New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-02-09
THE LATEST CRIMINAL TRIAL.


! NewJersey has shown for the huudredh time how
stupidity foolish is the murderer who uses poison
to remove his victim, hoping to escape detection
The case referred to, unhappily not rare one
in late years, while it has no strikingy novel
features yet furnishes some matter for reflection.
The main facts are these: William Alison, by
profession market gardener, living somewhat
unhappily with his second wife, and having all
improper foldness for n yOuug woman, once a
servant in his family, poisous his wife by admin
isteriDg strychnine, and, after long and Impair
tal trial, is convicted Of murder in the first
degree.
When, in the course Of one Of these occasional
trials, private house is unroofcd, and the innec
life OF family exposed, the incidental develop
ments have an interest and Importance beyond
what attaches h. the details vi the principal
transaction. In this New-Jersey ease, for ex.
ample, several matters have been brought to the
light, which show a strange phase Of domestic
life in q household having claims to responsibility.
1t appeared on the trial Of Abson, that his wife
had been in the habit of taking drugs, aud Of
submitting herself 10 dangerous operations for an
mODy and by the counsel 10 tne case, rs thing
lot uncommon, and, indeed, it Is We'll known by
all medical meD, that it IL not an exceptional
instance. But surely il is subject calling for very
! grave and earnest consideration and investigation,
and 1t is the duty Of those who have the public
ear 10 sound loud alarm against practice
which must prevail to some extent, which may
be- more widely spread tLan the best informed
suppose, which may reach To people in social
standing much above the parties in the tragedy
under consideration, and which in any Gaze de-
mands the most indignant rebuke, outrogng, As
it does the law human and the law divine.
Another peculiar and almost ludicrous bit OF
testimony was incidentally given by the woman
on whose account tho murder Is supposed to
have been committed. She stated that words
sometimes passed between Mr.. and Mrs. Alison,
"he same that occurs belr,n erry man and his
'',ciEc," and then proceeded to explain her
mark by saying that on one occasion Mrs. Alison
took up a knife to kill her daughter, in one OF
these domestic brOils; again, that Alison once
took occasion, during one Of these quarrels, TO
ehaFs" rs wife in the presence Of third persons
with the yilcst conduct. Now, as bad az this
witness is, she is o shrewd woman, has Travelled
not q little and must be supposed familiar with
the class Of people on the Fame social plane with
the defendant. Her remark that the qaarIels of
this family were not more serious than the usual
disturbances of domestic life, exaggerated though
the language be, lets in ligh. upon very IN
happy state Of things. There is no reason, of
e H.. In, Il. 30 ...,r
cmnstauces should not be the abode Of az much
tranquil and refined enjoyment, as if the largest
income supplied the household. But yet those
whose experience has given them information on
this pout cannot help admitting that those whom,
for want Of better phrase, we must call the
middle classes do not cultivate in the domestic
circle the graces Of department which come nat
urally from a tenderly kind disposition. 1t Is In
cOntestatle that certain cOarscncss is too often
the concOintant Of narrow means, even IN
country where education and various aids to re-
fnement are within the reach Of all. This SUBJ
iect has wide connections, aud Is not to be prop
erly treated in paragraph; it is affected by the
growing Discrimination TO marriages upon slender
means, Discrimination which says that happiness
shuns modest home, declaring that refinement
and delicate sensiblities cannot flourish IN cot
taee, and with but a single serTant. Among the
nj souary enterprises Of the day, it would be
well to set one on foot for the promotion u eco
pomical marriages. There is room for its opera
tons.
One incident of the trial referred TO is not BY
any means complimentary TO the spectators con-
cerned the courtroom was daily throDged with
ladies'; ON one occasion these were excluded by
order Of the presiding Judge, On The very proper
ground that the evidence was of such nature
that they might not listen TO it. When the re-
striction was removed they returned. The ease
having been The subject Of common talk for a
long time the peculiar circumstances to be un.
folded must have been widely known, and all
must have been aware that much Of the testi-
mopy would be open to the objection suggested
by the Judge. Yet Notwithstanding tlis, it ap
pears from the uncontradcted reports that women
did daily present themselves 10 listen to the re-
voting particulars of the testimony. 1t is bad
enough for men to open the greedy enr to such
detsils; but when women forget their delicacy
go far as 10 place themselves deliberately in a
position where the rightminded Of their sex