New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-24
INTERESTING MURDER TRIAL.
Coue.pondenee Of The ~ T. Tribune.
al Nav iS1S

Correspondence Of The " Y. Tnbane.
NEWCASTLE, Del, May ~, 1853.
The case Of Isasc ii. Weaver, indicted for the
murder OF J. Roach at Delaware College Newark,
ON the 3Oh day OF last March, which has been on tr
srce Monday norting, was brought to close last
night about 81 O'Clock and the case given to the jury,
who, little after | O'Clock this morning, returned u
verdict of " Not Guilty" Two days we're taken up
with hesring the evidence and one by the argument.
Geo p Fisher, At.orney General. and Mr.. SpEusnce,
Deputy Attorney General for the State and Messrs.
Rodney and David Paul Brown for the Defense The
case wss indeed the most inter sting that has ever
taken place here within the memory OF tne Oldest
inhabtsnt' The Court House filled during the
whole me, aLde steroay DUNG the argument every
,pace 10 81 boDse was literally crowded The beich,
the bar ard the reporters desk we're trespased
upop notw andng all that could be done to pre-
vent II.
There were near two hundred persons from all parts
of tie county in the Court House this morning at the
rendering Of the verdict and snu anoouslJ with the
utsersnce of the words Not guilty by the foreman,
n ere went up shout of oy followed by three cheers
for the JuIy that echoed through the baildiDg. As
soon ss quiet was little restored, TIE Sheriff SAID that
out of spect to the Court there demonstrations must
be suppre SEQ inside the Court-House that they must
20 ou.ide If they wanted t. show their JOY ON the &C.
ca,iop Immediately there was a rush for the door,
aid the whole town aroused by the cheers OF tue
crowd for the Jury, the Court, the counsel snd the
ate prisoner. n A.,
Goth of last March. the members Of the Junior and
Sophomore classes of Delaware College were to have
given an exhibition 1t has been the custom Tor four
five years past for students not engaged IN tue
exhibitions TO get up sham or buresque programmes
which were distributed among the audience ON the
evening of the exhibition. This was the case at this
time; but few of the students, and young Roach
among them determined TO destroy these programmes.
While most of the students at dinner five OF the
burles aued party proceeded to TIE room where they
knew they were concealed. broke open the door,
ard trunk in which they were found; then went 70
their own rooms in another wing OF the building, and
proceeded to burn them in stove. Word was con,
veyed to the boarding house, and crowd composed
of both the burlesqed and burlesqulng party, VITA
Roach and Weaver among them, started tor the Col-
ege traced the party who had the programmes TO the
roc IN where they we're burning Them broke open the
door, and Roach and Harrington Ia son OF the Hon.
Judge Harrington, formerly Chief Justice OF the
State both entered together Harrington went to the
stove and began TO pull out the programmes, which
were burning and throw them toward the door, where
were more of the party trying to get in, and the
Others endeavOring to keep them out lie then CON-
nenced to pick them up and put them In his pocket
At this time X, ach comes in contact with him, gets
bold Of one hand, tes him he shall not have the pro-
grsmmts-tbey must be destroyed. They are parted
by q student who comes between them; Harrington
continues to pick up programmes with both hsnds-is
on bis knees all the time, and finally, when most OF
the crowd have left the room, says, "Come 90, boys
I've got enough to distribute Tonight Roach, when
psrted from Harrington, goes toward the door, and at
about the center Of the room, gets in struggle with
Others who trying TO save the programmes; laughs
at them Giles, Of the buresquing party strikes
Roop with his hst, sayirgat the came time, " wen
coon black your eyes," draws back, and strikes at
Roach but his hand is caught by Miles, a large,
strong man (who at this moment sees Weaver about
two feet within the door, and from four TO SIX feet
from Roach, going toward him., and held until he
perceives Roach is not in the room. Weaver, though
not the fret to leave the house, fast and passes
all the rest enters the College first; is next
to come from his room with large knife In
his hand to pass along the entry join the crowd fol-
low in their down stars, and to within ten or
twelve feet of the room in which the party are, still
with the knife in his hand Was seen in the room but
by person (Miles); TO go from the room,
and is followed by Roach, bleeding; was next seen on
the stairs by two witnesses with his right hand under
his coat a. though be was c0ncealng sOmsthing One
Of them thought he saw the end Of the hilt, and
Weaver said TO him in suppressed tone, Don't say
snything sboutit." Again he is seen ~ come down
the dying man as he lies at the door; makes hasty
half confession to the physician who is his friend.
Roach, when on his way to the door, where ne SINKS
s8d 10 three several persons he met, Some foo mas
stabbed me-" He becomes unconscious In few
minutes, but after half hour is aroused by
brandy and being asked who did It, three times said
Harrington. Sinks Immediately into unconsciousness,
and in little more than a half nour expires. Weaver
wss known TO have knife the knife was found in
bis room with some appearance of blood on it. Wee
yer, Harrington and Giles are arrested. In about
week they brought before ChiefJustice Gilpn on
habeas corpus and after two days hearing Har.
rpgton and GILES are discharged the declarations Of
Roach not being admitted evidence on the ground
At it was lot proved he wss conscious he was dying
at the time. There was great dissatisfaction a. tns
action and il has been growing ever since until The
msjoIty Of the people firmly believe that Harrington
dlG IT, notw thsanong has been clearly shown that
not in position to have gwen tho blow az the
TN e. being his knees some Six feet from Roach,
picl1g up programmes with both hands, and one or
two persons between them at that tme K.