New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-07-20

fFram the Macon tdissJ Beacon
In the county court last week the case Of the
State agan,tSutana Allen, for SANDER, excited as
much interest as any that has ever originated in
this county. The defendant, Mrs. Allen, is old
respectable widow lady Miss Eliza MCGOWAN,
the lady against whose character the SANDER was
charged to have been uttered, is lady OF good
family and unbIemi.hed character, an orphan, re-
siding with her sister. Mrs. Aliens plea was not
guilty, aud -" iastlhCatlOu.h The examination Of
witnesses assumed the broadest latitude. Miss
McGOYau conduct through lite, from childhood
TO the day Of the alleged sLdnder, was the subject
0filquiry,
Nearly the entire ncighbOrho0d in which the
parties reside were present witnesses for the
one side or the other, The case, without any
charges from the court, was submitted to the jury,
and the question of the guilt or innocence of the
defendant left to their determination. ln a short
time they returned a verdict OF guilty.. Five OF
the Jury, on account Of the age aud iniirm condi-
ton Of Mrs. Allen, the defendant, recommend her
to the mercy Of the court, After some consulta-
ton on the bench, Judge McLelland the chief JUS
tiCe of the court, turned to the prisoner and in
substance said Mrs. Allen you have been pre-
scented before the court on a charge of SANDER
OF wilfully traduCng the character Of an innocent
defeuseIess young lady Of your neighborhood. In
your defense, the court perhaps erred in permit
ting you the latitude OF investigation into the
character and conduct of MCGOWAN, which you,
ander the advice of your counsel, thought neces-
saTy for your defense.
Ii we erred in this, it was on the side of mercy.
and we are content. The result Of all your inves-
legations has been fall vindicat0n of the charac-
ter of the young lady whose character you have
impugned, and while this is most happy result
for her, it is most unfortunate one for you. The
jury selected bg youto try your case have declared
you guilty of the matters charged in the indict-
ment, and it now becomes the unpleasant duty OF
this court to impose the sentence of the law upon
you. In determining the punishment to be infct
ed the court has taken into consideration youI
sex, your age and the recommendation OF a por
ton Of the jury who sat upon your case, and We
have, in consequence Of these things, made YOU
punishment much lighter than, under different cir
cumstances your crime deserves The sentence
of the court is that you be fined in the sum O
$500 and be imprisoned in the county jail for the
term Of six months.
When this sentence was pronounced Miss Nc
Gowan burst into tears. She asked her counsel i
it was necessary for the complete vindication Q
her character that Mrs Allen should be really in
prisoned in the county jail and when informe
that the verdict of the jury was q full and com
plete vindiCaton of her character she desired tn
court to remit the punishment. She said she ha
no VindictiVe feelings against her criminal accu
ser; that having no other protector, she had al
pealed to this court, and that now by is ludgmen
she was fully protected from all further caumny
she prayed the court, through her counsel, to hav
mercy upon the unfortunate being who had jus
boon sentenced.
When Miss McGowan's request was made know
to the court, there was a stiffness, a soemnity,
depth of feeling seldom if ever, witnessed in
court Of Justice There sat the young, innocen
and injured girl, pleading for mercy for that oil
woman who had sought, by her slanderous tongu
at home and the course Of her defense in court
blaeken and forever ruin her reputation, the onl
patrimony left her by her dead father and mothe
Such magnanimity is almost beyond human col
ception. The court, the bar the audience, wei
moved to silence, and not few to tears. FL
some moments the stiffness of death peryaded tt
assembly. The judges were moved by the PEI
ton of the young lady, aud the fine and lmprlso
ment were remitted.