The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-04-04

END OF THE LAND TRIAL.-The close of the
| trial of Walter S. Land, for the murder of T.
F. Flanagan, in Princess Anne county, Va
and the conviction of the prisoner, were no.
ticed yesterday. From the Norfolk papers
we take the following particulars OF the last
day Of the trial
The prisoner was brought in, and Gov
Wise. who had spoken three hours the evening
before, resumed his argument and enchai nod
his audience with a powerful and forcihIe
appeal in the prisoners behalf He analyzed
the testimony. cited to the letters read and
quoted Shakespeare. and wound up with a
burst Of eloQuence which had reached every
heart and sOftened down the deep-seated ami.
mostly which evidently existed in the breast Is
OF the majority against the prisoner. This
occupied three hours more making six hours
in which this " old man eloquent, had en- .
chained his hearers. The Court now took a
recess until O'Clock.
After the recess, Marmaduke johnson ESQ .
OF hichmond, arose to close the argument for
the Commonwealth. A briefsilence prevailed i'm
the court room, anxious expectation was up 10
tue very zenith, and the crowd was most dense
every available part of the room being appro-
RLiateo ", ana occupied ny, anxious listeners.
He eloquently and f0rcibly presented the lead
ing facts, and so simplifed them that "those
who run might have read" In clear. DELHI.
crate manner. he raised the veil of mystery
rom .,' around the intricate points, and showed
the fuli force and extent Of purpose with which
the prisoner was influenced when he COM
mitted the "bloody deed" He pictured Incl
dents interior to the IA urder, showed the d.lib.
crate intention OF ii, the, flight, escape recap
ture, &c. With vivid conception he vim.
dicated the character of F. M. Whitehurst,
SO heavily dealt upon by the defence He
showed how the Commonwealth had been
threatened, tmpl0red and defied into consent
Ing for the Introduction OF Mrs. Land as wit
ness for the defence; by strong logical deduc.
lions and common sense, showed the force Of
in dxenee over her by her hus band in making
hs4r n inStfumAnt VA hioh h. ~
the 'blOOdy deed" ut the sacrifice Of her OATH
While he admired her devotion, and described
It rs that OF Ruth unto Naomi. he deprecated
the awful crime 0y which she thought TO ex-
tenuate the dark deed OF her husband. His
whole argument was replete with smoothly
tiOwery elOquence, the most forcible of which
was his appeal 70 the jury as men-warning
them NnOt TO let assassination and perjury
walk arm in arm out of this court. ho1se."
while justice with a holy fear of such a cor
rupt atmosphere, spreads her wigs and flies
weeping away at so recreant q violation OF her
When Mr.. Marmaduke johnson concluded.
the case was given to the jury. The Jury re-
tired, and in about fifteen minutes returned
with verdict Of guilty Of murder in the Sec
Qua degree, and liked his term of conflne-
ment in the State prison at eighteen gears.
Wnen the verdict was about TO be rendered
the prisoner was standing in the bar, looking
pale ana anxious, aud when the foreman Of
the jury, from overpowering emotion, stopped
70 catch his breath at the word "murder," the
close observer might have read the awful feed
ings OF the prisoner only by the twitchings Of
ths muscles ~ the corners of the eyes aLd
mouth. For momeLt, and moment only,
his eyes closed and his face blanched; then,
rs with the effort Of . powerful will, he re.
gained his sell-p0esession. and by order Of the
Judge was remanded to jail. The counsel for
the prieoner had flied bills Of excepoon, which
the Judge informed them would have to lie
over until Monday. when hs would examine
into them.