Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-04-05
THE ARGUMENT OF COT NSLL-YERDICT OF TIE
JURY, &C.
PKINcsss ANNE c. H.. Va

JIk1, &c.
PElAcass ASvE c. H., Va.
March 5lst 1860.
The court met this morning az 10 A NJ. Gov. Wise
cO-uuLgd u.s argument until recess "a. L. N, speaking
ia all hours. Hi great abilities eXsrcd to the
u DO behalf OF the prisoner No stOLe uuturn-
Cd, no intricate l4byruth uueXporsd food 10, ar
-4urJ elected TO uOuTsh the tOrse of doubt and
uuate the "dcep diGuston of the bloody deed IN.
fact all that powerful counsel could do done After
.he recess. Maymaduse johnson, ESQ OF Richmond
ARCS 10 close the argument Tor the Commonwealth. A
brief silence prevailed IA the court ROOM anxious eXpeca
ton up the very zenith, and the crowd most
dense available part Of the being appropr-
Oted TO- and occupied by anxious listeners. As Mr. Pc
rs had ably auayzed tine evidence before the jury,
appertaning the case Sir. johnson dwet entirely upon
the facts. He eoqueuy aad orcDy presented the leading
Ia Is and supihei them, that Those who migu,
have read Ia clear deliberate manner be raised the veil
from around the intricate points and showed the full
force and extent of purpose with which the prisoner
Influenced when be committed the bloody deed He
pictured incidents anterior TO the murder showed the de
libemte intention OF H the fight, escape reCapture DC
With vivid conception be ynGlcated the character of
~ Whehurst, heavily dealt upon by the defence He
showed how the Commonwealth had been threatened,
implored and dcfed into conserving the introduction
OF Mrs Land witness for the dsfHce by strong To-
gca deductions and common sense showed the force OF
influence her by her husband in making her in
srumeut by which he could Justify the bloody deed
al the sacrifice OF her od While he admired her devo-
ana QeSctlOtu lldl OF hulu unto Naomi ne
precaed the awful crime 10y which she thought to extern
uate the dark deed Of her husband His whole argu-
ment was replete with smoothly flowing eloquence, the
most forcibe Of which va, his appeal to the jury
warning them mot let assassination and perjury
walk arm in arm of this court house, while Justice
with holy fear OF such corrupt atmosphere spreads
her wings and flies weeping away at recreant viola
ton OF her sanctuary.
After addressing the Jury Cor two hours in a clear
concise and eloquent manner he rested the in their
h4u fapiu fpua OF of
grand old Commonwealth would act according TO the
dictates Of conscience and with view TO the ends of
ice essential 20 the protection OF the weaker and
abiding part of the community The Jury retired, and
after absence of half hour they returned with
diet Of guilty o murder in the second degree and
ed his DU,SbmeHt al eighteen gclyS iH the PeeRti0y
hen the prisoner called upon rise and hear his
sentence, he did with reluctant air remuous and
pte aud he sat down with an abandon, which showed
the force OF his bad nature. The verdict received by
the dense crowd with silent satisfaction that tue majesty
of the law had been vindcated The general opinion per-
vading the minds of the citizens Of this county with but
fen exceptions, is that the verdict is righteous one
perhaps better for his soul than hanging Verify
"Tne way Of the transgressor is hard"
Considering the great talent the Commonwealth had to
contend agaust honestly believe that their case was
bad one, and all that saved the prisoner from the gaows
the question OF doubt raised by the defence in regard
the foIce Of written evidence against that sworn to-.
This believe to have been the matter Of doubt upon the
iurv's mind
The defence have fled bill Ofexceptious which Judge
Baker has under consideration. Perhaps opinion
may be delivered Monday; ifso and trial is
granted the prisoner will receive his sentencepeniten
tary.
The Norfolk Herald has the following;
The Trial Of this case which had occupied two weeks
was brought to close on Saturday evening between
FIVE and six o'clock the given TO the jury which
had been absent half hour when they returned
with verdict of murder in the second degree and egh
teen years imprisonment iu the penentiary; whereup-
o. the Judge pronounced sentence according to the
Gndug Of the jury; and The Court stood adjourned till
the next
To spare life doomed to iniamy and incarceration IL
small favor but vet the moral vision s panied to look
upon the slight evidence of orbearauce in melting
out punishment 10 crime the perpeuaton of which,
though of surprising euOrmty, has been followed by
consequences SO heagreudng and peace destroying
which have resulted from the murder OF Benz mu
Flanagan. To shield the murderer the honor Of his
own wife, uuimpeached and unsuspicioned I'LL then,
be sacrificed and she made the instrument of its immo
atonl Involved in the meshes OF artfce and cunning
u escape longer possible she was uuconscously
made appear the guilty and infamous thing mortal
living wh0 had known her could believe her ever have
been and the auecedents of the alleged paramour might
have ssnced the slightest misgivngs of his participation
il such guilty The parties involved ia the conse
quenle Of Lands crime, composing large and respecta
ole family circle the greatest sufferers by it, Flanagan
sleeps peacefully in his grave Land is sent settle for
his crime by hard process Of atonement which has
been Justly required OF ha but the blasted hopes the
bleeding bOsoms and the sacred sympathes which remain
70 them demand our deepest oomni orauol
III Il TNrTv IA "