Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-05-12
CITY & NEWS ITEMS.
THURSDAY MORNING, MAY ~, 1850
tReported for the Leader J
UNITED STATES COURT.
Trial oTthe Wellington Slave Rescue Cnse
BUSHNELL SENTENCED.
Case Of Watson and others continued 10 the Jaiv
Term of Court
CLEVELAND, May IL, 1859

CLEVELAND, May IL, 1853
Court convened at o'clock. The fact that
sentence was to be passed upon Bushnell, and
probably Langston, caused the Court room to
be densely crowded with eager listeners and
watchers Of the proceedings A large proper.
ton OF the audience was composed of ladies'.
Judge SPALDING announced that he had a
motion TO make before the Court that the next
case of those indicted, that of John Watsont
be Immediately taken up and proceeded with.
This matter was, however, deferred until after
sentence should have been passed upon Bush
nell
Mr.. Bushnell who, with his wife and child
occupied seats near the bench was told Ia
st1nd up. The Court asked the prisoner, if he
had any thing to say why sentence should not
be pronounced, or any regrets to express for
the crime committed by him. Mr. Bushnell
iutimated that he had not, and thereupon the
Court proceeded to road from manuscript the
sentence of Bushnell, as follows
at is at all times a disagrecable and painful
duty for the Court to pronounce the sentence
and impose the penalty which the law demands
| for its violation. The discharge of this duty is
! peculiarly painful in dealing with the class Of
offenders to which you belong, who deem it a
praise worthy virtue to violate the law, and then
seek its penalties with exuItation aud defiance
a man of your intelligence must know, that
! the enjoyment of a rational liberty ceases the
moment the laws are allowed to be broken with
impunity, and thereby fail TO afford any protec
ton to society, if the standard of right
is placed above and against the laws of The
land, those who act up to it are any thing else
than good citizens or good christians You
must know that when man acts upon any
system of morals or theology which teaches
| him To disregard and violate the laws of the
| Government that protects him in life aud
| property, his cOnduct is as criminal as his ex
ample is dangerous
The good order and well being of society de
mand an exemplary penalty in your case Yor
have broken the law-you express no regret
| for the act done, but are exultant in the wrong
1t is the sentence of the Court that you pa,
a fine OF 5000 and costs of prosecution, anC
that you be imprisoned in the county iail o
Cuyahoga County, for the term of sixty day
from this time, and if for any cause your con
fnement cannot be had in THE County jail, i
will be the duty of the United States Marsha
to see it carried out in some other county Jail
in this District"
This sentence was received with quietnesl
by the prisoner and his friends
The Court then asked for any further mo
ton
Mr. Riddle moved to proceed with the cas-,
of John Watson.
The Court enquired if the District Attorne,
was ready in that case No, he replied
he was not ready. lie had learned tha
the Sheriff of Lorain County had ar
rested Jennings, Lowe and Mitchell, on
charge OF kidnapping, and that those wcr
now IN custody OF that officer. lie believed
and conld say he knew, that all THIS machlneT
of arrestiug these men and conliniug them ol
that charge, thereby delaying and hindering th
business Of the Court was the work of the de
PENDANTS who thus endcayored TO put a stop T.
further proceedings against the indicted. Ii
had also taken notice that n writ Of Hlbsd
Corpus in the case,'of Bushnell would b.
applied for which would perhaps interrupt thu
proceedings of the Court.
He also stated that he had been nppointe
to defend these witnesses in the Lorain Count,
Court Under these circums nnoes it wou
be impossible for him to proceed at present wit
tic case of Watson.
Judge Spalding replied that the District Al
torney knew very well that writ of HDJca
Corpus would bring those witnesses before III
Court on any day, and stated further that Ia
defendants IN these cases, so far from endeavo
ing to prevent the business of the Court iroI
going on were ready to give their permission
if that would be of any effect, to have them !,
main here in charge of the Court. The ne,
case upon the list John Watson, had right
an immediate trial and the convenience Of !
District Attorney in the land was to be col
suited If the prosecution wanted the ca'
postponed he asked that the motion be submi
ted in writing and sworn to.
Judge Belden remarked that his official cha
aeter would give power enough to the bare M
,ion 20 postpone.
''J Jnaoe = "YOur official character can add notl
ant "
= 7aNor Your bIackgua 'Iism." mn,
"And your private charau =" sun IesS, r..
The District Attorney thenmo 10 tIlo u9N
that the bail of the prisoners be rec, ''su q,
$500, Considering that this has been a.,
amount Of secured bail which has been require
from the first the magnamity Of tho affair ca
be properly appreciated. lie also stated th
he had been told that Mr.. Plumb on luesd,
night abused the Sheriff of Lorain county fl
not having before executed his writ tn
. Plumb denied in fOto, Marshal Johnson all
showing that it was not true.
A recess was at length taken until o'clo,
for the preparing of alIidavits on both sides.
lETEpnFooN uFggroN