Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-04-14
The onse d .he Rev. Danlel worth.

The Case Of the Rev. Daniel WOrth.
Our readers are all aware of the arrest, i'm
prisonment, trial, conviction and sentence of
the Rev. DANIEL WORTH, in North Carolina,
for the crime OF circulating several copies
of Helpers Impending Crisis, work which,
although written by North CarOlinian, ad-
dressed to the white citizens Of North Carolina
and approved BY North CarOlinans, has been
adjudgsd improper and criminal for North Car
olinians to circulate and read. Mr.. Worth is
native of the old North State, and was seized
and imprisoned in the county Of his birth. The
greater portion Of the books, circulated by him
was hunted out and publicly burned, after the
Olden time manner of dispOsing of heretical
works ZOO
The Tribune had a reporter at the trial OF
Mr.. Worth We copy from his interesting
account as follows;
The HELPER books we're burned, and as the
term of court drew near, Daniel Worth was
removed from Greensboro to the Randolph
County Jail, in this town, The excitement IN
the vicinity was very great. The officers OF
the court we're urged to bring along the trial
with all possible speed. The counsel for the
defense declared that he was left no peace,
during the earlier stages so constant and I'M
Fortunate were the inquiries.
The trial took place on Friday Of last week.
The courtroom was closly filed with crowds
of spectators Mr.. Worth appeared soon after
10 O'clock. Heis man Of imposing and dig
fined presence. He must have passed sixty
Eve years, and yet his frame is full OF vigoF
and the irmness of his bearing is untouched
py time His great hight, six feet and four
Inches, adds vastly TO the impressiVeness OF ms
mieBr his manner was prefectly calm, and his
countenance was quite untroubled.
A good deal of time-upWard of two hours
was occupied in impannelling a jury. Of
about fifty who were examined, almost oil had
formed and expressed opinions as to the guilt
of the accused-opinions very slightly varying,
it may be presumed. OF the twelve who were
at last selected, four were shareholders and
eight non shareholders The indictment, which
was very long, covering twenty pages, was
largely occupied with citations from Helpers
book, and as such ought to have been regarded
as an incendiary document Of very dangerous
character. Mr.. Scott, one of the prosecuting
attorneys, succeeded while reading it in moving
the crowd Of spectators to may mute demon
strations of indignation toward the prisoner
In his opening address, he invoked the usual
rhetorical resources on such occasions, launch"
ing liberal supplies of vehement denuneiation,
: and reYelling In the widest extravaganee OF
oratOry. Deluges of blood, massacred BODIES
generally, but particularly of wives and child
rem, badly cut throats and burning Buildings
we're wrought together into a picture of very
CORY hue. Mr.. Scott did it all well, and hay
: ing done it, the Government proceeded to call
Its witnesses, eight or ten in number, The
: taking of the evidence was quickly accomplish
led. -Four copies Of 1.-THE Impending Crisis"
were produced, which, il was proved, Mr. Worth
had sold to different parties, who appeared
Ono Of these testified that on learniDg Of
Worth's arrest, he had buried his copy some
! where, whence it had been exhumed for use
! on the trial Another declared he had hidden
his in hollow log in the, woods. Another,
named SludeT, assisted by hiswife, dePosed that
4 he witnessed sale Of Helpers book By MIR.
Worth to man named Yates, and that, at the
time, Worth had counseled Yates to be ''care'
: lful whom he permitted to see it, as there wa;
enough contained in it to whip mans back, /
people were mean enough to do So" Festi-
J, mony was offered to prove the utterance o.
verbal ineendiary declarations, at other timet
THAN at the sales of the books; but was objected
= to by the counsel for the defense, aud ruled
out The case was then argued at great length,
1t on behalf of Mr. Worth, by Mr.. Ralpe Gorreh,
!, who, beside denying the application OF the
statute to book like this Of Helpers, earnestly
demonstrated against laws which punished &C
tions like those of which his client was accused
: SAYING that such laws were written in blood
by Messrs. Settle and Mclean for the porsecu
ton; and finally, by Mr.. Morehead for the de-
: fendant The Judges charge was then deiiv
cred. He Overruled a point made by the de
O. Eense, that as the statute referred only TO pam
ly phlets and papers, It could not rightly cove
l. the book in question, that being bound vol
Is ume, BY deciding that, although the letter
re the act was not met, yet the Jury must b
guided by its meaning de also instructed th
2 Jury that they must conclude for themselYe
0 whether the tendency of the book was such a
,rS ia forbidden by the statute and whether It we
nG circulated by Worth with the desire to produc
n discontent and dissatisfaction with their con
dition among free negroes and slaves. But
respect of this, he held that it was not neces
: sary that the Jury should he assured that th
book bah been read by or rscited to fire
n negro or that any such knew anythingtot an
on mart of its contents. The Judges charge wa
sT- finished at midnight, and the Jury immediatel
or retired. At 4 o'clock on Saturday morning
:. they returned with g verdict Of guilty, III
c. Judge stated that he could exercise his discr
old ton as to inficting the whole or only a pa
III; of the punishment prescribed GmprisOnmel
ms. and public Whipping), and sentenced the prl
rs, loper TO confinement for twelve months-tt
ty shortest period mentioned in the Statute.
aS taking this course, however, the Judge actt
in direct opposition to the opinions and prejud
ing ees of the people. The defendants counsel a.
= pealed to the Supreme Court on several point
Mr.. Worth is also indicted in another bill
this tRandolph) County, charging him with U
= ltering words of the most aggravated degr
ID Of ipcendiarism. This charge he emp latcal
fioT fiorT denies, and says it cannot be proved.
Is Before the commencement OF Mr.. Worth
"a trial. It is understood, his counsel msis grei
of exeriiops TO effect compromise, and gay pr
jshly eeedings, offering the condition thagthe a
tTge eused should leave the State, with PledI
o .oB. never to return. but the prosecuting opeer
fused to enter into any such arTangemfnt'
|. The result of Worth's trial, nOtwithfandl
. his condemnation to twelve months q lmPrl
Onment, and the certainty of future 7ntenc
equally if not more severe, is not wholly satl
factory 10 the people at large. hAr We
~ many expressions Of discomfort that hdFas z
" publicly whipped, as well as incarcerat q, as
@H @H might have been-oT, according TO thepopul
III view, ougM to have been-under th{ststui
~ But the hope that some less lenient hdge
%; another county msy impose this morldegrs
: or ing penalty, sustains them in their di4 4PpOin
t@ @' ment.
. The other trials Of Mr.. Worth aretO Big
, IN sbont three weeks. They can, tits to
,. presumed. hardly fail to result in his c4victir
. and il is the opinion of lawyers thathe vi
IN with great difficulty, escape the punishment
~ vbip5iDg. wbica. IS well as imprisO1hent