Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-05-04
VOL. 5.--NO. Sc.
cnos1Ne SCENES OF THE s1cKLEs TRIAL.

; CLOSING SCENES OF THE sICkLkS IklAL.
The closing scenes of the Sickles trial, on
Tuesday the 26th April, we're exceedingly I'M
pressiye and exciting. The Jury retired a.
precisely ten minutes before O'Clock. The
room was crowded with spectators, and IN
stinctiyely every eye was turned toward the
clock. Every minute that passed by was set
down as fresh proof presumptive of a disagree
ment The crowd gradually broke up into
groups. The counsel of Mr.. Sickles gathered
around the dock. Mr.. S. himself was as calm
and self-possessed as usual, and conversed
with his friends, most of whom spoke only
words of hope and enoOuragement-while
few ventured to warn him of the chances of an
adverse result. His only reply was: ssi am
prepared for the worst" j" though his manner
indicated that hope was completely dominant.
For time silence had prevailed in the Court
room, but as time wore on this gave way to
the buzz of whispering voices. Col. Seldom,
the Mar shall, had taken possession OF the Wit
ness-box and kept mp steady conversation
with the Judge. The appearance OF knob
by little policeman, who came In ana ordered
out chairs for the Jury, made the assurance
doubly sure of those who expected disagree
ment. The jury were evidently ssetting TO
their work." Then came further conffrma-
tion. The Jury had asked for a tire. Clearly
they were to make night OF it.
The hot uneasy, jamnied and nervous crowd
was rapidly working itself up to pitch oil
most unnecessary but very natural excitement,
and like all crowds in such state, grew eve
~ moment more open-mouthed, credulous and
greedy of the very worst possible conIectures-
The prisoner, meanwhile, let il be said to bis
credit, bore himself with perfectly unaffected
calmness and self-possession though the
anxiety and the suggestions of his friends we're
eminently calculated TO upset any mans COM
posure-
at length, just as the clock struck three.
there rap heard from the inside of the
door OF the Marshall's ROOM TWAS not We
~ loud rap but it electrified the crowd, bro't
the lounging reporters up to theif bearings,
reused the wearied Judge, silenced the buzz
zing groups. The news, in the usual myste-
| rious way of all news, had come out before
the jury. Nobody brought it; but the little
white door of the jury room had hardly swung
| halfway open before there ran through the
Court room the Unsurpassed murmur, "He
| is Gcquitfedi 2"
The Jury followed their verdict, and it seem.
ed an age before they had all fled, one by one,
back into their box, their venerable foreman,
Mr.. Arnold, at their head. ssGentleInen OF
the Jury" said the Clerk, in his dry, official
| tone, shave you agreed upon your verdict =!
| ave have,'' replied Mr.. Arnold. in soft, low
voice. ssStand mp, Daniel f. Siekies,' said
| the Clerk. The prisoner rose. ssHow say
| you, gentlemen of the Jury, do you fnd the
! prisoner at the bar, as indicted, guilty or not
/ guilty ?'' ssNor GUILTY"
| IL Any UOuN fidu ptiStstc0 oouotiH6
| which way ran the sympathies of the Washing
| ton people in this case, think his skepficism
| must have given way before the scene which
| followed The decorum of the Court went off
| at once in most irregular but irrepressible
| cheering. The Judge and the Marshall did
| their best in quiet way 10 repress this out
burst of enthusiasm, but they were merely do
/ ing formal duty, and the moment was rather
| informal for all concerned, and so the judicial
| accents were lost in the general clamor-
/ do not think, however, that either the Judge
| or Marshall took this misconduct very seri-
/ ously to heart, or that it was felt to be very
dangerous assault upon the dignity of the
Bench and the Court.
1t restored itself to order as soon as its first
flush was over, and suffered Mr.. Stanton to ask
of his Honor ssthe discharge of the prisoner. +"
| That his Honor dif order the discharge of the
prisoner is presumable, though it was not easy
for any body to hear his reply, or to mako ont
| ANYTHING very clearly that followed, till Mr.
Sickles was seen thanking the jury for mis-
| sssafe deliverance." There were few car
| riages drawn up in front OF the court house,
1 and into one of these, through dense mass
of shouting and cheering men, Mr.. Sickles
| was hurried, not without difficulty, by his
friends, and driven rapidly off to the hoase OF
his friend, Mr.. NJ Blair, on Presidents square
There he was received with genuine vel
come by the ladies of the family, but could
not so easily escape from the congratulations
| of the hundreds of persons, officers of both
| services, clergymen OF various denominations,
| lawyers and citizens generally, who insisted
| upon testifying their belief that, in the ac-
quittal Of Mr.. Sickles, the jury had simply
| vindicated the natural sanctities OF the fami-
/ ly and the home.
Messrs. Brady, Chiffon, Stanton, Philips and
the rest of Mr. Sickle's counsel were not for
gotten in this outburst of popular feeling, but
were felicited at the National Hotel on the
happy result of their labors by succession
of enthusiastic crowds.