Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-10-14
Case OF Captain Holmes

Capt. Holmes, as Is well known TO our
readers, is under sentence OF death as pi-
rate aud ielon, for the murder Of one Of
hi. crew upon the high seas Great effort.
are being made 10 commute his sentence TO
impr isonmeni for lie. And what are tho
reasons urged why the Pre,iden, should in.
terfcrs in the matter and arrest the due eI-
ecuiion Of the laws? They are BASED upon
the hypothesis. that ho was insane at tho
time Of the murder. and therefore not nc.
countablo for his acts And IL is not con.
tended that any nac eridsnoc has come To
light. upon which Executive clemency !.
nked. Hence the matter stands in this
light CAPT, Holmes was arraiened, tried,
and found guilty. by sn impartial jury Of
hi. country, Of one Of the mos, fendi'h muir.
ders on record. The very plea now urged
why he should not share u murdsrers doom
(in,dniiy) wa. relied upon in his defense
a, the trial The jury had all the evidence
before them, and that evidence was submit.
ted TO their consideration under an impair
tAl charge from the Judge who presided a,
the trial. They found him guilty Of muir.
der In the frs, degree. Exceptions were
GIed and have since been overruled. Two
Of the most eminent lawyer, in New Eng.
land defended him through his whole trial.
The country was raked from ono end TO the
other for testimony in his defense. And any
amouu, Of money was furnished by wealthy
relatives TO make q successful defense, after
all, twelve honest, impartial men, after a
tedious Investigation. upon their oa,hs
found him guilty. One would think after
holmes had received at the hands Of our
Courts. u trial. 80 impartial. 80 fair and
just. the good citizens Of Maine would not
show q desire TO interfere aud defeat the
ends Of justice. |, 10 not at all strange that
eminen, medical men who. testified ascIperis
a. to his insanity. should attempt by letter
writing to override the verdict of the ju-
~. The jury took took al their testimony
to his insanity for just what they though,
j, worth. The jury came TO the same con-
clusion that any sensible man. must come
to who reads the evidence developed a. the
trial that Capt. Holmes was jus, as in.
sane as any other man would DO who IN
state Of intoIieation. would let his passions
entirely run away with him,-and no more
so. Il was very convenient for his mates
to obey his orders and murder q helpless
sailor by inches in a manner that would
disgrace the most hea,heni.h savage and
then put him down in the cabin and call
him crazy. Holmes was sane enough to DO
obeyed by these williams, until they had
btiehered their rictim under has orders, and
then he was taken suddenly crazy. Again
who believes that ship owner would have
entrusted their vessels and property year AZ
ter year to Capt Holmes II he had been in-
ane' The idea prepo'terou' and too NIB.
surd for to be believed for moment.
With these unmistakable facts staring the
whole community in the lace, a concerted
effort IL being made to defeat the ends OF
justice and save Holmes from the penalties
Of the law. These efforts are the result Ell.
Their ola morbid sympathy or they may
arise from other causes less creditable. by
u concert Of action, blank petitions praying
the Executive to commute the sentence OF
Capt Holmes. have been sent TO nearly oil
the clergymen IN the State with request
for circulation for signatures. Had Capt.
Holmes been like Cox and Williams. poor
and without wealthy, influential friends.
who believes all this sympathy would have
been manifested in his behaliI There were
strong mitigating circumstances in the case
Of Cox ard Williams, for they had, prior to
their mutiny been most shameiully treated
by the officers commanding them, and yet
none OF these mock sympathisers for Holmes
lifted hand TO save them from execution
The two cases put together, show the differ
enee between rich Williams, and poor williams.