Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-04-28
CLOSE OF THE SICKLES TRIAL
Mr.. Sickles Acquitted!

The Siekles trial terminated on Tuesday,
in a verdict of acquinaI
At 1850 the indictment was hauded to Mr..
Reason Arnold, and the Jury retired to their
consultation room.
In this District the the Juror first sworn is
not the forman The forman is chosen by the
Jury itself, and in this case the selection rest
ed, with reason, on Mr.. Arnold, one of the
oldest and most intelligent looking men of the
body.
The retiring Of the Jury was the signal for
throwing off the restraint which bad up to this
time weighed upon every one in Court. Many
crowded around the dock to cheer and support
Mr.. Sickles in this the pregnant moment o.
his fate.
At 3 o'clock the Jury, after an absence Of
10 minutes, came in. The Clerk then proceed.
ed to call their names over, and when the
twelfth name is called and responded to, a pin
might be heard to drop in the suddenly stilled
Court.
The Jury are all standing.
Clerk.-Daniel E. Sickles, stand up and
look to the Jury.
Mr.. Sickles stood up.
Clerk-How say you gentlemen, have you
agreed to your verdict?
Mr.. Arnold--We have.
Clerk-How say you. do you find the priso-
ner at the bar, guilty or not guilty
Mr.. Arnold-Not Guilty.
AS these words fell from the lips of the
Foreman, there was one loud, wild, thrilling,
tumultuous hurrah sent up by the spectators
cheer after cheer, resounded in the Courtroom,
and it was taken up by the multitude on the
outside and repeated. Hats and handker-
chiefs we're waved, and there was one general
rush toward the dock.
In the midst of the uproar, the stentorian
voice of Mr.. Stanton was heard addressing the
Court in these words: move that Mr.. Sick
les be discharged from custody
Marshal Seldon-Come to order, gentlemen.
come to order. This is a place where there
S .ould be no noise.
No one paid any attention to the Marshal.
Mr. Stanton-(boiling over with excitement
" In the name of Mr.. Siekles, and of his coun-
sci. | desire to return thanks to III Jury"
Judge Crawford (who appeared to be the
only person in Court not excited)-Mr. Stan
ton, wait till the verdict is recorded.
Mr.. Stanton-Of course your Honor, you
must excuse intense excitement on this occa-
sion.
Clerk to the JrrJ-Yoar record is, gentle
men, that you find Daniel E. Sickles "Nct
Guilty"
Toe Jury nodded affirmatively.
Clerk And SO say you all.
Another affirmative nod from the Jury.
Mr.. Stanton-I now move that Mr.. Sickles
be discharged from custody.
Judge Crawford-The Court so orders.
Mr.. Stanton Cunning around) Now go it.
The excitement was now intense, and the
enthusiasm of the populace was worked
up to the highest pitch. Mr.. Sickles was
the hero of a triumphal procession, the recip-
lent of an ovation, such as persons who enjoy
a peculiar species of notoriety are too apt to
receive in this country. His counsel were SER
enaded, and his clerical friends received a SIM
liar distinction. The jurors, also, who not
content with acguitting the accused, caIne one
by one to his counsel and made q clean breast
Of their feelings.
The pEblic were not surprised to hear of
this verdict. We would not say that Mr..
Sickles should have been found guilty Of viii
fol murder; but we do.say, that some penalty
should have been attached to so high q crime
But it seems that Members of Congress are
perfectly justifable in taking the law in their
own hands" This will hardly apply to all
classes and conditions of men, and they had bet
ter beware how far they adopt this rule. But
law ia law, though it does not always conform
to the rules Of common sense.