Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-12-22
One Of General tackson's Soldiers Con
demned fer Murder-His Speech before
Sentence.

An interesting murder trial took place in
Bir mingham, Iowa, in November last. The
| accused was o man named John j. Jones
seventy three years of age. He had been q
soldier under General jackson, and was with
the old hero in several Of his campaigns
against the Indians.
Jones was charged with numbering Hora.
| tio W. McCardlc, neighbor some fifty years
ago. He made his escape and was not heard
! of until short time before his arrest. Capi-
tai punishment having been abolished in Iowa
the prisoner was sentenced to hard labor in
the penitentiary during the remainder Of his
life.
Jones, through his attorney. when asked il
he had anything to say why sentence should
not be pronounced submitted the following
statement:
May it please the Honorable Court:
81 am an old man. fast tottering TO the
grave. The frosts of fseventy three winters
though they have not whitened my brow,
have wrinkled my face, and chilled my heart
with many sorrows. Mine has been che
quered life. And now, when about to be Sc.
parated from my fellows, 1 may give q truth
fu version of the past.
81 had family and home--a rude home
it is true. and plain and humble family
but they were my all. The deceased robbed
me of the one and invaded the sanctity Of the
other. Two small sons, lovely daghter and
wife-a cherished wife.
"On returning to that home, the day Of the
fatal deed. learned the certainty of the mad
denng truth, and fastened to the field. my
rifle still in hand / know not why went.
had no fixed design. He met me with a clul
i shot him. And though claim not tc
have acted in defence. ] do assert that there
was mutual combat. You know the rest.
fled-my family followed. But for the fifteer
years ] have lived at Lockport l made no Sc
cret of the deed had done.
Now time has done its work. The gov
ernment itself has changed. New laws are
passed and old ones repeaed-and those who
/ then surrounded me have mostly passed
away A different people are in the land
different code of morals now prevails.
drank liquor, it is said. and true it is dranl
it. Not to have done so then would hav,
been the objection. Men in high station
leaned upon the dram-shop for support 7,
treat ones fellow to the poisoning cup wa
deemed proof positive of gentccl truining
ii may not he held responsible alone 70
the vices of society--it is enough that hav
been their victim. Those days are past, an
that loved one is gone--borne down wit
trouble, she sank down into an early grave
That lovely daughter is now a hopeless criT
pie. wearing haggard face. OF those tw
boys--who should have been the prop Of m
old age-the one is gone to join his injured
mother. ms witnesses against the dead de
stroyer Of their peace--the other-and m
heart sinks within me when | say it--liues-
but not to me-with an ear deaf TO my C,
lamity, he come not near me! But l lo
give.
"To this honorable court. the jury, and I
the attorneys and officers thereof. and to tn
people of this community, return My hun
BILE thanks for their impartial hearing
II have never been criminal of choic
but rather the creature of circumstances, b,
meath the weight of which far better me
than ne have sunk. i may have been to
jealous Of mine honor, but never have BIT
once proved laithIess to my trust Whe
my countrys rights wero invaded. answere
them. and so did mine honor. With Gel
era Jackson in all his Creek Campaigns
baitled for my country and its laws At ii
fast in the wilderness j was there at Enm
fa Taledaga | was there; and when Il
shouts Of victory drowned the cries of the
ing ut the battle of Horse Shoe, in the froi
ranks of my country | was there and Il
, name Of him whom We now call John
Jones was another word for deeds of darn
"'rhcse are of the past. A long life
nearly spent-the scene has changed but /
above who reads the human heart, is, furth
than the formal sentence of the law, comp
7 tent to judge me-"