The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-24
The Brooklyn Homicide Case.

TRIAL VI WlLLlAA UNITS FUN THE AUNDEH OF
DAVID II. MARTIN-THE SUMMING UP AND JUDGES
CHARGE-vERDICT OF THE JURY-rHE PRISONER
SENTENCED TO THE STATE PRISON FOR LIFE, ETC.
The trial OF William Curtis for the murder Of David H.
Martin, which has occupied the Brooklyn Con of Oyer
and Termincr for time past concluded yester-
day by the sentence Of the accused TO tho state prison for
life. The summing up and the Judges charge were dc.
ivercd Oh Friday the jury retiring at o'clock and
returning in about hour with verdict oil murder in
the second degree. The prisoner remanded until
yesterday morning, when, being brought into court
he was asked if he had anything to say.
SPEECH OF THE PRISONER.
Yes, have. have been indicted and convicted OF
murder What murder have committed? Killing David
H. MARTINI How did kill him9 wifullyP All that I
know from end Of the the other is that my
life attacked by struck me two or thrco
blows with q club and found the blood running from
my head, and my eyes became bind As arose I
after that do not know. II IL was the last word
to speak never laid my eyes Martin. Nobody has felt
more about II than have about my disgrace aud
the feelings Of the community and for the family Of the
deceased for his wife and three children had an idoa
that to convict of murder in any degree some one
must have at least be able to prove that I
killed Mr.. Martin Did kill himp Has any such evidence
been shown thought my counsel would4iave under.
taken to combat the evidence; but they did not though
their in that respect entirely against his
original views. When the Court At give him two
noble counsel no told them the whole truth did not
cxpeCt CTiHo VI WHICH Is tAOTOughiy
against his nature, would ever be brought against him.
He had erred and snncd, but murderer II he had
been no could have done 30 long In many ways and
occasions when he could never have becn found
ont. Ho never carried pistol with him, though he
now lest no might use It, Rather than such
thing he would prefer that both his hands should be
from him. The circumstances against him. He had
sympathy TO cxpcctrrom the community He often prayed
that tho circumstances which decided bis conduct might
have turned out that he could 60 forth as coequaI
with his fellow men, but misfortune followed him and
he was going to State prison for life for crime he
never conceived No man officer had seen him
in indecent company consorting with thieves. And
when incarceraed in the State prison he would still feel
that he was man, and that every bound do
what good they could in this world
sEyTENCE
The Court then proceeded to pass sentence upon him.
The statute under which no convicted left discre
ton with the Court They could not avoid plying
In his position; he was an intelligent man, who probably
had seen better times The Court referred to the
ment Of the by the counsel, and tho ability with
which he had been defended His story had been told by
the counsel as he had told it, but the jury
unable TO believo IL, and in the justice OF tho
dict Of the jury the Court entirely concurred To
some men the sentence which must be pronounced
would be than death 1t living death 1t was to
be imprisoned in the state prison for his natural life
The Court hoped that 10 the prisoner the would
be better and more acceptable than DEATH that he felt
what he expressed the future and would upon
and II few hopes remained yet there hope % which
he might turn In better world he made the best use
of whatever limited opportunities afforded him in
this The formal sentence Of Imprisonment for life was
then pronounced In TO the questions be
said he born in New York. twenty nine years Of
ago. inventor, machinst and musician by profess
SION and had been in State prison before but was par
donod out.