Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-28
CONCLUSION OF A MURDER TRIAL
IN RAITIMORE-RCEN IN CnTRT

IN hALIImOHE-SCEN IN COURT.
The trial of John Clare, indicted for the
murder Of Henry B. Grove, on the 29th Of
October, 1866, was concluded on Thursday
night in the Circuit Court Of Baltimore
county, by a verdict of murder in the firat
degree. Il was proved during the trial,
exclusively by circumstanfial evidence, that
Clare, who is a young man of twenty-five
or three, shot Grove in the photograph gal
lery Of the latter, in Baltimore, and taking
his money and watch, few to Washington,
his place Of residence, where he was ar
rested, and the watch recovered from a man
with whom he had pawned it. The Balti-
more Sun gives the following account of the
conclusion Of the trial and the incidental
scene in the court room:
The case was given to the jury at P. NJ.
Judge Emory informed them that he would
keep the court in session one hour 10 receive
their verdict. Aiter the retirement of the
jury, but few persons left the court room,
except for a brief interval. The anxiety Of
the persons present, among whom were
several ladies, was betrayed by their rest
lessness of movement and by the expression
of their countenances. Even the counsel
in the case could not conceal their anxiety.
The prisoner, Clare, remained seated in the
box, with bailif at his side. The court
room was lighted only by two or three tai
low candles and one oil lamp, and was al
most sepulchral in its gloom. Yet, by the
dim light, the youthful tenant of the pris-
oner's box exhibited more emotion than he
had previously manifested. There we're
those near to him, however, 10 whom he
was dear, and whose trepidation, as the
crisis Of his fate approached, was palpably
visible.
Almost at the exact termination Of the
hour, IS O'Clock, movement was heard
in the direction Of the grand jury room.
Immediately every voice was hushed and
every footfell suspended The bailiff in
charge Of the jury entered the courtroom
with a lamp in his hand, followed by the
Jury. Amidst the silence which prevailed,
Judge Emory directed the clerk TO call the
Jury, after which the clerk said: "John
Glare, hold up your right hand" The
prisoner rose, made step forward, so that
he rested against the trial table, and held
mp his right hand. The clerk said: Gen
tlemen of the jury, have you agreed upon
your verdictp which was responded 20
afirmatively "Who shall say for you ?'
Answer-"Our foreman" Clerk-"Do You
find the prisoner at the bar guilty or not
guilty Of the matter whereof he is chargedg"
Amidst the almost breathless silence the
foreman responded-"We find the prisoner
g,iiiy Of muT1er IN he first degree" At this
moment the right arm Of the prisoner
dropped like lead, and his body fell forward
with heavy thug upon the table before
him. Half Suppressed evidences of
emotion were heard in various direc-
tions. The sobs of women were audible,
and the PALE cheek and even the
tears Of men were visible. Many of the
iurymen wept at the sight, and few persons
in that crowded hall could conceal their |
emotion. Tie clerk suspended for mo-
ment the requisite formalities, while twoof |
the bailifis supported the form of the pris- |
oner, which still rested, apparently mani |
mate, upon the table. The clerk resumed : |
" Your foreman says you find the prisoner |
guilty Of murder in the first degree, and so
you say all" 70 which all bowed aflirma- |
lively. The court directed the clerk to re-
cord the verdict. The bailifs then sup
ported the prisoner TO his seat, upon which /
he reclined, motionless and silent, with his |
handkerchief and hands covering his
face.
The counsel for the defense stated that |
they would fle in writing a motion in ar
rest Of Judgment 'for errors apparent upon |
the face Of the record" which was done.
The attention Of the spectators was then
again drawn to the prisoner, who remained |
in the same position, and they crowded /
around him with eager eyes until the bailifs /
requested all TO withdraw from the court
room, which they did. The PROSTATE form
of the miserable prisoner was then borne to
his narrow cell in the county Jail