Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-07-21
From the Philadelphia Enquirer, July II
Con fessiOn of n Murderer.
Four YEARS SILENCE AT LENGTH
BRoKEN-THE MAGGIE CARNEY MUIR.
DER IN PHILADELPHIA.

FOUR YEARS SILENCE AT LENGTH
BRoKEN-THE MAGGIE CARNEY MUIR
DER IN PHILADELPHIA.
On the 10th day of August, 1866, Mag
gle Carney, Young woman, was found
in one OF the upper rooms of the house at
Northwest corner of Eleventh street and
Marks lane, with her throat cut and life
extinct. Newton Champion, who had
kept her company for long time, was
arrested Immediately afterward, charged
with the preparation of the crime. The
accused, who had been an engineer in the
navy, was soon arraigned for trial, and
during the proceedings it was both at.
tempted to prove an abb and to show that
the prisoner was insane. Witnesses
proved conclusively the presence of the
accused with the deceased but few
minutes before her death, and his absence
Immediately afterward. The jury, after
due deliberation, brought a verdict Of
murder in the fret degree. During the
trial, several physicians were called TO
give their opinion as to the accuseds in
sanity. The weight of their testimony,
however, was against him, and immedi-
ately after conviction the mother of the
condemned proceeded to Harrisburg sew
eral times, and importunisg Gov. Curtin
so vehemently to save her sons life on the
ground of alleged insanity, the Executive
at last was so moved by the appeals to his
sympathy and love of justice that he
appointed commission of three
physicians to examine into and
report upon the actual state OF
the mind of Champion. A report was
made that the condemned man was insane,
and consequently the Governor never
signed his death-warrant, and he was al
lowed to remain in prison. About year
after Champion had been incarcerated
symptoms of consumption seemed to be
evinced, and as the disease grew worse
DIR. Smith told the unfortunate man that
unless he secured his freedom and obtained
plenty of fresh air and exercise he would
soon die. Then Champion instructed his
mother, who frequently visited him, not
any longer "to use the crazy dodge and
prattle about insanity, for that was all
nonsense and farce, but to appeal to the
Governor for liberation on the ground of
fast failing health and the near approach
of death. But the Governor had no incli-
nation to further interfere, and SO Cham
pion was left to his fate. Under the con-
fnement he gradually wasted away. On
Sunday night he breathed his last, and an
evening or two before he sent for Benia-
min +. Butcher, the assistant physician of
the prison, and said to him that as he be-
heved death was very near at hand, he
would make full and clear confession to
him, so that the world might know all the
facts bearing upon the unfortunate affair
de commenced by saying that he had
loved the girl, Maggie Carney, most
dearly. Others courted her society, and
this rendered him jealous-and more than
jealous. 1t maddened him to despera-
ton. When she left the city and went to
Mount Holly, he followed her thither and
caused her to return to the city. Here
he again pressed her to become his wife.
But to this she would not yield. She had
fallen, but he loved her madly, an to live
without her as his own he felt it to be an
1mpossibility. So, while bordering on a
state OF frenzy, he accompanied her, as on
former occasions, to her chamber in one
of the upper rooms of the dwelling on
Eleventh street, at the corner of Marks
lane, and while they were seated together
he placed his arm around her neck and
produced concealed razor, which he in
stantly dew across her neck. The blood
gushed forth In torrent, and in mo-
ment she feel back pale and lifeless. He
had a pistol in his possession which he
intended using With it he was going
to take his own miserable life. His hand
quivered, and his courage to do so forsook
him. Then quickly and by stealth he
left the house to seek a grave beneath the
rivers surface; but agaia he could not
face the King of Terrors. After proceed
ing several squares he grew so faint that
he could proceed no further, and he
sought rest at the house of a relative in
the neighboThood. While here he
ertaken by the officers of justice who were
close on his track. Among his last
sayings were some tender words kindly
breathed for the poor girl whom he muir
dered. He said that he often prayed for
his Maggie, and it was his ardent hope
and earnest belief that he would meet her
in heaven. Thus ended the career OF
Newton Champion. He was young man
of more than ordinary talent, an engineer
in the navy, beloved and trusted by his
brother officers. During the trial many of
them exerted themselves to their utmost
to secure his acquittal, but his offence was
80 gross and palpable, without tho least
shadow of justification or excuse, that, in
accordance with the evidence. the jury,
with full regard for their aaths, could
not have rendered verdica different from
that which they gave and which branded
him rs a murderer, ana would have con-
signed him to the gallows, but for the re-
port of the Commission of Lunacy, which
reported him TO have been of uusound
mind, and consequently, in the eye of the
lew, not responsible for the dark deed
which he committed.
At the time of the sad occurrence, New
ton, who was eviyently not more thar
thirty years OF age, resided with hi.
mother in the vicinity OF Thirteenth anc
Ogden streets. The prison authorities
Immediately upon the death of Champion
turned the body over to his relatives fo
burial