The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1857-09-30

III 81
Inrerc,s1nx XII x..Y-exs DSaUrfn.
A criminal trial for murder, committed
under the most atrocious circumstances and
palpably 70: the sake Of robbery, has just
taken place in Dublin. James Spollen, &
servant at the Broadstone Railway Terminus
was put to the bar charged with the murde.
Of Mr.. George S. Little in November last
The case is particularly curious, because ii
was founded upon exceedingly strong cir.
cumstantial evidence, and because tho swift
est witnesses against the prisoner were his
own children Of tender years. Mr.. Little
was found murdered in his own office at the
station, wounded about the head apparently
by hammer, the occipital bone being frac
tured, the jugular veins served, and the caro-
It'd artery wounded, apparently by rasor.
A number Of sovereigns were found .ecrsted
in place to which the prisoner had access,
wrapped in piece Of calico, which it was
a part Of discarded hood belonging to his
daughter.
1t should here. be noticed that the facili-
ties for concealment about the Premises were
great, and that last November and part Of
December passed without any thing having
been discovered to fix suspicion upon any
person as the murderer. But upon tho 18th
Of December, in carpenters shed adjoin-
ing the paint shop in which Spol!en worked,
was accidently found canvass bag contain
ing about E4O in silver. Tho bag was vet,
and was supposed to have been removed from
a neigbboring canal, in which . vigorous
search was going on. Spollen was arrested
seven months after the perpetration Of the
murder. 1t was proved that be had an init
mate knowledge of every part Of the bnild
ing in which Little was killed, and that he
had unusual facilities for entering the office
of the deceased. 1t should be stated also
that Spollen lived upon the premises.
When he was examined ss a witness upon
the Coroner's inquest, he testified that upon
the night Of the murder he quilted his work
at half past s, that he went home, and that
he remained reading until past 3, when he
went into town to make some purchases with
his wife and eldest son. Suspicion pointing
at Spollen, search was msde Of place !
upon bis premises in which large accumu
laton Of stones Was noticed, snd about El3O
were discovered. The testimony showed that
this was unquestionably money stolen after
the murder of Mr.. Lttl" 1t was here that
portions of the sun-bor1es Of SPoIlen's little
girl were also di.coyeed. About E67 were
also found secreted ia cask Of red lead. In
the center of this rAss Of red lead Va. found
paddock. and ey fitting this ~as discov-
cred in a draw.In Spoilers house, together
with duplica/of the lock. i
Lucy Spolh, tho daughter OF the accus-
ed testified at her father did not come home
At ~ o'clol upon the evening Of tho mur.
1er. that 0e saw her father get a small lad
der .ndio to tho roof Of what vaa called
"the lease ncuse," and that she also saw :,
him Ter he bsd, BY the aid of the came
iaJ1r, ascerd another roof, stuffine some. a
thsg downa chimney. The theory of the !,
,osecutie was, that the plunder obtained I"
rom M, Little's Office was Temporarily a.
;reted = spollen in the chimney. The girl 'e
.lso t'tlfied that soon afterwsrd her father
,am into the house. She swore distinctly "a
o 20 piece of sunbonnet 10 which the mon. d,
was found wrapped. In tho cana! Vas IN
ana peculiar kind Of hammer, we'll fitted pl
inflict the injuries found upon Mr. Lttle's1 81.
ad, and specks of red lead were found ad- lea
ring to the handle of this Implement ed
similar hammer was found in the prison ge
workshop, and'the theory Of the prose- line
ion was, that this hammer belonged to FfM
children Of the prisoner, and that he had IN
cared 1T with putty and placed Il in his liQ
rkshoop t" divert suspicion from the fac.
It his own was missing. A razor vas also
nd in the canal: which was not Spoilers scr
erward second razor was found. ,,a,ked the
'oIlen, and the name was found to be- 80
'raved upon several articles in the prison
house. A cutler testified to MARKING thu AN
Or, although he did not recognize the "a.
ndent a. the person for whom he ma,i. ,
it.
The testimony certainly afforded a strong ~. ~
fcr tho Government. Without going At not
I'll in to the testimony for the defense va hos G
= mention that the prisoners counsel .n" "o
Curran, made an admirable argument
'hich he urged that the TESTIMONY Of the ~, ~.
dren was not to be believed, that "chiE c;r, v
were often liars, and sharp ones, too s'~
that these children had been instructed A
heir mother to accomplish the most un- cellt
'ral end. The prisoner was much affect ann,
rtenevsr any allusien was made ~ the liuda