Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-02-16
sentenoe of stevens and HazIott.

1
Stevens. Some time was occupied by coun-
sci in presenting bills Of exception in the
case of Hazlett, and it was twelve o.
clock before Stevens was brought into the
courthouse. The prisoners were brought
into court by the sheriff, iailor, and guard
of twenty men Of the Jefferson Guards. -
Both prisoners wore an unconcerned air, and
seemed utterly unterrifed by the awful po-
| siton in which they have placed themselves.
! The clerk havingasked the prisoners ifthey
had anything to say why sentence shouldnot
/ be passed upon them, both responded that
they had.
Stevens then said: "May it please the
court, have few words to say. Some OF
the testimony given against me was untrue
One of tho witnesses stated that | said, Let
us kill the -- Of -- burn the town. To
those who know me it is useless TO make a
denial of this charge but ! deny here, before
God and man, ever having made such pro
/ position. | wish TO say am entirely satsh-
! ed with the conduct of my counsel, Mr.. Sen
nett. think he did all in his power in my
| behalf. | desire also to return my thanks To
! the officers who have had charge Of ne, Tor
their universal kind treatment, and 70 my
| physician for the services rendered me whilst
suffering from my wounds. When think
OF my brothers slaughtered and sisters out
ragged, my conscience does not reproye me
for my actions shall meet my fate man
| fully
This reference is understood to DO the
treatment Of his northern brethren and SIS
tiers during the Kansas broils.
iiazlett than spoke as follows: 4 have 4
I few words to say. ! am innocent Of the
charge on which have been convicted. !
deny ever having committed murder or ever
having contemplated murder, Or ever having
associated with any one with such inten-
tons. Some of the witnesses have sworn %
things which deny, and which were posi-
lively false For instance, in reference to
my beard; have never in my life, until my
Imprisonment in jail, allowed my beard to
90 more than three weeks without shaving,
and all testimony therefore as 20 the length
of my beard is false. Again, Mr.. Copeland
| testified that | was sitting on a stool when
| he entered the cell Carlisle; this ! deny; |
was sitting on blanket, back against the
wall, and another man on the stool. Cope
| land also said there we're only two men IN
/ the cell; this ID false, Is there were four other
white men in the cell with ne, and We com
/ prsed all the white prisoners III the jail
l Others Of the witnesses made false state
ments, but forgive them all. ] have been
I treated kindly since my confinement much
better than had expected-and must say
! think better Of Virginia. wish also 70
return my thanks t. the counsel who have
50 ably defended me; they have done more
/ in my behalf than Northern counsel could
possibly have done ! repeat, an inno-
cent Of murder, but an prepared q meet my
fate"
The prisoners having concluded, Judge
Kinney then proceeded to read the follow
1 ing sentence, during which he was much At
\ fected and 1T times could with difficulty
give uttcrance to the sentence:
Aaron ID. Stevens, YOU have been indict-
cd and tried by jury ~ the country, and
after being defended with zeal and ability
By counsel OF your own choice from your
/ own section Of our common country YOU
! have been found guilty Of advising and con
4 spring with slaves to rebel and make lnsur
rection, and for conspiring with John Brown
| and others, 10 rebel and make Instruction.
| And you, Albert lIazlett, have also been
\ indicted by jury Of the country, and found
VI
fully, deliberately. feloniously and Of malice
I aforethought killing and numbering George
| VI. Turner, Fountain Beckhaa and others,
I and YOU have also been defended by coun-
\ sci Of this county assigned % you AZ your
request by tho court, with On ability 81
dom equailed, and with zeal and attcn-
| ton to every point IN your case, whether ot
! law or fact, that could not have been sur
passed, had they been defending citizen Of
| their own county.
\ You have been prosecuted with great
ability BY the counsel representing the Com
monwcaIth, and with an interest the magnl-
| tudc Of the charges required, yet, n man
! ner the most iGStidious could not accept %.
/ The painful duty il deyolyed upon the to
announce thus publicly the penalty the law
afixes to the crime whereof you are now
found guilty.
/ When look upon your comparative youth,
/ your genteel appearance, and consider the
mental agonies you must have endured dur
1 Ing these protracted trials, cannot help
plying you; and could wish. i the honor
and dignity Of Virginia, the security of her
citizens and their property would authorize
/ it, the law imposed less penalty than death.
The crimes in which you participated,
and which were 50 tragica IN their lnclplent
steps, if carried to the extent contemplated
BY you and your aceomplices ami associates
I in arms fer horror and fatoii,al perildy,
would have had 40 parallel IN modern civil
i lization since the massacre 81 -. baFthoio-
news eve
But will not attempt t. harrow yourlccl-
ings BY rehearsal of the scenes II iIarper's