The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-05-12
Tne Acquittai Of Mrs. Re
lease Of Eckel

The acquittal Of Mrs Cunningham, charged with
| Ine murder Of DIR, Burdell, and the release Of
Eckei, on bis own recognizance in the sum of G.,
oVo, has been mentioned by telegraph. The effor;
CT her counsel was forcible and eloauent. Mr.
Hall, the prosecuting attorney, followed for the
prosecution, and reviewed the whole testimony in
close and critical manner. and declaring the prs.
oner guilty of the murder. We quote the following
point of his argument:
There Is nobody who krows where he sosutths,
night and 1t but fair TO the honorable eenism
VINO nore ths burden OF the defencs, Is well - q
the prosecution, TO believe his Whereabouts q r.
not known. Eckelt clock wa, up there; was i. 20
Ing perhaps not She the clock abe told Hsn
nah the COOK, to 90 to bed az 1t wa. near 10 ocorl
she sold Snocgrsss the hour she told the daughters
the nour; abe told the boys the hour and the in er
eIee that she caused that oock TO be set TO on.
nc neat esrher that night 1he doctor generally came
IN about ten O'clock; all in bsd; Eck.i to hi.
room Snodgrass to his the little boys the little girl,
.nea N bed all were out af the way when the VIC.
shawl and put down his cap.
None, then, but this woman could have come in
without e1ciing remark or perhaps she opened the
door, which he perhaps had carefully locked and
throwing the handkerchief over tbs Adan,' ami.
dragged him back with Ii right snd while III. s.s
was inflicted with the lef and the strong man would
nave the purchase CT his arm, but 1t was The weak
hsnd CT woman there and he ran to ths door fol.
loved by ths hend He saw those eyes alsrius on
hl and the carving knife plunged in bis NJ q sh.
q
surdeii and even shorter women than shs 10 could
nave inic this blow He the District Attoru. vi
When ne hist saw It lid 1t left handed blow;
W rfencis hret thought SO, Dr. Woodward said so
ana Dr Ch1 did not commit inself; but spite of ali
phlsclans have said, there ths situation Of the
door, and the jet Of blood the wall to be t.
was struck In side. ~
VII! .tsts, geatlemen that you must look at th,
mt reference to the pris ner at the bar, whe h.
.. Tue hJPothesls Ia sustained, to exclude tho
laa that this death could have been caused bv snv
9.net person In reference to this rule of evidence
Will quote an old and well know authority :-sThs
case must be sueh to exclude to moral cert
every other hypohens but that Of the Guilt of the
paf accused In cases OF doubt, it is safer to &C.
1ult lisa 10 condemn Gentlemen, | have no W Sis-
emerged the duty whci: she law i'm pose, upon ma in
tnls most pain iu and exciting tial thius that Won
| win oear me WltneEs that have exhibited no ctaer
oslVe tnsn TO elicit the truth and the whole truth
and 70 aid IN plasing besre you any facts oh could
aVali you In s1vl.g this great crime NV duty in ov
soo 9ou nave to retire to your ro0m calmly
| deliberate and decide on the fate OF this unhappy
| Fonsn at the bar Meet your whoe' duty like men
feeling your deep responsibilities aud the soemnitie
o. your o:ths 70 your decision now commit the
s OF tnis ulfortunsts wsman and the future of
seii and her fsmily. While you dsa! Justly b7 her
itls your privilege also to deal merciiu ly for a.
nave before remarked, if you have any reasonable g
douot OF mar guilt that doubt is be cast into the
scale In her favor, and entities her to your verdict
! acqaittsl Ii, on the contrary a review of tho
esss you deem tn charge contained in ths
Mt proven, it your duty your country
youe dod to say So though it be with sDg Iilh O;
hrart, and ay deep shame and eorro ~ ts 9th
ers But If IN this final reyswiug you are not salts
ned OF her guilt pronounc. verdict OF scquttsI md
let the accused go free.
The jury retired precisely at o'clock. All
eyes we're directed after them as they defled be.
hind the Judges chair on their way to the Jury
room.
For few mi nutes there som slight departure
from the Wonte6 quiet stiffness and order of the
couEt Thsre were ef1rts on the part of the ladies
unff fhn allah.
whose fate was at this moment hanging awfully in
the balance. But she avoided wei az possible thy
impairment, though neutral curiosity. Resting her
head upon her hand and looking downward silent
and NAV be pGysrful, the daughters persisted In
Keeping ahelr vsfis down that curiosity of pry
ing eyes was not srstifed.
At B minutes past T. before the iury we're well in
thelr room the hum and but went round that they
had agreed on verdict snd returning int
Court Thls however proved so be a mstske.
At twenty i've minutes to O'Clock the buz ayain
went round that the jury had agreed aad were en-
eerDg the court 1t provedio 10 be oorrest this time
The jury ed ard took their seas on the box
All eyes were tnrned toward them painful pro-
found stiffness reigned throusheut the court The
Clerk Mr. Henry Vsrdar arvoort) took his position on
the Witness' chair, 20 call ever the Of the ju-
ro,s and to put the usual formal ques ions to thsra
bstors this was done, however, Z precautio-
sgalnss p,obabls manifestation Of feeling on the
rendition CT the verdict, the fodi doors betwee
the principal Court and the Marine Court were
drawn tog.thsr and the immense aud ence In the
latter Court thus smut out from witnessing the last
hr Vandervoort-G Gentlemen of the jury, have
you egrsed to your verdict!
The Forsmsu-We have.
Here Mrs Cunnin CHAM, dseply affected and much
ag'tated, wss caused to stand up and look towards
the jurors
MIR. Observation-Disclosures, look upon the prison . r;
prisoner. look upon the jurors Howfay you gentle
| E1en 90 you find tmma Augusta nnrEham, 9TH
erwlse called Burdell, guilty not guilty?
The Foreman Not guilty
Soms manifestations Of applause
Mrs Cunnil CHAM sgitsted that she heard
not the words that the fireman uttered, and did not
know Whar the verdict was till her counsel hsper-
ed 1t to her; then she sunk back overpowerd by her
feelings
Dir Observation-Disclosures OF the Jury, you
say that you find Emma Augusta Cunnip eh am: H.
erwise called Bufdel, not guilty. Of the murder and
felony of which she sands indicted So say you
all 2
The jurors nodded assent.
Mrs. Cunningham and her daughters were ttsn
conducted out of Court into one Of the .Juts se's
chambers, and there for some time received the con-
sratulations Of their friends the happy termina
tion of the prosecution. We understand that they
returned to the fatal house in Bond street.
The vedict seemed to afford very general satisfac
tion.