Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-11-05
WEEKLY TELEGRAPH.
sHTABU LAT
Saturday MOrning, NOV'r 8, 1859.

Saturday MOrning, NOV'r 8, 1853.
JoHS BRowEs TRiAL--The reports Of this
trial, which has been on for more than a weel
past at Ohsrlestowu, V. are too volumnious for
our limits, but there are some portions Of tho
proceedings which in justice to our readers we
cannot exclude. 1t Is we'll known, we suppose
that the court has shown Brown but little o.
the fairness, or accommodation which is usually
extended to criminals, and more especially TO
those whose lives hang upon the Issues
Brown telegraphed to Cleveland for counsel,
but the court refused to defer proceedings, and
assigned him counsel The trial went on until
the evidence for the prosecution had been taken
On the 29th, several witnesses we're called for the
defence, and not answering, Mr. Brown arose
from bis mattress and, evidently excited, stand
ting on his feet addressed the Court as follows
May il please the Court / discover that not
Eithsiandng the assurances have received oil
fair trial, nothing like fair trial is to begiv.
en- me, as it would seem. gave the names oI
persons have wished to have called as witness
cs, aud was assured that they should be sub.
peped. But it appears they are not aud now
4 ask il am to have anything deserving the
name Of fair trial, that this proceeding be de-
ferred until tomorrow morning, for have be-
fore stated on whom j can feel that l can rely.
am in hopes that counsel may arrive who will
attend to seeing that get the witnesses who
are necessary for my defence.
am myself unable to attend to it. l have
given all the attention l possibly could to it,
but am unable to see and know about them aud
can't even find out their names, and have no
body to do any errand, and my money was all
taken from me when attacked and stabbed, aud
] have not dime
bad two hundred and fifty or sixty dollars
In gold and silver taken from my pocket, and
body TO 60 my errands for me, and they have
not been done nor have all the witnesses been
subpened, and are not here. l ask at least un-
Oil tomorrow morning to have something doue
II anything is designed to be done, if not, au
ready for anything that may come up.
Brown then lay down aglil drew his blanket
over him. appeared to sink iu tranquil slumle
Mr.. Hoyt young lawyer from Boston asked
for an adjournment till morning on the ground
that Judge Tiden would probably arrive dur
ing the night, and be able TO appear as counsel.
He excused himself from conducting the de-
fence because unacqu ainted with Virginia Grim
inal law.
After further conversation between the coun-
sci, Mr.. Green rose TO state that Mr.. Bolts and
himself would now both withdraw from the
case, and could act no longer in behalf of the
prisoner, he having declared tbSt he has no con-
ftdeuce 10 the counsel who have been assigned
him.
The Court adjourned at 6 o'clock fairly driv-
en- so to do by the turn circumstances had taken.
The picture by the prisoner, of deprving him
Of every dime in bis possession, putting him in
the hands Of counsel distastefnl to him, in whom
he had no confidence, refusing to give him any
opportunity to obtain such counsel as he was
willing to trust his case to, forcing him on TO
trial without the means or possibility of getting
ms Witnesses, 10 not CTeulLdOie 10 NHBlula JUS
tice and magnauimity. The most desperate viii
lains are not SO treated so far as we understand
the practice Of courts north of Mason & Dix
on's line.
Messrs. Chiffon, Of Washington City, and
GriswOld, of Cleveland, gentleman Of charac-
acter and eminent legal ability, arrived on Sat-
urday the 29th, but the court would not delay
the trial for moment to enable the new coun.
sci TO even consult with the prisoner ! Brown
could only obtain a respite till Monday, by in
sistiug that his counsel should argue the case
which the State wished to submit without CIV
ing the accused any hearing at all.
The galloWs is no doubt the fore-ordained re-
suit OF the trial of this unfortunate man, but Q
show Of lmpartialiiy in the observance of the
forms of law is nothing more than policy, per.
haps, zs well as respect for humanity might
have dictated.