The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-09-24
The Hon. Charles 5. Spcnccr's Appeal
for John Scannrl.

Mr. CHARLES s. SPESCEns remarkable
statement printed in yesterdays Sun has
attracted very general attention among those
who have taken an interest In the dastardly
attempt upon the life of THOMAS DoNouUE.
The statement contains damaging admissions
concerning the whereabouts OF the suspected
JOIN SCANNED. ScANSEL's friends have
insisted that he was at Copake before, at the
time Of and subsequent to the shooting.
Even his mother, as late as last Wednesday,
asserted most firmly that he had not been
in the city for two months 1t was not until
after the visit of THE Suns reporter to
Copakc, and his exposure on Thursday of
the untruthiulness of these assertions TINT
ScANNEG's friends made n different state
| ment and now We have the voluntary ad-
| mission by the counsel of the accused that he
| is held in concenlment.
Mr. CHARLES S. Spencer acknowledges
in this statement that he knows the where
abouts Of the fugitive, and is in communica.
ton with him. The significance of this au-
thoritatye statement is that il il a second
excuse for SCANNEI' 5 alsence, and one which,
in all probability, would not have been made
Lut for the exposure by the SIS reporter of
the untruthfulness OF the former. 1t
amounts, Therefore, 20 n confession that false
hood is invoked by the SCANNED party to de-
feat tie efforts of the officers o. the law to
bring a suspected man TO justice. 1t is also
an admission that SCAHNEL's present con.
cealmcnt is expressly TO avoid arrest and
imprisC ment.
On this point his counsel sets up a wonder
| full Plea for him. He is III mud un ,blc to
| endure protracted confinement Is not Mr.
DJSoHUr i'll as well? And can lie avoid
| the Trotractel confinement that his cowardly
css.lant Las forced upon him? 1t Is new
doctrine that suspected party should lie suf
| i-rod to ROMAN at large because long con
huem' Il. M ght procule lis trial The public
may accept tbs novel plea Of VI Spf&eER
rs nm admission OF his clients guilt. Ger
talaly, If hcis innocent OF tie charro, nc can
readily establish the fact by proof of his
Whereabouts during last Monday night
MIR SPENCER may be honest in lIs COZ.
y'''ion of the innocence Of his client; but
! tie camcstuess of his convictions. Thus
When lie asserts that JOHN SCANNED is in
| crpal., # attempting assassination, and par
| tlcularly Of assuring a disguise for the ac
| ccmpllshmcnt of n murlcrous purpose, he
trespasscs upon the crcduli,y of the public
That JOHN ScANNEL warned DoNouUE on
one occasion to defend himself nay be true
But on at least two occasions he sought to
take DoSoHUE's life in a cowardly manner.
During the progress of the Coroner's in
quest on the body of FLoREEcE ScANfTL,
JoHN was only prevented from shooting
DoNOHUE through the vigilance of the 10.
| Ice, who held him in check. On another
occasion, when DoNoHUE was standing on
the sidewalk in front of Chamberlain BRAD
LEY's stables IN Third avenue, JoHN SCAH-
MEL was observed rushing toward him
with a drawn pistol, cooked aud aimed
friend of Mr. DoNoHuE's caught Do, O.
HUE around the waist and pushed Inn
| into the Office of the stables, taking care to
intcrposc his own body between tho lcycllcd
pistol and his friend Mr. SPENCER is most
likely ignorant of these facts, or he would
not boast Of the honor and man. mt 81 Of his
client
One other fact Mr.. SPENCER conveys the
impression in his card that DoNoUuE still
rests under tie charge Of shooting FLoREHCE
scANNLi, and IL at large on bail, When a
packed Coronors jury made that accusat ION
against DoNoIUE, the latter came from the
State of Connecticut, and voluntarily sur
rendered himself for trial. But the Grand
Jury threw the Indictment out for want of
evidence thus fully acquttng the acc used
Lat John scANEEL bctray the same conf
ldance IN Lis innocence OF the acrlo Us charge