Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-09-23
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.

Just before and following the recent execution of Fran
CTS Dick lat Dayton, Ohio there deep, and to
extent legitimate, public curiosity to know the crcum-
stances, in DETAIL which attended the killing by him of
Catharine and James Young. Of his guilt one after
his second conviction, entertained shadow of doubt
but him commit the Decd and he alone could
disclose the Of its commission. He convicted
proof satisfactory to the jury that coat Of his which
found hanging in the stable where he slept the night
before the murder, stained with blood that Of
the boots by him the morning of the murder but
taken off and put away in Stens garnet before the
der discovered, had small clot Of blood in one
of the wrinkles above the heel and that certain spade
supposed to have been used in committing the MURDER
had rustspots upon it which we're produced by blood
The fact whether the appearances these articles
sembng blood really blood the material issue
in the Forming opinion from inspection,
witnesses to different conclusions The weight Of
evidence however decidedly in favor Of the concu
sion that the stains blood. As to the boots the
persons who first them positive that the red de-
poste in the wrinkle blood. was formed on
it, and breaking this with the finger the blood fresh
and liquid As to the coat and spade there less
tanty. The blotch the coat which was blue jeans
had dirty brown appearance. When moistened it
municated dark red stain to white paper The colorng
matter however whatever it was, appeared dim on
surface considering the amount Of it in the fabric This
induced the belief universally expressed by the Witnesses
that the stained section of the had been washed
There still greater doubt lbout the russpots the
spade. Whether they produced by blood by
mato juice, by rain could not BIO determined with
tainty from simple Inspection and the witnesses general
ly SO qualified their opinions.
For the purpose, if possible, of resolving the doubt
the prosecution employed Dr. H. G. Carey previous to
the last trial, to make chemical analysis Accordingly
by process which need describe he procured
quantity OF the supposed blood and tested it, making
experiments first upon that taken from the coat and after
wards upon that taken from the spade The which
he employed those regarded as most reliable By
medical ursts, and the results attained were entirely
satisfactory to his mind that the substance in both
was blood He believed and testified that there was
N to
and the process of reaching 1t than there would be
mathematical demonstration Other scientific test-
fed some of them confirming the reliability of DR..
Careys analysis, and others treating it as Of no value
| whatever.
In this position Of the evidence it was important to
know from Dick himself whether he used the spade in
committing the murder and whether, while committing
it, ne wore the coat and boots The information was inn
portan not because might crafty very natural pub
lie curiosity but because it would tend to show the
liability or unrelabity of such testimony and as
were satisfactory to the jury in his case and important
therefore, as commentary upon the law Of criminal
evidence.
Having very little confidence in the reported confes-
sions OF Dick many of them contradictory requested
ms pesty ADVISER who had his entire confidence, to
certain for us for publication such facts would show
whether the proof Of blood the spade and other
IN question was true otherwise This he consented
to do, provided the information used only for the
proper and legitimate for which we desired him
procure It, The statement thus furnished is that
spade and no other implement weapon Of any kind
was used in killing both the old woman and the boy
The spade was not washed aerward but it rainec
ON before 1T was found subsequent the murder This
probably removed the particles of blood eaype
only the sprnkles which Sxed upon tho iron b,
rusng As to the coat, Dicks declaration was that b,
did not wash it, for there blood upon 1t the oircnm
stance escaped his notice Neither did he vash his boots
except as they we're washed by walking through the
grass Just the Witnesses Scott and McRey VIII,
first saw them, supposed the fact to be-
This statement Of facts by Dick may be relied on a
In HIM md ma,
say for him. for confidence in his last decara
ons that they correspond with his uniform denals ant
admissions to his counsel before and during his trial.
far as those denials and admissions went There is NJ
to question the honesty and truthfuness Of hi
dying Words and, admitting their truth they assure
not only that every circumstance which was allowed
tell against him told the TRUTH but that the existence
those circumstances even the least potent Of them tn
blood upon the coat and spade, was asoertained b
methods entirely reliable.-DaytOn (Ohio) Gazette.