Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-06-16
THE CLINT0N MURDER CASE.

Judge Eippin gave his decision on
the application Tor new trial in the
case of Charles Clinton, who was con-
victed of the murder of his wife, Carrie,
a few months ago. The murder was
committed in the Webster Block in the
month Of February last, and the facts
were fully published at the time of the
tragedy. Judge Flippin reviewed the
testimony at considerable length,
| and particularly referred to the medical
testimony which had been adduced in
regard to the plea of insanity set up by
| the defense, He said he had drawn tho
attention OF the jury to that testimony
in particular, and the decision arrived
at on that point had met the apprOba-
ton of the court. In regard 20 the plea Of
| drunkenness, the learned Judge said he
had had considerable difficulty in arriv-
ing at a conclusion, and had given the
plea the very greatest consideration.
The evidence showed that on the after
noon of the day on which the defendant
killed his wife he was in q
state of ~intoxication, and that while
being conveyed up to his room in the
Webster Block, in the afternoon, he
quarreled with a man and drew q
knife upon him. He then went to his
room, locked the door, and in a short
time sounds of quaTreling were heard
Nissuing from the room, and his wife was
heard implOring him not tokill her. at
was, indeed, a strange proceeding said
Judge Flippin, ''to lock the door of his
room at that time of the day.u He
then went on to remark relative to the
actions and words of the defendant,
when he went for the Doctor in the
evening, telling him that his wife was
very III, and in a minute or two after
ward saying she wa dead, and he found
he had killed her. The Doctor went to
to the room, where he found the unfor-
tunate woman
LYING DEAD ON THE BED,
stripped completely naked, The sheet
of the bed bore the appearance of having
been partially washed, there being marks
of water and blood on it, while behind a
trunk was an old dress saturated with
blood as fit had been used to wipe
away the stains of the bloody deed. All
that testimony showed that the defend
ant could not be 50 drunk asnCt to know
what he was doing. The Supreme Court
II Tennessee had decided that drunken
ness couldnoJ be urged as an excuse for
the commission of a crime, and that a
man could commit murder in the first
degree while in a state of drunkenness.
Judge FIippin then said that it was with
the greatest pain that the court had
come to the conclusion that the defend
ant had struck down and killed the wo-
man, who at the altar he had vowed to
love and cherish, and he was therefore
under the painful necessity of
OVERRIDING THE MOTION
for a new trial, and therefore the verdict
of the jury must stand.
Mr.. Q. P. NJ. Turner then moved that
sentence be passed upon the prisoner.
Judge Flippin, who seemed TO be
deeply moved, then passed sentence of
death upon the prisoner, Charles Gin
ton, fixing the day Of execution on Fri
day, the second day Of August.
THE PRISONER,
who was very pale, listened to the re-
marks of Judge Flippin very earnestly,
aud when sentence of death pronounced,
seemed fully to realize his fearful situa-
ton.