The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-10-01

hypolhcses inconsistent with the conclusion
Of guilt.
The law was given in cllargc hv tn,
Court, and the jury rendered Il verdict o
guilty. n motion was made to Sc, a,i,!,
the verdict and grant a new trial, for Il VA
rlcty of causes, and, aticra labor argument
was ovcrrucd.
The next day the prisoner and another
VIII" was convicted Of murder. we've placed
at the bar to receive the sentence of DEATH
The Court, having regularly pronounced
Judgment upon the murderer then said to
t.'linhoroneh:
"l:'ln'"rough. stand mp. You have
been regularly indicted, tried hv u inrv O.
your own selection, anl by them :nun,l
guilty of the Grim" of arson. The punish,
nr'nt for that crime is death. You hnv.
had abb" counsel wh" have c",riuc.r,l Your
cause with nnmi>tak;,hlc skill and ability ;
but II You have anyth;n.to say why the
judgment OF this court should not be- pro-
nounccd, the law gives You liberty to speak
Tor yourself What have YOU to saw -
The negro advanced a step or two, 50 as
to face the stand, and expressed his thanks
to "Massa Wiey,' for it appears he had Of
ten seen and heard Of the Judge, and it wa,
quite natural that he should so address him.
Said he: "Massa Wiley, Etlinhorourh glad
he got chance 10 speak for hcsvlf. case,
Massa Wiley, EIinborough no burncc de
gin. Dat ni%gcr tell YOU lie when he say
E''n'orough l:urnce de gin; he gi, he back
whipped Ednborou-h. old niggcr, he
GIT drunk. ovcrs""r whip him, den Elm.
borough do bad lug, he run away. Berry
bad but E.!inh"rough 10 bu,ncc de Gin
he sec no gin dat Jay. Young m,Ssa and
"v"r>err tell truf, dry did see me dat day.
but h;ie III de swamp I'LL night, and den
90 I" the cotton house a,,l git under ,lc cot
ton TO keep warm. Elniorongh wanted
I" =" back 10 Il" mas>a I,oi;~, bat he feared
- Il" stay in de cotton house Bvmrbv.
i2ht come on, l;iri,nrou.l see nirrcrs 40
I" @in, AMI want To 80 dar, hut lie feared
de ovcr>crr whip him. N"@ur pacl, cotton,
n"Snr Ioa'l wagon, nc::ur smoke pipe and
had lrctic fire to warm he tinr.rs when h..
get cold. N"@ur stay long time, den when
seven stars git over he head he co TO
quarter All dis time EIinborourh Ia; in
lie cotton house, and presently when cLcrv
ting still, E'linborou.h look towards dc cin
and Sec big light. Light get bigger. Den
ElinLorough say TO hcsclf, you 90 pu, fire
out --no den dey say Elinborough bu,ncc
lie gin. So stay in cotton house, and ar.
ter while Edinborough hear obersecr aud
Mass Henry coming. Dcv say "he here"
one say no, den d"y say, lets look in dc cot
ton house, and dey find me in de cotton
house. Obcrsccr whip me for run away
dat night Den when VIC going to de quar-.
ter, E'linhorough ,ink witt. hc<clr dat if he
say marlborough burnec de gin,' den de
"bcrscer no whp-casc den he had Good
excuse to Massa. So say. "Elinborouoh
burnce de gin, and den dcv bring me away
and lock IN in big house. But, Mass
Wiley, Elinboroush tell lie when he say
hurnce de gin, case E,Iinbor
'"sh no bnrnce de gin. Dat gin kc,rh fire
from dem n"gur's pipes, and dat cc,!c fire:
dey leave '!are. But, Mass Wiley, Elm
borough old ncgur; let up die; no count.
But he no bnrnce dc gin. EIinborouph
been on the Baynn Pierre lon" time : bu,
no count now for make cotton let um die;
but he no burnce dc GIN" dc.
The defendant continued after that man
Her in his broken lingo for an hour and a
half, and seemed particularly anxious to
convince the court Of the truth Of what he
SAID. lie did not seem TO hope for anything,
and seemed perfectly unconccrncd rs to the
event. Ills style was uncouth, his gcsticu-
lation impassloned and wild, and his whole
appearance forbdding. lie took his seat
without seeming conscious of the fact that
the numerous auditory had been interested,
and that great majority Of them were con-
vinced, if not Of his innocence, at least that
there was reasonable doubt Of his guilt.
The Court seemed much affected, and asked
the District Attorney if he bad any thing
to say in reply. The Attorney, with much
surprise, said "no, that he deemed it unne
cessary, that it was, he supposed, mere for'
mula to give the defendant. opportunity TO
speak"
Then, said the Court, he has improved
that opportunity. After pause he said 10
the prisoner, "Edinborough, you have shaken
greatly my conviction of your guilt, and
not for any thing laid in the motion for new
trial, but from your answer at this bar to-day.
| will change my ruling upon the motion ::
| will grant you new trial"
The large crowd breathed, freer, and
many heart went forth in its kind!iest sym
pathies to meet and commune with the char.
ity which dictated such high-toned elemea1