The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-05-11
THE WARD TRIAL


medium of the telegraph, we placed before
the reader in our last issue Matthew
Ward was acquitted to-day" Ii told of the
power of wealth and aristocracy - that
though even-handed Justice is the boast and
pride of our country, yetwhen brought into
contact with riches and all their influence,
it pcrishes. The man knew the power of
gold who said TO his child, g Ny son, 90
forth upon the world and get money, hon
cstly II you can, but-get money :" Who,
cognzant Of the facts Of this case. dare de-
sy bat that it was the money of the father
of the murderer Ward, that caused the SUI
premacy of the law to be set aside in his in
dividual case, Wealthy and purse proud,
he would have sacrificed three-fourths of
his worldly possessions to have saved his
son from the ignominv Of the ealiows.
What facts We're ELECTED on the trial, the
reader is no doubt disposed to enquire. that
would cause jury of twelve men to acquit
lone whose guilt was so apparent 1t was
Iproven OH evidence that Mr. Butler struck
Ward and that consequently the latter act
ed IN selt-detenee when he shot Butler. 1t
is lustitiable. then, according to a law in
Kentucky, if a man strike you, though with
but the weight OF finger, TO shoot him dead
upon the spot Southern chiyalry brooks
not blow, especially if it come from pie
bian and fall uponthe person of an aristocrat.
The circumstances of this cool and de-
iiberate murder are doubtless generally
known, but in order to refresh the mind,
we give here the testimony of Edward w.
Knight, one Of the pupils of Mr.. Butler
which contains ths gst Of the evidence ad-
dnced against Ward:
Ed,eard " Knight ealled-Was present
at the schoo.room Of Prof. Butler on the se-
rond day Of November last; was in Mr..
Surgs' recitation room, and saw Matt. +.
Ward, Robert J Ward, Jr., and VIM.
Ward enter the gate from the street inio the
schoolhouse yard: this was about 10 q
clock; at 8 O'Clock, a negro Of Mr.. Wards
had called and left word for the books Of
the Ward boys to be sent home: had heard
some threats from these boys the day pre-
vious, which made him expect some trouble
the moment he saw the Wards come into
the gate; he immediately went to the door
opening into the large schoolroom, the 9TH
er boys followed, but were Immediately
called back by Mr.. Sturgs, assistant teach
er.
! Wa. =. tn 'ha raritaiinn room door,
the WARDS had come in through the pas
sage. and were in the main schoolroom:
Matt. Ward said ! have u little matter to-
settle with you; which is the most to blame,
the little contemplate puppy who begged
| ches,nuts and then lied about II, or the hoy
who let him have them Mr., Butler asked
Ward to go into his room and he would eN-
nlain the affair: Mr. Ward said, No, here is
the place to answer the question:; Mr.. But
ter refused to answer without an expIana-
ton: Mr.. Ward then said, Why did you
call nv brother William liar' Mr.. Butler
snid he was not disposed to answer the qncs-
ton without an explanation; Mr. Ward
said. You are Il d-d liar and a id
scoundrel; Mr. Ward then made motion
as if striking a. Butler, who rallied back ii
little: Buter then raised his arm and moved
towards Ward: Ward drew his hand from
his pocket, presented Il pistol to Buffers
left breast and fred Butler dropped imme-
diatply, exclaiming, O, my wife and chila--
Nv God. I'm dead. Matt, then drew anoth-
cr pistol and Robert J. Ward drew knife:
Mr.. Surris came out of his recitation room,
and Robert, said, Come on, I'm ready; Mr..
Sturgs retreated to his room,and soon came
out again, and Robert advanced towards
him with the knife. and Mr.. Sturgis ran
back into his room and made his absence
out os the window.
In contrast we give also the testimony ct
a physician, which comprises the whole
point upon which the defence rested its
case. viz: that Butler struck Ward and he
in seli-Lelencc killed Butler -
d Dr.. Thompson caHed-Reside in Louis
vile am a physician; saw Mr.. Butler
about twenty minutes past ten o'clock on
the day he was ST. OF: started for the school
room, but Butler was gone to Mr. Harneys:
when | got there the boys were trying TO
mold him up told them to lay him down ;
asked me il didn't think he was dead
man removed his coat, tore. open his shirt,
found the wound an inch aud halt above
the left nipple ; the surface all around
burned, asked his posllioi wien sIlpt H'
said, We mere clenched; Ward calted me q
tiqr and / structhim noe clenched, tAen re-
ceirm shot; did not know who shot me. :
.Dr. Caldwell then tried the probe and
thought he had found its direction towards
the armpit: saw we might be deceived F.;
= !, stopped probing tried to compose him to
/, rest !: soon heard the air plunge through
= the wound Butler asked what it was;
told him he said he was dead man we
- told him we hoped not cases were on re-
cord of recovery of such wounds; it was
twenty or thirty minutes before the air came
through the wound hewas firmly impress
cd with the idea that he must die, and gave
- directions about his wife and child about
i o'clock he revived little, but there was
no reaction or anything like it; but he sank
until twenty minutes past one, when ne
ldiad the most D,0rtcm examination showed
tha, the ball passed between the third hne
- fourth ribs, through the LETT lobe OF the
lungs, passed into the back bone ana lodseo
there; the ball caused his death; he was 2
90 small man. weighing about l35 or iao;
noticed his right hand after death; the hH'
rer. were about half closed and could no.
II. be Strengthened; his arm, when We were
Ao probinn, was drawn back; his arm was
probably thrown forward when he reteiye'
=. The shot, that shot was the sole cause OF ht