Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1870-06-22


the year following 1885, offered him q
partnership, The offer was accepted, and
he removed to Lafayette. His opportun.
ity at length came. .sHsoad a12d
Soon after the Presidential election Of
1886, a homicide was committed at La
fayettc that caused the most.-intense-ex-
citement. Mr.. J. Fl. W. Erank77a very
young man, the junior editor of d Demo-
cratic paper-had won a small wager from
Mr.. John Woods, prominent merchant, 4
on the vote of the city of NewlYpk.--s
Frank called for settlement, and was ac-
.cused by Woods of being in possession Of
the returns at the time the bet was made.
A quarrel and recouuter ensued, in which
Frank killed Woods by stabbing him with
a pocket-knife. Woods was q man of
high social position, and his party regard
ed him as a martyr whose blood was to
be avenged. White and Lockwood and
John Petit were engaged for the defense.
White and Petit prudently, perhaps. in
sisted that the safest course was to delay
the trial, get the prisoner released on
bail, and forfeit the bond. Lockwood
urged speedy trial---thatit was better
Frank should take his chance at once of
suffering the penalty of the law, than to
be waadcrer over the earth, liable to be
hunted down any hour Of his life. Frank
conceded with this view; and Fetit and
White, though continuing to counsel with
Lockwood, took no further part in the ac-
tive management of the defense. The
case was continued one term, on motion of
the State, and Lockwood had ample time
for preparation When the elcase came on
for trial, tEdward A. iHanhegan was em-
ployed to assist Lockwood, and Henry S.
Lane and Isaac Naylor appeared with ",
?. Bryant for the prosecution. 1t was,
perhaps, the most remarkable criminal
trial that has7ever occurred in indiana.
Of the counsel engaged in it, White,
Hahnegan, Petit and Lame afterward rep
resented that State in the U. s. Senate.
Fox said Of one Of his own speeches,
" If it reads we'll, it is poor speech. "
In reading Lockwood'sspeech on this tri-
al, it seems, with the exception Of the
law argument, ,declapatory and over
wrought; but no perusal can give an ad-
equate conception of its living effect. 1t
was level with the occasion fervid with
the excitement of the hour. The orator
fairly met and turned back the tide of
popular passion, by the greater passion Of
his single breast. AT times his delivery
swelled to the fury Of the storm; at 9TH
ers sank TO the plaintive moaning Of an
autumnal wind. His invective was terri
bic. He poured the gall oe years Of bit.
terness into his denunciation Of the ''soci-
ety. that demanded, and the clique that
bad contributedamouey to osecure convic-
tion. Ills statement the law was clear
and exhaustive. raising the distinctions
between murders ansillaugbter eXeusble
and iusifabIe homicide, with metaphysi-
cal s,lbtilty, and mathematical precision
In shapi & the testimony, he seemed to
make lis own case; and in applying the
law to thl facts, was severe as,logie. The
speech lasted nine hour, and who beard il
said, lit was the best jury speech ever
made on this continent-or any otherp
Frank was acquitted The case was for
Lockwood more than Erskipc's 'non-suii
of cow-beef;" it was bis supremest tri
unph, bringing him, at twenty-six, from
obscurity and neglect into the full blaze
Of popular attention and applause. ''' p
| Fora few years his professional business
wa$ large; but, at that time, every mar
il the West was aspeculstpr, and in the
repalsion that followed the flush times, he
found himself involved in debt beyond Iii
Immediate ability to pay In theisprinG
of 1912, he deposited what money he coult
raise in bank for the benefit of his credit
ors, reseryiug only a few hundred dollars
placed his son at a Catholic school in Vim
cennes, and disappeared. He had com
munic, ted his intentions and plans IN,
one, and itiwas not known, evendtodhi
own family, until long afterward, that b
so,no enoG,1bsSi a J8votaa Gb;msd,f 1,
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simply fyingfrom his demon He hadn
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