite ready; be had
some ladies in bis Office. In about ten or fifteen
minutes he came down with some ladies' and saw
them out of the door. / then went up into the
operating room, took my bonnet Off and took a
seat In the operating chair. DIR. Beale washed his
hands and inquired after my health and the health
of our family He then handed me book, and
said he would have TO go and see one Of his work
meu he left the room. l do not know how long
he was gone When he came back, he began TO
operate on my tooth to prepare It for plugging it
was very painful, and he proposed to put some
thing in Il to remove the soreness. l declined
having 1t and preferred taking ether, and he gave
me ether
From this statement Of Miss Nudge, in which she
appears perfectly honest, every thinking mind must
see that the time in question was wholly gone be-
fore she began to take ether, and yet her counsel
Mr.. Wharton, wishing to make out his case, passed
by all this, and said: " the outrage, II committed
at all, must have been committed in this time" /
believe, II the question had been asked Miss Nudge
what time she began TO take ether, she would have
said about eleven o'clock.
Miss Nudge said handed her book and left
the operating ROOM did so; was absent from