Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-02-07
Gen. Elliott,s Letter.

VANDEGRIFT, and Others.
Gentemen:-Your note vas this morning
received, calling my attention to an article
signed JESSE 0NEn and published in the
indianapolis Journal Of the 10Th JAN, 1856.
| was a resident of Cincinnati at the time
alluded to, and was present and heard all the
evidence on the trial of j. C. WALKER, and
must say that | was surprised when | read
the article. 1t is full of Misrepresentation,
both as regards Col. WALKER and the two
policemen who the said 0'NEILL would en-
deavor to make the public believe were NOR
al citizens. / will give Won the evidence as
it was given to the jury upon the trial, taken
from memorandum now in my possession.
Mr.. Walker had been in Cincinnati about
seven months, during all of which time he
was under the treatment of DIR. Talliafero,
(who is one of the most eminent physicians
in the Western country for a disease Of the
eyes. Mr.. w. had been blind for more than
three months of that period, and was very
weak and feeble at the time of the occur
renee in question; indeed, so much of an in
valid that he had been out Of his room but
one night previous to the evening OF this &C.
currence, as / was informed by his friends.-
| think il was about the middle,of June,
1850, that DR.. HolcOmbe and a yong attor-
ney by the name of Henry, call14 Efor Mr..
Walker and urged him to aony fhem
TO a circus. Wr. Walker Wf&z<Iy and
melancholy on account of feeble t5h, and
concluded to accompany them, DID king a
change of scene might prove benfflfial to his
health. While there in company with his
two friends, the circus became crowded. DIR.
Holcombe and Mr.. Henry gave up their seats
to ladies, and, becoming separated from Mr..
Walker, after n few moments, w&ht home,
thinking Mr.. Walker had preceded them.-
The crowd still increased, and Mr.. VI. finally
yielded his seat to a lady, and, waking for
ward some PAGES, was quietly leaning upon
his cane, looking into the ring, where the
dancing was about commencing, when Del
eel, whom NJ. Walker had never seen, rush
ed upon him, and, catching him by the col
les, commenced pushing him violeStly back
ward into the crowd. Mr.. Walker asked
Delzell several times to release him, and, upon
raising his cane, which was caught and taken
from him by a policeman, was instantly
struck on the head with a bludgeOn in the
hands of DAWSON, who was standing behind
Mr.. Walker, and, at the same instant, by the
fist of Delzell, in the face, which felled him
to the ground with such force tina 1t drew
Delzell, who still retained hold OF bis collar,
partly to the ground with him. In this sit
uation, having been felled to the gound with
a bludgeon, and still lying on his back, Dell
zell hold of his collar aud Dawson brand
ishing a club over him, Mr.. Walker caught
the handle of his knife and struck Delzell,
which brought him down in a fainting con-
dition; and, as Mr.. w. was rising from the
ground, he inflicted a wound on DAWSON,
which resulted indeath. At this j%uncture Mr..
Walker walked forward from the crowd, be-
ing an entire stranger, without a single ac-
quaintance, his two friends having gone home,
as before stated.
The result was, in n few moments an ofhcer
approached within a few PAGES of Mr.. W.,
and requested that he should put up his knife,
which Mr.. Walker refused. elf an ofhcer
would come he would give him his knife, and
go with him. 0n,being assured thatthe gen
tleman was an officer, Mr.. W., handed him his
knife, handle for ward, and yielded to his Gus
tody. Thus far | have briefly given you a
sketh of that unfortunate affair, all of which
was in evidence in the court on the trial OF
Mr.. Walker.
Nh. G. Pell, manager OF the circus, testified
that Deizell-using Mr.. Pell's own language
twas particularly brutal that evening, and
that he, (Mr. PelD had several times ~interce-
ded with Delzell previous 70 the fatal ocfpr-
renee, telling him he would Get i~ntoitrouUe."
Mr.. Pell also, testified that Delzell had been
drinking all day and was drunk at the time
The testimony of DIR. Taliiaiero proved that
Mr.. Walker had been without bis eye sight
for some three months, and was feeble and
weak at the time, hardly able to leave his
room. A number oil other witnesses testified
to the unwarranted and brutal attack by Del
zell and Dawson. Mr.. Walker was an al
most entire stranger in the city-scarcely a
dozen of acquaintance, and without relatives.
But so strong was public opinion in his favoI
he could have procured Bail to the amount of
a million o dolars. For my own part | had
never known Mr.. Walker, or seen him, nor
even heard of him until the night of the oc-
currence. The next day ] called on Judge
Walker. to enquire who this j. C. Walker
was. thinking he might be a friend of mine
of the same name. of Hamilton Ohio, 1t was
then that Judge Walker Informed me that
he Judge Walker) was not a relative of the
said John c. Walker.
The jury who heard all the stimon and
tired the case were honorable, high-mmded
men, who, after a careful hearing of the facts
in the case, retired and returned in a few mo
ments with a verdict, "Not Gnilty-not Guilty
of any crime" This righteous verdict was
given without a dissenting voice, and met
with the universal approbatin OF The Court,
and all moral, h%igh-minded citizens of Gin
%cinnati. Gentlemen ! have hastily and briefly
as possible thrown together some of the leat-
ing facts and evidences in the case. They