Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-10

v vas X ~ ~ - -
the 9th. Charles W. Palmer, Prosecuting
Attorney, assisted by A. T. Slade, Esq, ap
= peared for the State, and Messrs. NJ. s
8 Castle, R. E. knight and William S. Ker-
: ruish, for defendant. Twelve days were de-
: voted to the elimination of the evidence
when, after most exhaustive arguments by
} the counsel and an admirable charge from
t the judge, the jury returned a verdict Of
) Guilty Of murder in the first degree"
And on the 3Oth of December, John W,
Hughes was sentenced to be hanged on
Friday, the 9th of February.
TEE CONVICT IN HIS CELL.
The prisoner returned TO the Jail, and en-
tered with deep eontrition into devotional
exercises conducted by Rev. J. Monteith.
He wept like a child, confessed his guilt and
implOred his Maker to lave mercy on his
soul. For q time he seemed fully to realize
his situation and looked steadily at the
issue, but hope revived in his breast when
his friends assured him that an effort would
be made to secure a Communication OF his SEN
tenee. He surrounded himself with re-
ASiOhS UNohoJ nA4bt Il hldhI lhh9SAt ~
voted himself assiduously to the cultivation
of f1iterature." Beside sending frequent
letters to his wife and friends, he diverted
himself with the composition of verses,
specimens of which lave been published in
these columns. He received all who called
upon him in a pleasant manner, and did not
fail to turn the conversation, as seemed in
evitable, upon himselfand his crime. Visi-
tore were readily admitted to see him, and
he enjoyed many privileges not usually ac-
corded to persons convicted Of capital Of
fenses,-privileges which were won by his
uniformly unexceptiOnabIe behavior. The
sheriffdid not conhne him to his cell at all,
but, leaving the door Of the same wide open,
merely u thin upon parole. He addressed
the prisoners quite often, giving them excel
lent advice, and they invariably listened to
him with close attention. He impressed
all whom he met as a man Of considerable
cultivation, and generally excited pity in,
and received sympathy from, those with
whom he conversed.
EFPoBrs FOR HUGHES ooNMUrATIoN.
Our readers are familiar with the effort
made by the friends Of Hughes to procure
the communication of his sentence, and the
refusal of Governor Cox to aocede to the
petition for that purpose. The following is
a copy Of the petition:
To His EreelLeHy tie GoreraOr Of TIE State
Of Ohio:
=. Your petitioners, residents Of Cuyahosa county
and the city ofCleveland, in said State, respectfully
ask that the sentence of death passed upon John
W. Hughes, convicted OF murder in tho first de-
gree at the November term OF court within and for
said county, be committed to imprisonment for life
at hard labor in the penitentiGfy. Aud for cause
your petitioners say that the trial resulting in said
conviction was had ut a time and in a community
laboring under a great pressure of excitement and
prejudice against the prisoner that while your
petitioners do not deny that the trial was in itself
impartial, yet it is proper to affirm that the pris-
oner was denied the presence of two important wit
nssses by the Courts refusal, under the rule, to
continue the cause on the defendants application,
compelling him in lieu thereof TO abide by his state
ment Of their testimony-thAt said testimony
(which was the testimony of two competent and
skillful medical men, possessing peculiar means o
knowledge,) together with the testimony of several
Of the leading physicians and medical men in said
community, given at said trial, tended strongly to
show that the effects ofintoxicating liquors, proven
and admitted to have been taken in large quanti-
ties, at the time of the commission of the crime,
operating on the defendants peculiar temperament
and organization, might have and probably did
superinduce such q condition Of mind as to inca
pacitats him for forming a deliberate purpose
That a faint ofinsanity was proven to have existed
in the line of his immediate and remote ancestors,
but by reason of the prOOfoa this point being prin- |
cipally confined to England, IL was unable TO be
made as fully a the facts warranted, as we are led
to believe. That the prisoners conduct before the
homicide, at the time thereof, and after, was ex-
traordinary, and TO 4 great degree Inc plicable up
on any other hypothesis than some mental be-
W1ldeflnent or liberation. That the prisoner is a
stranger and a foreigner, without means or friends, |
whose sole vice as far us shown was the habit OF in |
temperance, and an unfortunate connection with
the deceased victim OF his Illicit love aAd phrenEy. |
That the prisoner served the country of his adop- |
tion faithfully during the war Of the great rebel |
ilOu, rising from the ranks TO the position Of Post |
Hoepital Surgeon at Vieksburg. Aud that in the |
opinion Of the undersigned the Communication of SON |
tenee above prayed Tor would be a fit exercise Of |
Executive slemsncy and would satisfy the ends Of |
Justice. |
LETTER FROM TIE DOCTORS OLD PARISH RECTOR
The following letter was written by the
rector of the parish in Mona in which
Hughes formerly resided, and was received
by him during his confinement in jail, be-
fore the commencement of his trial. Ithas, |
however, never been published till now:
BAILAuaH REorORI, Isis OF MAN,
September Goth, 1865. |
DEAR Mn. HUGHES l sm very. very sorry for
the great distress with which you are now op
pressed, and I would write a few lines sfectionate-
ly 20 endesvor TO promote your spiritual and eteT-
nal welfare. There is scarcely an hour in the day /
That l do not think OF you and pray for you. l
feel most anxious that your precious s. al may BE-
saved. And now / would entreat you most earn
esiiy T." confess most hum6ly your SINS before
God, and especially the sad deed you lately COM
mitted. AND earnestly beseeCh God to grant you
his H'ly Spirit to produce in you a real gOdly sor-
row, aud a true and deep repentance Tor that and
all your other sins, and to lead you to the Lord
Jesus Christ as the only Being whose precious
blood eau cleanse us from our sins. Oil do not
endeavor in any way to Justify yourself before God,
bnt humbly acknowledge your sinfulness before |
Him In all its fuiness. He knows all. And II We
desire to be pardoned, we must not make any ex-
euses for our sins, but freely confess them, and
own that we have nothing TO plead in our behalf
but that Jesus died for US. And what q comfort It
is that the precious blood Of clrist slsanseth from
al sin.
Dear Mr.. Hughes, be much and earnest in prayer;
pray to God to pour down upon you the spirit
Of prayer; and may he graciously help you to pray
as for eternity, and with ali the earnestness ofa
dying man.. We do not know what may be the
hnal dc ision of ( e court Of Justice: but 1 would
be truly glad il your life was spared, and that you
might spend the rest Of your days In the service of
God, aud live and die q true peniteut believer. Dc
not despair OF the mercy Of ysur Saviour, bat pray
to H.m, ami cry earnestly to Him to have mercy
urnn you, and TO fave your soul for his nercles
sake.
4 low copy a little hymn, which I believe has
been a cOmOrt - many, and may God bless 1t to the
ION Ort OF your soul:
behold the Lamb Of God, which taketh away
the sin Of the world John I. 90.
Him that cometh to me ] will in no wise cast
OUT John VI, 81.
/. Just es I am-wIthout one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed fer me,
And that Thou bidd'st me csme to Thee
Lamb OF God, 1 cOmei
2. Just as 1 am-and waiting not
To rid my soul Of one dark blot
To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spoE7
Lamb Of God, 1 ooRSI
5. just as l am-though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings within and fears without
oLamb Of COD. l comsi
1. Just as 1 am-poor wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, hsal'n Of the mind,
Yea, all ! need, In Thee to find
oLEmb Of God, 1 comet
4 Just as I am-Thou wilt receive,
VIII welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because thy promise ! believes
Lamb Of God, 1 comOl
G. Just as 1 sm-Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down,
Now, t. be Thine, yea, Thine alone
o Lamb OF Cod, / comet
DEAR Ma. HUaHEs The way in which this lit.
tbs hymn points out, lie the way in which we must
all come, as poor 10 { sinners in ourselves, and
trusting In the death and atonemsnt of our lord
Jesus Christ tor the pardon Of our sins, and the
salvation OF our souls. I intend to remember you
daily in my prayers.
May the Lord bles you with a true repentance, q
true faith in the Saviour, aud q real conversion.
am, dear Mr.. Hughes,
Your sincere ~well-wisher,