Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-12-07

| "Where is the testimony ?" II aeas buried
an the grare of John b. Latin, and in the
| heart of Jane l.. Hoswel. On the night OF
| the 18th of September. with murderous knife
| he shut the mouth of John b. Latin for ever.
| On the second day of this trial he shut the
mouth of Jane L. Hoswell; and now he comes
| before yon and asks "Wherc is the testi-
| mony?' Contrast I beg of you, this man :
tenderness toward the dead and the living
! with the laws infinite tenderness toward him.
lie stands here to-day, and by the assistance
| of the ablest counsel in the county-by the
assistance of his own testimony-he contests
| point after point the accusation against him.
| In his defence he ISLANDERS the dead and the
living alike; his wife whom he says he tend
| erly loves, he accuses of the base crime OF
| adultery; and when she comes before you
to present her evidence to show you the truth
| in the case, he shuts her mouth.
On that fatal night did he allow to John b.
Latin the privilege of one poor syllable in his
defence? You know he did not, and yet you
| are asked ''Where is the evidence?" After
he had closed the mouth of the two persons
who were the only witnesses of this crime.
he goes upon the stand himself, and tells you
a story; and then asks you "Where is the
evidence to overthrow liz" You know where
it is. The counsel for the defence has told
that days ago-weeks ago-we were informed
admitted, and l was accused of bringing her
before you for other purposes than those
which are suitable. Yea verify. Having set
up the defence which ISLANDERS the character
of this woman and this dead man, they would
put her away privily. Yea verify. And you
would have been been asked, then, perhaps,
'Why was not she put upon the stand? Why
was not her evidence presented" No gen
tlernen, you have had as far as it has been in
my power, every scintillar of evidence that
would have any possible bearing upon this
case. Contrast it, l beg of you.
They claim every inch ct ground in their
favor, and rightly too,-they should have it.
About every man accused of crime, the law
throws its broad shelter of protection and of
succor. He is given every opportunity to
prove his innocence but this new rule OF law
that they desire to establish, leaves the hus-
band to be the accuser, the judge and the exc
| cutioner at once. DO you subscribe to it Does
any man that has the honor of his State, of
his country at heart, subscribe to it Tor mo-
mentf
Now, gentlemen, propose to discuss to I
slight extent, the facts in this case. | propose
to show you that dark deed as it was commit
ted. But don't care whether you take the
testimony as / understand it, or whether you
take the prisoners statement. and the undis-
puted facts of the case. propose to rely up
on that in urging upon you the conviction Of
this man for murder in the first degree /
propose to take his statements.
Let us see what the previous relations OF
these parties were. You remember how they
lived; Mr.. Lahin's shop was only a few feet
from this woman's door; it is in evidence that
other parties as we'll as herself-the paiter-
sons, were down there, sometimes, talking
with him. 1t is in evidence that it was all
done openly.
There have been two kinds of testimony up
on this point from two different classes OF
people. The one class that is typited by the
boy Simmons, who was in the stable, and the
other is tytiiiled by Mrs. Patterson. You re-
mealber the handsome testimony of that boy
His heart evidently knew no guile; he looked
upon it as common affair. He tells you that
Mrs. Hoswell would speak to him in the midst
of her conversation with Mr.. Latin; his mind
was perfectly clear, plain and open, not sus-
pecting anything: but when you take minis
of different class, and there are minds OF
that class who are ready to snap up adulteries
and wickedness from the purest heart in the
world; those.people saw il all with jaundiced
eyes. They reasoned from their own conduct,
and not from the conduct of honest people.
Secret adultery" and all this talk carried on
IN the open air, and in the presence of the pry-
ing eyes of the Meader family Carried on
in the presence of every chance visit to that
stable-in full sight of Geo. Ordway-in full
sigbt of every one who might MAKE his an
nearance in ,b,t vicinity-a look from these
overhanging windows, Does man who
knows in his heart that he is trespa ssinr up0n
-: :,t, :r,.J IL :, oa.ri > In.
very existence of "a secret crime like adultery
precludes any such appearances as have been
presented for your consideration. They neg
alive it as surely as the testimony which they
have introduced themselves negatives that
foolish idea of insanity. Further than that
they tell YOU about that scene of The gum. "
Now YOU remember the testimony of those
witnesses; you remember Mrs. Patterson and
Miss Meader; you remember how they came
upon the stand. Miss Meader simpered as
she told the story; she had got a choice bit OF
scandal with which to enlighten you.
And not even the solemnity of this trial
could keep her countenance in shape tell
Won. q, ntleman of the jury-''Butter has
melted in their mouths" before. If that scene
ever took place, and the other two witnesses
are torn from your sight if it ever did, ask
Won as men of sense, of experience. of knowl-