New-York daily tribune., 1857-10-16
THE SEA VIEW TRAGEDY.
SPEECH AND SENTENCE OF JAS P DoNNELLY

ing his Honor Peter N!edenburgh, preslong assisted
by Associate Judges Throckmorton, Forman and
Clifford. A large number of spectators present
at an early hour, anxious to hear the sentence and
witness the conduct of the prisoner. After the trans
action Of preliminary business by the Court, Mr. Par
ker, the States Attorney, moved that James p. Don
nelly found guilty at the present term of the murder
of Albert S. Moses be placed at the bar for sentence.
The Court ordered the prsoner to be placed at tue
bar He entered the room with bis usual composure,
toe seat beside bis counsel, and in answer to the
question of the Court whether he had anything to say
why the sentence Of the law should not be passed
upon him, arose and replied with great 6rmness a.
follows:
MAY 1T PLEASE YOUR HosoRs, l have something
TO say in way Of reply to the question. II is not,
strictly speaking in reference TO the question se,
but situated as am feel that the Indulgence Of the
Court will be granted to me for 8 few moments, while
give utterance to the feelings of wounded and bro
ken heart. l had intended to have said something
more e1tenuated If not argumentatve, In repyto the
question; ard had l not been visited with all the
rigor of infamous Base, and deprived of the use
of pen, ink aud paper, wherewith to indite the
thoughts which my poor heart might dictate, should
have answered this question in other than few crude
and disconnected words Thus You see how have been
placed, and how Am cow situated, in giving arepiyto
that fearful question: What have you to say why the
sentence fthe law should not be passed upon you
That is question which have humbly prayed to
God that in His Providence and infinite mercy never
would have been allotted to me; but He has ordained
Il otherwise and must needs bow to the will OF Him
"whose ways are past finding OUT" Such question
TO who has dyed his hand in the life. blood OF
follow. being to one who has struck down to earth the
image of God and bearing the impress of the
hand of the Almighty, comes In upon him with all the
npetuosity Of the mountain Hood, crushes his heart
within him, and sends him with pallid cheek and tot
teriDg step to a well merted and wisely. ordained
doom. But to who knows, who feels, and who
has from the very first moment that the foul breath of
uspcion was breathed against him, again and again
declared before his God his innocence OF any knowl
edge Of or implication in the murder of fellow being;
and to one who regads but another and more severe
visitation of the Lord. this question, no matter how
great the shock may BE- no matter I uTw may
Of his broken heart may be torn asunder, causing II
bleed anew ct every pore, still it cannot crush ms
spirit or pale his cheek; and then the ignomny after
death remains seemingly the same; still 1t cannot
cause has step to fater when about to meet an unmer
tied doom.
"With equal forc. In partial fate
Knocks st tie palace, and the cottage gate"
He will die as becomes man; he will die as is fitting
a Christian should die; be will die as one who has
so0e idea Of future state and Of God and If, In his
last hour, aye, in his last moment, some kind angelic
voice of Christian woman should Whisper TO nun the
al-cOnsolDg fact Of there being God, and his hay-
ing an immortal soul to save, he will not turn away
from her, and no faint smile of derlsion at the
"tboughts Of dying and religion, will light up his
"countenance
II NAV be expected by many here, that aftsr the
trial have had and that when l COW occupy this
position, could have nothing to say in reference T.
this ueson; others may expect much-but what
have said, and. what viii say, is not ntented to
crafty either the morbid appetite of those whe may
be drawn here by moumfu curiosity, or for the sake
Of vain AID selfsh display. The occasion forbids It,
but Is for those here who pity me, it 10 for my de-
voted family il il for the loved ones away and for
uany friends who copgregated here to offer their
tribute to my good name It s Tor those wno know ns
as an, not as they would make who have loved me
for feelings cfa heart that never eold forget aaa
friendship felt that never could commit such COW
ardly s16 Infamous deed
Were my case rot by the Efforts Of my counsel IL
tie peculiar state it is would have something TO cay
of the evidence and rot a few OF the Witnesses "a.
all shall sey Of the testimony is that it is well woray
OF the assidrous and hercuesn efforts OF the Sa.
Attorney. Dying declarations are always treated IN
court Of Justice with great weight. have sadly e1-
psrienced that truth. But have mace .
sl.o and when stood at the deathbed scene Of that
poor and unfortunate young man. and when offered
up to God an humble prayer for bis welfare, OF
the safety of his immortal soul, ana when ne
Yves charging me with that fearfui oesd mus naiIinS
nv earthly hsppiness and damnpg my lmmortai aou,,
| Exclaimed 'Oh, my God, my Goo, my Gear inend,
veu are mistaker Ard I now declare that am
ipLocent of the blood of this youog man ana am not
sf, aid 10 meet nv God or Albert ,. Moses ana II
what have uttertdis nol true, oy u, 'onsue S'u'0
TO the roof of my mouth
The Court DOW proceeded to pass sentence, as
follows:
The C;rsnd Jury Of this county Mr. Donnely at the
prsFent term indicted you for the willful murder Of
Albert S. Moses. The cafe has been tried before 8
traverse jury against whom you urged no exceptions
That Jury BY their verdict, have found tha, in the
month OF August last you went into the room where
the deceased was then asleep, and wounded him 80
that in short time be 6ed. ard that you are therein
guilty Of murder of the fret degreei the Court cannot
saw that they are dissatisfied with the verdict. As.
suurg it TO be true it s unnecessary to say to one OF
your education ard intelligence tnat ts legal conse-
uence is social necessity. Appt ang in the most SOL
eun terms to Heaven, you now here assert your inno'
eerce I.msy be so; every human tribunal is liable 70
error All the Court can do is to pray God to throw the
light of truth over this transaction before the
catastrophe. No othsr alternative ia lett Us buy 70
pronounce upon you the sentence Of the law whca S
aud this CouIt doth now here consider ard scucSe
that you, James Z. Donntuy be eecurely KEPT ID ne
jail Of tie County Of Monmouth until the on oay ~ ~
Jsnuary next and on that day. between the no.,s
10 o'clock in the fcreroon and O'Clock IN l.e a. he
uoon you be taken to the place OF ~
provided by the Sheriff CT the County OF M no
pu1susnt to the Statute in such case "s ss hy the
vided, and that you then snd there oe nDDe y
neck Until you Be de,d.
Dourelly received lis sentence win ~onss ~,
t;.uis. Tt. crowd aspensa, ant 10 VIZ '''tA''''
! to bis cell to swsis hi, 6ai doom