Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-11-02


Chief Justice Chase has given notice that |
lie will preside at the trial Of Jefferson Davis, |
provided the parties will consent to bring
it on NOV. 18th, instead of Nov. 27th-the |
latter being the day specified in Davis bail
bond for his appearance to answer to the
indictment found against him. As the Chief
Justice is 20 preside in the Supreme Court,
which commences its annual session on the
first Monday in December, his request is rea.
sonable, and, we presume, will be acceded
to. SO We may consider it settled that the
trial will commence on the 18th inst, and
that the Chief Justice will preside This
the whole country will be glad to hear. May
VIC not now hope that the Attorney General
will lead the prosecution This is no petty
larceny matter. 1t were sheer af1tectation to
mistake it as other than grea. State trial
one destined to be cited as a precedent-to
be studied and commented on through many
years. The questions involved are those OF
public and constitutional law--therc are no
facts in dispute, and the examination of
witnesses need not occupy two hours. We
Judge, also, that the impanneling of the
Jury need excite little interest, since the is
sue must depend on the law of the case as
ruled by the Court. That Jefferson Davis
levied war against the United States is as
incontcstabc u fact as that Andrew Johnson
is now President, or Salmon p. Chase Chief
Justice; we cannot suppose that eminent
lawyers will hesitate to admit it. And, as
the only grave questions involved are qucs.
tons of law, it would seem plain that the
law on which conviction is demanded
should be propounded and set forth by the
highest law officer of the Government-in
effect, by the Government ITSELF
Sixty years have elapsed since the only
great State trial in our Federal history-that
of Aaron Burr, late Vice President of the
United States, also for treason. Davis has
not filed quite SO lofty a station, having
! been U. S. Senator and Secretary of War ;
/ but then he was the President of a confcd
erncy which for four years divided and de-
! fed the whole power Of the Union. Then
! the Chief Justice was from the South. the
accused from the North now the positions
are reversed; but it is notable that Rich
mond is the scene Of both trials.
Judge Underwood would have tried the
case with perfect uprightness and judicial
impartiality; yet it is filter that the Chief
Justice should preside. And the proprie-
ties dictate as plainly that the Attorney
General should lead the prosecution. Let it
be borne in mind that the American people
are virtually the plaintiff in this case, and
that the civilized world will note its pro.
grcss and award the ultimate verdict.
--.--------->> >----------.-.---
TnRILLING OCCURRANCE IN MAuANoY
Cry AdrT0r Escape o. q Young Girl tr0m,
bting toya to pieces By Mchinery.-On Friday
afternoon Of last week, young girl named
Alice Bowman, 10 years of age, residing in
Mahanoy City, made narrow escape from
a terrible death, in Hopes & Co.'S new
steam flour mill, in that Borough. 1t seems
that on the afternoon named Miss Bowman
with two other girls, entered the mill, and
assembled to the second story, in which
there was an upright shaft revolving at the
rate Of twenty eight revolutions per minute
None of the men employed in the mill be-
ing in the room, two of the girls, one Miss
Bowman conceived the idea of getting upon
the shaft and riding around. In short time
Miss Bowman's companion finding that her
clothing had caught in some bolts in the
shaft, jumped off, fortunately without injury
to herself. But when Miss Bowman attempt
cd to jump she discovered that her hoop
skirt had become entangled in the machin-
cry, aud that it was being twisted around
the shaft, drawing her closer and closer with
every revolution. The alarm was given by
her companions. One of the men ran up
stairs, but could render no assistance to the
girl in her critical position, until the engine
was stopped, some two or three minutes af.
ter she became entanglcd. The engine was
stopped just in time to save the girls life
for if it had run half IL minute longer, she
would, inevitably, have been torn to pieces.
As it was, her body was much bruised, and
her clothing torn Of. 1t was a narrow cs-
cape from fearful death. The lesson is
useful, as it teaches her and Others that
steam machinery cannot be trihcd with with
impunty. Miners Journal, 26h aH.