The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1857-11-07
Local Items.

U. S. COURT YESTERDAY, JUDGE Hail.
L1BURToN, Presiding.-Nothing of i'm
portance, save the sentence of young
Cowlan, was transacted in this Court
We give the sentence below -
CHARLES CowLAN.-You have been
arraigned and tried for stealing money
from the U. S. Mail, with which, as a
clerk in Post Office, you had been en-
trusted.
You confessed in open court that you
were guilty Of the offence charged and the
Jury, Of course, brought in verdict of
guilty against you.
1t is now my duty to pronounce the
sentence of the law. A most unpleasant
and painful duty it is, but the law which
imposes it upon me, is wise, just and ne
cessary.
Your offence was one of very high
grade, indeed, and it is punished with
great severity. The public interest de-
mands that the mails shall, if possible, be
protected against depredators and the
punishment even of death would be iusti-
fableif the end could be attained in no
other way
The law denounces against those who
are entrusted with the mail as Post Mas
tiers, and others employed about the Post
Office,a penalty more than doubly assevere
as that which is inflicted upon others who
rob it. 1t is proper to do so, because such
officers and agents have had better, and
more frequent opportunities of commit
ting depredations upon it than other per-
sons, and are less liable to be detected
Sooner or later, however, almost all often
ders are found out 1t is impossible for
the wariest and coolest criminal to foresee
and guard against all the circumstances
which may lead to discovery. Truly it is
said, that
"The way Of the transgressor is hard"
There are usually some footprints, Or
some marks of footstep, on the path of
the offender, by which he is traced to his
hiding-place even when he supposes
himself to be most secure.
Some confusion of thought, arising per-
haps from hurry and apprehension, is apt
to accompany the commission of crime;
and if there is not proof enough to war;
rant the conviction of the criminal in q
court Of justice, there exist nearly always
some circumstances of suspicion, which,
blast his good name and destroy his stand
ing in society.
If we may suppose man so callous, and
so lost to the feelings Of humanity, as to
be entirely without remorse and without
conjunction, his mind will yet be filled
with fears and apprehensons Of detection,
which will torment his soul by day and
by night.
The punishment affixed by law to your
crime is imprisonment in the Penitentiary
with hard labor, for not less than ten, nor
more than twenty-one years.
The sentence of the Court is: ''That
you be imprisoned, and kept at hard la
Dor, in the Pententiary of this State, for
the term of ten years; and the Marshal is
hereby ordered to carry, and deliver you
into the custody of the keeper of said Pen
itentiary, as soon as may conveniently be
done, in order that this sentence may be
executed; and in the meantime you are
hereby remanded to jail"
MAYORS CoURT.-There was little bu-
siness before this tribunal this morning,
which fact we are pleased to note.
SUSPICIOUS CHARACTERs.-John Bax-
Ter aud Augustus Biggs, free negroes,
"eIe s1lesIed last HlSht aS o'tePlolo''o
characters, and placed in the clock up
Upon examination, this morning, how
ever, it appeared that they belonged to
the Schooner Frank, and the Captain of
said Schooner making his appearance be-
fore Mayor Ferguson and giving a salts
factory explanation of the matter, they
We're permitted to depart in peace.
RELIEF FOR THE AFFLIoTED.-We call
attention to the card Of DR.. N. Painter,
Surgeon Chiropodist and practi cal op-
orator ON the feet, from Baltimore, Md
Jr Painter, oon,ac to orr citv with tba