The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-02-28
Sentence of Il Murderer,

Armstrong, the murderer of Ora wford was
sentenced in Philadelphia, on Monday last
to death. The prisoner had maintained the
most extraordinary calmness during the trial
The American says:
When directed 10 prepare for his visit to
the Courtroom he Wore an air of entire in
difference, though virtually he has admitted
his completely in the murder in half a dozen
indirect ways. He nerved himself therefore
for the conflict, and passed from his cell into
the van rs though he was but the creature Of
circumstances, over which he had never q
whit of control. They took him TO the Quar-
ter Sessions room, where but few people
were assembled; Yet the tidngs We're soon
circulated, and for every person who told
them there was soon score about the build
ing. The father and rela atiyes of the prisoner
We're there, and when the turnkey seated him
IN the dock, they withdrew to the benches at
some distance and gloonily looked upon his
face. The Armstrong of yes teriay, however
was the same Armstr trong who serenely testi-
fled over the corpse of poor Crawford at the
Coroner's inquest; who looked with un-
blenching eye upon the jury who found him
guilty; who, with curied lip threw his con-
temptuous glance at the silent concourse of
people who then gaZed at him from the
crowded benches of the Courtroom. There
he sat, not unexpectant of what to come,
but nerycd from the blow, as. the pugilist
braces himself against the expec ted onslaught
OF his adversary.
There was no fear depict ted upon his counte-
print of his upper teeth and in the depths of his
soul 1t could be seen there was then raging
TEN pest OF remorse, OF haired and of pas sion
visible stli more palpably when, after the
dread penalty was pronounced, the miseraOl
man denied his guilt, and called upon his
Maker 10 register the denial. During the time
that the Judge was speaking there was ST.
lence in the Courtroom that nothing but the
clatter in the streets prevented from being
painful, yet to anybody but an expert the face
of Armstrong was the face of the man least
interested in the proceedings of all that We're
present in the throng.
When asked why the dread sentence should
not be pronounced he rose in his seat, and
this time ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS a speech
Even in this speech he again sub verted, by an
acknowledgment, the strongest point taken in
his defence. He acknowledged that he had
piliered from his employer, and claimed that
Crawford encouraged him to do it. by pur-
chasing the results of his peculations And
to crown all, when the sentence was pro-
nounced, he cried out clearly and strongly.
Take my life, but you cannot take my con-
science. Thank God. 1 am innocent"
There was sensation In the Court room
as the man burst Ito this exclamation and
few of the females present melted into tears
The brother and father of the prisoner sat APP
parently as nnmoved as ever. Like to the
prisoner, they evidently possess Il wonderful
mastery over the emotions. When the sen
tence was finished, and Judge Allison had
taken his seat, they silently giided toward the
prisoner, and bending over the railing con-
Versed with him for a few min utes There
was no faltering in their words, no hesitaney
in his-no tears, no apparent anguish, and
when the officers came to remove him, the
father bowed his head and closed his eyes, un-
I'll his guilty son had crossed the threshold and
was gone.