Idaho semi-weekly world. (Idaho City, Boise County, Idaho Territory) 1867-1868, 1868-02-01
THE CASE OF ANTHoNr MenRIDr.


Some facts have come to our knp Wedge since
the publication of our last issue, in connection
with the execution of Anthony Mcbride, whose
life was taken on the scaffold at Boise City on
Friday of last week, which should be placed
before our readers. These facts have reached
+us from perfectly authentic sources, and read
,ers can place full reliance in them. il ss,
Mcbride was d young freshman
who had come to the United States the first
year of the late war, and entered the Federal
ranks almost as soon as he landed. he had
fought through the whole war, and received an
honorable discharge at the close of that long
and terrible conflict. Afterwards ne again en-
listed, and, though he had gone through all the
perilous and terrible scenes of the great civil
strife without blot upon his fair name as
soldier. and had suffered ugly wounds in close
hand to hand engagements, by some strange
freak he clouded his good name as a soldier in
the time of peace, by desertion After de-
sorting he worked for farmer in Boise Val
lev for six months, and that he continued in
one employ for that length of time is presnmp-
tive evidence that he was not an exceedingly
bad man. Last Summer, travelling in the lower
part of Boise Valley on an intensely hot day,
and when under the influence of liquor, he
killed harmless, defenceless, sleeping China
man-whose face, it is probable, he never saw,
even when he fired the fatal shot into the re-
posing form. For this offence he was tried be-
fore Judge Cummins, strenuously prosecuted,
with assistant counsel to push on his convic-
ton, while his defence, through want of means
and friends, was not so effective as it might have
been-and we mean not as regards the ability
of his counsel, for they made an able use of
the poor opportunities then afforded them; but
we allude to the lack of ordinary facilities to
procure important testimony in McBrides be-
half-and verdict of guilty of murder in the
first degree was returned; but not until the
jury had twice called for further instructions
from the Court as to the law governing the
grades of murder. In his charge to the jury,
and in his subsequent Instructions, Judge
Cummins bore very severely, most vehemently
against the prisoner, and showed himself, in
fact, to be more of the public prosecutor than
the Judge in the case. ...t
Sentence was accordingly passed, and for
some weeks Mcbride laid in prison almost
without attention or concern on the part of
any except his jailers. The sentiment was
that if he were actually guilty of the murder.
even though his victim was a Chinaman, he
Justly merited death by the rope, and none went
farther in the expression of this sentiment than
McBride's own countrymen. But the question
of his sanity Of mind was raiseds through in
formation which came from the jailcr who saw
him most, and his belief of MeBride's aberra-
ton, on occasions at least, was strengthened
and confirmed by the statements of Capt.
Keeny, with whom he had worked and lived
for six months just preceding the murder.
On this, an effort was made to procure COM
mutation of his sentence to imprisonment for
life. Petitions numerousy signed were for
warded from every place in this Basin, and
obtained in Owyhee and Ada counties also,
and presented to Gov. Ballard, praying for
such Communication. To assist, affidavits set
ting forth the atlantis absolute belief that Nc
Bride was subject to fits OF temporary aberra-
ton of mind-the consequence, it was sup
posed, of q severe sabre cut in his forehead,
got in the war were obtained from Capt
Keeney and McBride's former jailer, and
these affidavits were backed with the strongly
expressed opinion of Sheriff Lindsey to the
same end. On the presentation of these afi-
dayits to Judge Cummins-wbo seemed to
urge on the execution with peculiar vindic-
tiveness of spirit-he declared them to be
worthless. They were, however, presented to
Gov. Ballard, and he ut once ordered Com
mission of Lunacy, consisting of Doctors Mi.
neer, Stevens and Thibado, to examine Nc
Bride, and report upon the question Of his SAM
ty. These physicians reported that he was
"subject to fits of insanity" and on the ques-
ton whether he was sane at the time of their
examination, Doctors Miner snd Stevens
thought he was; DIR. Thibado was in doubt.
But this report. sufficient as 1t certainly was
to have authorized the granting of respite of
execution for week or two, at least, SO that
a more thorough and conclusive examination
could have been held, was accepted as salts
rotorv In xva rranting McRride,s eYecufion ma