Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-12-16
Remarkable Trial in Summit County.

The PeTju case OF Robert W. JONES' JUST
tried in the Summit County Court of Common
Pleas, occupying eight days of the term' and
keeping in attendance for no small portion OF
that time, nearly two hundred witnesses, is
very extraordinary one, and the testimony de-
yeloped some curious facts. The Beacon says;
in the first place, (and irrespective OF the
technical guilt OF JOnes,j 1t was made apparent
that considerable number of persons were
privy to the arson of December 29, 1856, either
before OF Immediately after Its perpetratlon.-
Two women living in AkrOn-if their testlmo-
nv is to be believed-heard the scheme talked
over, the price named, the whole matter discus
sed as one of ordinary moment;-heard the iel-
low Matuey narrate how, when, and for how
much the deed was to be done. These were by
no means all. The conspiracy to burn, involV-
ed, we might say, score OF accessorles,-ae-
cessories by privity and contederacy, II not 6y
advice and aid. In almost any community, the
disclosure of such a wide spread completely, IN
such crime, would excite much more atten-
ton than is commonly given to the criminal
cases pending in Court 1t was not strange
that in this case the Court room was thronged
throughout
But there was another remarkable feature of
the LIldL. II was d plOSGSOtAoh ASA
Avoiding again any opinion upon the technical
guilt of Jones,-that he committed willul, de-
iiberate, and corrupt perjury, nobody doubts,
whether within the terms OF the indictment
found. or not,-there was a vast deal OF false
swearing upon this trial;-perury inevitably
certain, on the part of few witnesses.
The Beacon states that the startling fact is
indisputable, that there exists in Summit eoun-
ty a criminal league, united for the purposes Of
crime and protection, embracing no mcOnslder-
able number of individuals, who cooperate
with, and by all possible means shield each 9TH
er. OF the closing scenes in the trial OF JONES'
one of the league, the Beacon says:
The jury retired at evening on Friday, and
on Saturday morning returned with the verdict,
Gully upon The first assignment Of perjury an
the indictment, not gully upon the second assign
ment.
On Saturday afternoon, Robert W. Jones
was brought into Court in custody of the Sheriff
to receive sentence. Throughout the trial his
bearing had been resolute, hopeful one
would say in the case of an innocent man, cour-
ageous and manly. Affected of course he was,
| but his emotions were subdued to the control of
a resolute spirit, and his manner was remarka-
bly, calm and selfreliant. The testimony of the
witnesses for the prosecution he listened to in
tently, but neither his eye quaied or his cheek
blenched at their most eliminating statements.
An occasional bleeding at the nose, caused
probably by excitement of mind, was the only
visible indication of the struggle within
On Saturday, he came into Court and took
his seat with the same air of calmness and for
titude When called to stand mp, and asked,
after the recital by the Court of his Indictment,
the trial and the verdict, "whether he had any
thing to say why the sentence of the law should
not be pronounced on him." Joseph Adams,
Esq, his leading counsel, made most pathetic
appeal in his behalf, for clemency in the SEN
tence.
He admitted that the finding of the Jury
was correct, but sought to extenuate the Of
fence as being committed under extraordinary
circumstances, and as being intrinscally upon
a point collateral and immaterial;-that Jones
was called directly from the prisoners box,
(where all his feelings and the powers of his
mind had been energetically reused to protect
himself from a conviction for aTson) to the
/ witness stand, to testify on behalf of the
/ State against those who a moment before had
been so o-defendants;-that in these circum-
stances, his averments upon such questions as
those propounded, did not evince that kind OF
corrupt and wilful false swearing which constr
tuted the crime of perjury in all its turpitude.
He set forth the condition of the Defendant
and his immediate family,-of his father, an old
and estimable citizen of the county, bowed down
with grief at the terrible calamity, and he ap-
peaed most strongly to the Court to pronounce
a merciful sentence, tempering justice with
clemency.
The prisoner, during these remarks, was taken
with bleeding at the nose, and sat down, and
gradually bowed his head between his knees
sobbing and convulsed. Very deep and painful
emotion was evident throughout the audience
bar, spectators, and the Court
The Court then proceeded to pronoRnee sen
tence Judge Carpenter spoke In apt and feel
ing terms, of the offender; said however deeT
might be his sympathy, he might not permit
himself TO be governed by that, but solely by
considerations of the rightful administration o.
Justice.
He complimented highly the zeal and eff
cheney of the counsel for the defence, who hao
lbrouGbt to the case and to the examination o.
the evidence and the law, the highest profes
sional skill and most indefatigable exertion--
They had done all which could have been dont
in bis behalf
He spoke of the crime of perjury; of its di
rect Tendency to establish falsehood and injus
ticc in place of law and right. and to subver
the very organization of civil society. He hat
had, as others had in the progress of this trial
painful evidence that it was crime but toe
common in Courts of Justice. This conviction
would at least serve to inculcate the lessen II
the community, that perjury could be reached
and punished, however high or respectable
might have been the position of the perPetrator
Our sketch of his remarks is but meagre ant
imperfect They were characterised through
out by earnest feeling, as well as by Perva
ding sense of duty and obligation to the Law
and the right administration of Justice
He closed by pronOuncing the sentence o
the law, that the Defendant be confined In thu
Penitentiary at hard labor for the term of tiv'
years.
A bill of exceptions was prepared by Coun
sci and allowed. Application will ofcourse b'
made to the Supreme Court for the allowances
of writ of error thereon, with what result
time will show.
Such is the termination of one OF the mos
remarkable criminal cases ever tried IN thu
Courts of Summit.