Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-08-27
From the Indianapolis yournal.l

TRIAL OF HUDSON


TRIAL OF HrDsoN..
The day for the trial Of Hudson, one Of
ne prisoners. arrived. x number Of dis
tinguishcd lawyers We're in attendance from
tbs State. and several from the State of
Ohio. Among the most prominent name
General James Noble, Philip Sweetzer,
Harvey Gregg. Lot Bloomfield, james Rar-
iden. Charlcs H. Test Calvin Fletcher,
Daniel b. Wick and William r. Morris,
Of this State. and General Sampson Mason
and Moses Vance. of Ohio. Judge Wick
being temporarily absent in the morning,
William II. Morris arose and moved the
associate iudges-s'I ask that these gentle
men be admitted as attorneys and counsel
Tors at this bar; they arc regular practition-
ars. but have not brought their licenses
with them Judge Winchell-"Have
they come here to defend the prisoner?''-
The most of them have ''Let them be
sworn--noboiy but lawyer would defend
the murderers.
Mr. Morris, Il move the court for writ
Ut habcas corpus. to bring up the prisoners
now Illegally confined in JAIL Judge
WinrheIl. "For what?'r az writ Of ha-
heas corpus ''What do you want with
itg" ITO bring up the prioncrs and have
them discharged" els there any law for
that?" MorrisFeads the statute regulating
the writ Of llabeas corpus. THAT act Mr..
Morris, has been repealed long ago.
"Your honor is mistaken. IT is constitu-
tional writ AS old as Magma Charta itself"
"Well, Mr.. Morris, to cut tn. matter short,
il would do you no good to bring out the
prisoners, | ircned them myself, and you
will never get them irons off until they
have been triel, habeas corpus or no habe-
as corpus" Per rurio, motion overrul
ed" Judge Wick enters anu takes his
seat between the two side judges. Call
the grand jury" All answer to their names
and are sworn. Court adjourns for dinner.
Court meets; the grand jury brings into
court an indictment for murder, drawn by
Nm. Fletcher against HUDSON. Counsel on
both sides, Bring the prisoner into court"
The court, Sheriff put in.the box jury"
Sheriff, "May it please the court, DR.. High
day Just handed me list of jurors to call
on the Jury" Judge Wick, Bring DIR.
Highday into court % did your honor
Wish to sec mc?'' cdr. Highday is this
your hand writing" II presume it is"
DIR. Highday VIC have no jail to put you
in. the one We have is full; hear your SEN
tcnce, it is the Judgment of the court that
You be banishei from these court grounds
tillthe trials are over; Sheriff, see the Judge
ment Of the court carried strictly IN to ex-
ecution." digress to give the scene in
court, published by Gen. sampson Mason.
in Springfield, Ohio. paper, As entered
the court room the Judge was sitting on
block, pairing his toe nails, when the shcr
iff entered, out OF breath. and informed the
court that he hal six jurors tied, and his
deputies were running down the Others"
General Mason with all his candor, unqucs-
tionably drew en- his Imagination in this
instance
Hudson, the prisoner. was brought into
court by the Deputy Sheriff and two Of the
guards. His appearance had greatly chang
ed sinceI first saw him in a log pen with
his comrades in crime. He was now pale,
haggard and downcast, and with falter-
ing voice. he answered upon his arraign-
meat. ..Not Guilty" The petit jury were
hardy, honest pioneers, wore moccasins
and side knives The evidence occupied
but a single day. andSas positive, closing
every door Of hope to the prisoner. The
prosecuting attorney read the statute crea-
ting and afiixing the punishment to the NOM
icide, and plainly stated the substance of
the evidence. He was followed for the pris-
oner, in able. eloquent, and powerful
speeches. appealing TO the prejudice of the
Jury against the Indians; relating in glow
ing colors the early massacres of white
men. women and children, by the Indians;
reading the principal incidents in the his
tory of Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton;
relating their crueltics at the battle of the
Blue Licks and Bryant's Station, and not
forgetting the defeat of Braddock. St. Clair, !.
and Hamar. GeneralJames Noble closed
the argument for the State in one of his for
chile speeches. holding up to the jury the
bloody clothes of the Indians, and appeal
ing to the Justice, patriotism, and love Of
the law Of the jury, not forgetting that the
safety of the settlers might depend upon the
conviction of the prisoners. as the chiefs
and warriors expected justice to be DONE
The speech Of the general had markell eff
feet on the crowd, as we'll as the jury
Judge Wick charged the jury at some
length. laying down the law Of homicide
in It's different degrees. aud distinctly i'm
pressing upon the jury that the law knew
no distinction as to nation or color; that
the murder of an Indian was as equally
criminal as the murder Of the white man.
The jury retired, and next morning brought
into Court verdict of guilty of murder
IN the first degree. motion for new trial
overruled; the prisoner brought into Court,
and sentence of-death pronounced in the
most solemn manner, bv Judge Wick
The time for the execution was fixed, as is
usual, for distant day. In the meantime
Hudson made his escape one dark night,
and hid himself in hollow log in the
woods, where he was found and arrested.
Time rolled on, the fatal day for the exc
cution arrived. Multitudes of people were
there. Among them were seen several
Senecas. relatives to the murdered Indians.
The gallows was c:e:ted Just above the
falls, on the north side- The people COW
cred the surrounding hills. and at the APP
Hx,1u<.,,