Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-02-05
1ailp Tiroiniau.
Extraordinary Proooodings-A Trial for
Murder on Sunday.


The Chambcrsbnrg Pal independent says that
hc,cxcitcment attending the trial of tho Funk
brothers for tho killing of John Osborne, and
which ran to an extreme degree eliminated in
that town on Sunday week. We quote from that
paper as follows:
The evidence had been concluded tho evening
before. aud nothing remained but tho closing
speeches of the counsel and the charge Of the
Judge The ablo addresses Of Messrs. McCauley
and Clark for the Commonwealth and Mesrs. Ken
ncdy and Mcclure for the defence, had added
greatly to tho interest already 40 profound. AT
the early hour appointed for the opening of Court
on Sabbath morning the expectant crowd pressed
into the hill, and soon it filed to We
were forced into close corner but In full Wow of
the dcnsc mnss standing in deep attention and
full of eager expectation. All eycs were bent up
tho unhappy participants in this sad scene.
There sat calmly tho unfortunate brothers, mr.
raigncd for the commission Of the highest crime
known to tho criminal law, surrounded by the in.
nrccnt shnrcrs in their fate n disconsolatc wife,
and mother aud friends there the broken hearted
family of tho dead man. Around them wore tho
sworn witnesses impressed with tho solcmnity Of
duty. md the learned gentlemen who hal ~ ably
managed the melancholy case. In front IT them
sat the stern but feeling Judges the protectors and
the executors of tho offended law and ut their side
the earnest, awod jury, upon whose decision hung
the Issue Of lio unl death Az soon a. the voice
OF the cricr died away. tho Hon. VIM. Reilly arose
and addressed tho jury In behalf Of thu defendants
aud IN speech OF great power and feeling moved
tho hearts Of the hearers. and brought the to
many M cyc. llo reviewed the testimony with
searching effect, applied the law to tho case with
ability. portrayed the great provocntons Tho pr
souc,s had endured. and evidently shook tho pros
ccuton TO its foundation In this strong speech
hc illustrated his skill rs n lawyer md advocate
and demonstrated his control over the feelings Of
the audience.
lie was followed in reply by the Hon. Geo. w.
Brewer. whose reputation M jurst and orator.
had aroused the anticipations of all nnd noblv
did he justify them. llc spoke rapidly and with
animation his clear voice ringing through the hall
with vivid distinctness Tho fabric that Mr. Reilly
Ind shaken. strengthened under his argument,
and gltwcd in tho rays Of his eloquence. The
mcshos ol justice were woven tightly around tho
criminals, aud while he marshalcd fact upon fact
and poured upon them tho light of pertinent do
cis,ons of courts and definitions of law hope slow
ly Int surely gave way to despair. His reasoning
wa. adorned by beautiful aud touching reflections,
which enforced while they ornamcnted. Both of
the speeches wcre Of excellent quality. such rs
perhaps have not been riyalled ut the bar From
eight IN the morning until ono Mt noon, the solid
mass hep, their places and marked the proceed
ings with great emotion.
II was the first Sunday within our recollection
tha, n count had been held here. Tho ringing of
the church and Sabbath school bells, Ms they
echoed in the hall ofiustirc, reminded us of tho
lessons the Gospel of Christ teaches. thnt "Thc
way of the trnnsgrcssor is hnrd, and that Godli-
ness il profitable unto all things, having promise
Of the life that now is. and Of that which is to
come"
Mr.. Brewer mace beautiful alluson to the
fact that this murder was committed on the Sal,
bath, aud said that he''saw tho hand of mysteri-
Gus Providence in the circumstance thatas this
lloody deed was rerperated On the holy Sabbath
TINT also upon that sacred day would be consum
mated the ,indicaton Of the great law of Man
and his God, which declared Thou shalt not kill y