Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-04-02
an AGED MURDERER.
HIS SPEECH BEFORE SENTENCE.

An interesting murder Trial took place in
Burlington, Iowa, in November last The accu-
sed, man named John ]. Jones, was seventy.
three years Of age. He had bren n soldier un.
der General Jackson, and was with the old hero
in several of his campaigns against the Indians.
Jones was charged with numbering Horatio w.
McCardle, neiuhbor, some fifteen years ago.
He made his escape and was not heard of until
shur, lime before his arrest. Capital punish
ment having been abolished in Iowa, the prisoner
was sentenced to hard labor in the peuitenliary
during The remainder of his lie.
Jones' through his attorney, when asked if he
had anything to say why sentence should not be-
pronounced, submitted The following statement; ;
"MaY il please lhe Hnnnruhle Cnnli .-y----, .--y--
The trusts df' -seven.y.tirre winters, though
tbev have not whitened my brow, have wrnked
NV f.re and chilled ny he:.rt with many sorrows
Mine has been Il cequered life. And now,
when abou. 10 be separated from my fello%s'
r,v olive /, truthful version Of the past.
II had family and L home-a rude home, II
ia true. and Il plain and humble fami!y-but they
w.re NV all. The deceased robbed ue ot the
one and invaded the sanvtity of the ether. TWO
small sons-a lovely daughter and wlte-a
cherished wife. ,L,
fatal deed deed, | learned the certainty OF the
maddeming truth, and hasiened to Inc hela my
rifle still in hand know not why went.
had no fixed design. He met me WIN cluo
Il shot him. Aud though claim not TO nave
acted in defence do assert that there was mu-
,nul combat, You know the rest. neo' my
family followed. But for the fifteen years
have lived at l.ockland, made NJ secret oi 'ne
deed had done. r,
"Now time has done its work. lie govern,
itself has changed. New laws are passed ana !,
old ones repealed, and those who surrounded
, me have mostly passed away. d'll'reiit Peo.
pIe are in !and-a different code OF mora's .o"
prevails. drank liquor, it is said, and true IL Is Is,
drink il. Not to have done 20 lheh "o.''o
have been the objection. Men in insh s'au0' i,,
leaned upon the dram.shop for support. ~
,rra, ones fellow to the POISONING cup was
deemed proof positive of gcnteel training: :,
IL may no, DC held responsible alone 10. t'F
vices of socely-il is enough that nave oee,
their victim. Those days are past, and ,ha'
loved on. j. eone-borne down with trouble
she sank into an early grave. That love'!
daughter is now il hupeIess cripple, wearing,
haogard E,re. OF those TWO boys-wllo "h'u!o
have been the prop of my old agc-ths one Is
gone to ioiu his injured mnt"er, as witness
auainsl the dead destroyer of their place-ih'
oiher-and my heart sinks within IN: wheh
sov il-Iises-but not 10 me-wllh an ear ae"
to nv calamity: he COMES not near me- ou'
forgive. A.,
sTp This honorable court, the jury, and to TIT
attornirs and officers therefore, and L" tne peop
Of this community. | return my humble thank
for their impartial hearing.
81 have never been u criminal OF choice, ou
rather the creature of circumstances, benea'n IN
weight of which far better men than me nav
suuk. | may have been too jealous OF MIN
honor. but never but once proved fathiess I
INV trust. When my cuun,ry's rights were IT
yaded. | answered Them, and 40 did mine hono'
: Win General Jackson in all his Greek cal!
pairns bat,led for my country ana us ia"'
Al lhe fast in The wilderness, ! was there; at IN
fast OF arnrus ] was there; at Eumefa an
Taledepa, | was there; and when the shouts c
victory drowned the cries OF the dying NJ IN
b,,le of Hnrse Shoe, in the front ranks oi q
country. / was there; and lhe naPle "1 Nv
whom YOU now call John J. Jones was anoths
word for deeds of daring.
"Tbese arc of the past. A long life ~ near
spent--,he spenp has changed; but ne aoos
wbo reads the human heart, is further than u
formal sentence of The law competent TO ]uos
!. me-" ..,.. ,,on y
prisoner, said -
t "It is painful to reflect, in reviewing the 81
o dence for and against you, the mind can re re
!. upon no one fact or circumstance that ~oa
r. seem to offer the slightest apology or pa'I'atie
for your offence. The story of your rFlme Is
short ons. and may be briefly ,hls-fon , ~
It vet no some kind of claim to land occupied
e McCardle, upon which he had raised CROP al
i. WIS engaged in gathering the same for hlms'
r. and family. Instead Of testing your claims
8, the peaceful mode prescribed by law you ms
e. ted upon renping where you had not 40"
y And YOU said to McCar lie that ifhe should Ia
nny more corn from your field that you, won
in shoot him. McCardle, believing himself en-
r.. tied 10 the fruits of his own labor, perslsi'
ID You, brooding over that fatal menance II
davs. walked deliberately into his field with va
If oun, and executed your fell purpose, by send'
" bulle, to his heart in the presence of his SON
o. "NrCardIe went down TO the grave ana
m as guilty ellen. to purts unknown. Fifteen ye'