Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-20

tial manner by his Honor Judge James E.
Rice, took the ease at O'Clock in the after
noon of Tuesday last, and after remaining
out two hours returned verdict of
- ESQ GUILTY Cd MURDER a.-H
in the first degree. At this announce
ment there was some stir among the large
number of spectators present, many of
whom had come twenty miles to hear the
case argued. The counsel for the defense
moved a new trial, and in arrest of judg-
ment, both of which being Overruled, the
court proceeded to pronounce
TUE DEATH SENTENCE.
This was done in manner most solemn
by Judge Rice, it being the first time in the
discharge of his judicial duties he has ever
been called upon to censign a fellow-being
to the extreme penalties of the law. -
THE SCENE v
once witnessed cannot soon be effaced, but
will be dread warning to the malefactoF,
and picture fraught with much good to
the law abiding citizen. The wives of
THE CONDEMNED
and unfortunate prisoners were present,
and though this terrible scene caused 9th
ers to deeply feel for them, still neither of
these was seen to shed tear. Poole re-
ceived his sentence with that stole indiffsr-
ence which the world, when wishing to
bind the brow of desperation with hOl-
low and knocking laurel, is wont to call
''manful." Mahafy showed some signs of
trepidation as the court told them they
must be hung Friday, the first day Of
August, 1872.
another picture and one more affecting
to the eye Of every behOlder was made by
the presence of
THE MURDERED MANS WIFE.
Before the throne of human Justice,
within the sound of voices which related
the dark deed and asked for punishment,
was lonely woman, her heart wrung
with grief aud bleeding anew as each word
opened the wounds and brought again the
sad remembrance of a husbands death.
Few were they who gazed on that pale aud
care-wOrn brow without being deeply
touched with feelings of greatest sympathy.
From distant land had she come, but now
no one was left to help her more; stranger
woman. not unpitied was she, FOR in the
presence of a tribunal loving justice and
condemning crime, innocence is guarded
to the lo8liest and punishmentggiven the
Hottest. Deep interest was manifested
throughout the progress Of this trial by the
citizens generally, which eliminated in a
vast crowd to
THE CONCLUDING ARGUMENTS
Tuesday, by Hon. John F. House and Gen.
Bate. The speech of Col. House is said to
have been one of the most eloquent and
lofty expressions Of oratOry ever made by
this brilliant speaker. We understand that
Gen. Bate, in his argument, was very Sc
we're, showing the enOrmity Of the crime
aud the tTpitude which conceived it. All
of the attorneys did their duty, presenting
arguments well founded both in point of
fact and principle Of law. There were
about .
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY WITNESSES
summoned in this case, and between sixty
and seventy examined. As to the guilt of
the prisoners, we have nothing to say.
While the evidence, we admit, is strong, yet
inasmuCh as it is almost entirely, if not to-
tally, circumstantial, it is not for us, but for
the law, to determine whether or not it be
so conclusive as to warrant the death sen
tenGe, from which the parties have prayed
AN APPEAL TO THE SUPREME COURT.
The case drew hundreds of people to
Springfield, the courthouse being crowded.
During the delivery ofseveral of the speeches
the deepest interest was manifested, and at
times the Judge, jury and spectators could
not refrain from tears, while the dark reali-
ties of crime which shadow our land were
being depicted by the eloquence of impas-
siORed oratory. The trial is certainly a re-
markable one, and had the parties accused
and the man who is murdered, occupied
conspicuous social position, would have en-
riched the pages Ofevery pictorial paper ia the
lard. Though the facts are plainly stated,
they could if wreathed in fancy's flowers
or touched into a more romantic life by the
soflened CLEAN of imagination, produce a
story of magnificent interest, surpassed
not by the most thrilling creations Of fiction.
Yet over the dark deeds Of erring bumani-
ty it were better to drop the veil of truth
and silent compassion, than dangle its vic
Tins before the public eye.