The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-05-04
The sIckIes Trial.
VERDICT OF THE JURY.
NJ R. IckLEs ACQUITTED
C1<D~h.n& SceHnes-

-
the crow5'e,i court room seemed To drink in
eve'y Wort; and glances of ,eiliseDce-now
he'ukemig satisfaction d now dissa,i>f ,ctinn
-i'assed ON count-nance in countenance as
point seemed to be d-ci'ied for or against the
THE JURY RETIRE-IxcIDExrs IN THE co1RT
ROOM
The retiriag of The iarv. at ten minutes be.
2 fore two, was the signal fnr thro xirg eff the
rretraint which had, mp 10 ,his iin,e. weighed
npoa every ore in the coart Lawvers. off.
rers, sp+c ators nd all seemed o think hem
selves AZ liberty 10 Ia k as mach as they pleas
ed and TO give v-nr 10 ihei- eiiDg- and i'n-
pre-sinas. Al gor 30 tier fee, d iidnIged
in conversation Msng crowded round tfe
dock to cheer and support MIR. Sckis-s in
this
"Fhe pregnant moment Of his fate"
Amang N Sc = ho gathered "a oun.l Mr Sic
kles was al estimable clergyman Of his ci'v.
ev. n. Sunderland. If the Fuur.h Pre-hv
teran Church, who. taking Mr.. Sickles by the
had, said:
Sir-f came to express to Won m; hear'fe felt
sympa,hr and 20 say that if the voice of the
people of this civ coni.i sueak at this moment
vonr aeqnis,al wonId re instanaaneous In
Gaze koserer an adver-e verdict should be
rendered be assuref that yon have hearis
around You, and mine not The least warm of
them, to sn tain Won in vour sfn c,ion.
Mr.. Sickles WAS much moved by this Incl
dent, and express lis thanks as well as bis
emotion would permit him
AS time wore on the noise and confusion
gewigreater, and the Judge in good natured
manuer, remarked. that although under The
present rircnmst an"es he eolld not expect the
andienoe 10 keep sic nee. he hoped there would
be a slight regard for the place where they
were
the minutes grew into quarters and half
.hous there was some expression of di>ap-
poin.ment on the part of many. who hough'
the jnrv shodld not have rerired at all. much
less spent any time in consultation II conid
not be sa d. however that there was any strain
ing anxiety or apprehension exhibited, al
though Mr.. Gallon. remarked that if the jurv
remained in thirty minutes. il would he a
hung or disaereeing jury. But the jnrv did
remain in. not thirty hhi seventy minutes. and
did not verify tie prediction 5sl.
TIE clock struck three and before TIE sound
had passed away the,e was a move rent al
The dnor bs WI ch The jnry ad retired. indica
tive Of heir he,ng on the point Of re enter
ing The court room.
THE. JURY RETURN-VERD!Cf rF NOT GUILTY
The daors opened. the deputy marsh a
calls out to make room, for the jury. IL
they come. one ny one, and proceed To take
their seats in The box There is one genera
movement ia the crowded court room, TO get
look at their faces A n restraint is forgotten
Benches. and forms. and tables are monntee
by the most exciiec or most venturesome. an
Here they come is heard hurriedly spoken or
all sides
Then there is a succession of cries of .Dowr
in 'front.' Get off the bsnc e<r Sit down!
Silence in the conrt! Order! 0 der,'f -la
But i. seemed impossible to restore order
Till the idge ditected the clerk 10 call the
names OF fhe jury ,1i! q
The upfuar Instantly sub ided, and as the
clerk called the jurors. aud they sev+ralv re
spoudel-one OF the officers calling on1 Their
number hen ibe tive f h n me called
and responded to. a PIN nigh, have been heard
to 6rop IN he 8 ddenly stilled crowd. i=-'
Tie iurv all standing. 81 tr:1-e..fr
The clerk said Daniel E. Sickles, stand up
and look to the jury.
Mr9 Stckies stood up. 7ee - &
Mr. Clerk How say Won. gentlemenf-
Have ynn agreed, 10 your verdict
a MIR Arnold We have. fe5 -5.fzs-i.
MIR clerk How say yoR? DO you find
the prisoner at the bar guilty. or not guilty
MI. Arnold. Not GUIErY. ~ s7i
s.q TBE CLOSING SCENES. e 4a
As these words fen from tie lips of the
foreman there WAS e loud. wild. thri ling
tnmnl1uous hurra sent up ny the spectators =
. Cheer after cheer was, r-spon ell 10 in. the
cOpit room. and was taken MP by the multi
inde on the outside and repeated Has and
handkerchefs were waved. and there was one
general rush toward the dock - ~ =
In the midst of tile uproar the stentoriaD
voice OF MIR Stanton was heard addressing
the court in these words: L move that M,
Sickies be discharged from custody.
Marshal Selden Come to order, gentle
Ten! Come to order! This is o place where
? there should be no noise. . -sses7.
No one paid any attention to the old Mar.
shal. sie2 5tF' .sa2 ~
Mr. Stanton (hoiing over with excitement }
In the name of MIR. Sickles. and of his conn
sci. desire to nrn ihanEs 10 the iarY. yat
J dge Crawford who was the Only person
10 the court not excited Mr.. Stanton, wait
TIL the verdict il recorded.
NJ Stanton. OF course, your Honor
You mast excuse excitement on this occasion
The Clerk 10 the jury. Your record is
gentlemen, that you tiod Daniel X. Sickles mol
guilty?
The jury nodded affirmatively. fi' ~
The Clerk And so say you all! 5ig0a /
% Aunther affirmative nod from the jurv
Mr.. Stanton now move that Mr.. Sickei
!, be uiScharaed from custody.
fre Judge Crawford The court so orders il
Mr.. Stanton Turning round.) No,o go it.
TteJadse M noise. 80. rat7s
The prohibition was unhee6ed.+ f3 t.-
MIR. Sickles amid The renewed cheers of the
audiesice,, aaS taken oIt of the dock bv Gap
tain W'ler asd Mr. Brega. The former who
is one. OF Mr. Sickle~' most devnted friends
kissed HIM at The moment Of hisdeiversnce
aud held fast by him as they tried to make
their way TO the door. II was slow wo,k. f.,
Congratulations, earnest. loud. and franki,
pressed s..tnteh Mr.. Sick'es al all points, anf
though strong emotion az exhinited in tht
ssooien ellis of his e,ples, his eye was calm
and steady and the tff,rt which he manifest
male 10 retain caimi'e-s aud c"mpesnre va
successful. His expression betra, ed no feel
ing of j,y. hat was RAJ her that of q man wht
fe ce,ecio s hat he had tur,no risk. aud tba
the :r,aI ,hro, g which be had passed couls
have hid no 0,her result, II 80 ne min
ures hriore he reached The jury hex which la,
Oh hi roaii to the door. he jprt eeihced {
desire 10 Congratulate him aud he steppeG
oser tie fori.s IN ct their saluai ,ous, which
were heartily te. cred
The counsel for the defence also exchange,
compliments and congratulations with The j !
Finally, bv tlint of rnuch crushing and rea,
exer,ion d passage TO the donr efieeIe,l -
So soon as he was recognized from the outside
the cheers were again taken np Mr. Shaw
of tie New York Hp,nid bad rushed dow