The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-03-02
Attempted Tragedy I'm the
Court Room!
The Negro Convicted Of Grand
Larceny, and Sent 10 the Peni-
Tertiary for Five Years.

Under the transcendental ministrations
of the latter day reformers, society has
been undergoing many radical changes.
The Utopia of the gifted Tilton and his
school of philosophers and savans is rap
idly becoming developed. Harrison
County appears to have been selected by
the gods as the point where the first line
of skirmishers should obtain foothold,
and from its sacred soil light and knowl-
edge be radiated to the benighted world.
Amalgamation of the white and black
races has been talked of, and many theo-
ries advanced about the equality of the
races-but we have looked upon the liu-
ing principle, felt the mutterable loath.
ing instructive in nature, and rccoil in
horror from any further development of
"civilization' through such agencies.
At the recent session of the Grand
Jury of Harrison County, Thomas Dow
den, a negro, about the color of lamp
black, 90 years of age, was indicted for
the seduction, under promise Of ma,7't-
age, of white girl named Lydia NJ.
Amos, daughter of Silas H. Amos, a
wealthy farmer of North township, this
county. The girl is but IA years of age.
The case came up for hearing last
Thursday morning before, the Court of
Common Pleas, Hon. G.. w. McIlvaine
on the bench. Cunningham and Pearce
represented the State, and j. NJ. Estep,
ESQ, was assigned by the Court as coun-
sci for the negro. The case was tried to
the regular jury--neither party making
any challenge The Court room was
densely packed with an excited audience,
but as the negro had been arraigned be-
fore the Court-the law having been in
voked to punish the heinous otfense, the
determination appeared to be that the
negro should have a fair trial. The jury
was very intelligent one, and in poll
tics about equally divided.
We listened to the evidence, but the
facts broaght to light by it are too dis
gushing for publication in detail. 1t ap-
pears that the negro, Dowden, had beer
in the employ of Mr.. Amos, as a farm
hand, for near year, living in the fami
Ily. Mr.. Amos, who is kindly disposed
gentleman. and somewhat of philan
thropist, had treated the negro with great
kindness, which was rewarded Only by
treachery and wrong. The negro appear:
to have gained the affections of tht
daughter, said to be but fourteen years
of age, and for several months had sec
udl intercourse with the girl
Considerable interest was manifested
when the girl was brought upon thu
stand She is large of her age, vel
formed, and rather good dlooking
weight about 13O gounds, intelligent anC
we'll educated. She appeared of an in
dependent disposition and in no way con
cerned at the crowd
She testified that the criminal conncc
tons commenced about the first of No
vember, 1868, and that she was scduccC
to it by an agreement with the negro tc
elope to Oberlin, Ohio, or to the State q
Michigan, and there be married.
The negro testified that the crimina
connection commenced Ill August last
and that the agreement to elope ant
marry was not pade until November .o'
D&elnber =.
At noon, while Sheriff McPeck wal
on the stand, as witness for the State
objection was made to the admission o
portion of his testimony, and Cour
was adjourned for one hour. Immedi
atcly upon the adjournment of the Court
and before the crowd had commenced tc
disperse, Miss Amos, the prosecuting
witness, who had been sitting but a few
feet from the prisoner, and facing him
drew a revolver from her pocket, hurri
edly pointed it at the negro and attempt
Ell to shoot him. But the pistol ha,
only been brought to half cock or els
only came to q half,cock when the trie
ger was pulled, and it did not go of
The greatest excitement prevailed; bu
before the experiment could be repeated
bystanders and the Sheriff interfcred,a AN,
i she wa, t,isarmed Her father also du