, 1872-11-20
THE CLARK-FEWELL TRAGEDY.
CHICAGO, NoT- Is, 1s7:

Shot His Victim In B1s Ff1soh Ee!a'
Brsnspis Va. ou. ~, corrsspo"ae"es o. fe 0asE'-
The trial Of Lucien n. Fswen for the murder
Of james F. Clark which has attracted such
general attention throughout this state, VAS
concluded last night by the acquitt4 OF the q &C.
part Of the defence, reminded the jury that they
we're e1pectedt to verify that pet maxim OF the
law that every mans house is his castle,
and show to the world that when one under
takes to enter that stronghold and defy the pro-
lection it should afford its inmates, he must be
prepared to take the consequences of his act.
Judge Thomas based the ground Of the defense,
Us General Payne had done before him. on the
two pleas Of justification and insanity. To sub
stantiate his first position he commented With
minuteness upon the evidence adauced in the
case, and cited the cases Of Aver, Grant, and
Pollard, Bowyer, Richardson and Mcfarland, and
others Of similar import, to show that the high
er 1aw-as he termed it--public opinion, had
always e1tenuated such deeds as Fewell COM
mitted. Judge Thomas was followed By General
Eppa Hunton, who also based the request for s
verdict Of acquittal upon the two pleas Of
justification and insanity. To sustain the first,
he recitea the circumstances attending Miss
Feweus abduction, and took the ground that
the laws Of Virginia confer upon the injured
party the privilege Of taking the life Of tho Sc
ducer. To maintain his second plea, he read
from DR.. Hammond's opinion in tho Mcfarland
trial, with reference to temporary insanity.
General Henry 4. Wise closed the argument for
the prosecution. At about TAO p. m. the jury
retired to consider upon verdict. At the axpira-
ton Of five minutes they returned, and through
their foreman, John $: Ewell, presented the fol-
lowing verdict in writing: 'sWe, Of the jury,
find the prisoner not guilty as charged in the in.
dictment."
The verdict was greeted with 1ong-continued
applause by the large number Of spectators who
had assembled in the courtroom to await the
closing scenes Of this famous trial. After his
acouittal the accused came out Of the prisoners
box and received the congratulations OF many
friends, who formed an escort Of honor and con-
Quoted him to Reid's Hotal where he supped,
and was afterwards driven to Manassas, in COM
pany with your reporter.
During the ride he conversed without reserve
upon his movements before and after the homi-
eide, and stated that instead Of lurking along.
the by-ways as was asserted by the prosecution,
he had come by the most public route from
Bristoe Station to Brentsville, On the morning
Of the shooting, twice stopping to talk with
nicated his full design. Arriving at the jail, he
found the door open, entered, and walked up
stairs to the debtors CELL where he had been IN
formed Clark YVES confined. Not finding him
here he inquired Of the occupant Of the room, .
small colored boy, who advised him where his
victim WAS. Retracing his steps, he went to the
door Of the front cell on the lower floor, where
he found Clark reclining upon his couch in the
corner, and fired
At the report OF the pistol, he said he saw lint
fly from the shoulder Of Clarks shirt, and a5 he
Jumped up and ran to the right-hand corner Of
the room he perceived a little blood trickling
down from his shoulder. The apartment is
small, ten by ten, and the door ia 80 constructed
and placed with reference to the room that the
aasai1ed could in no part of it find protection
against this assailants bullets; hence, as Feweu
was armed with two reyolvers, it became mere
question Of time how soon Clark would fall Fe-
oner made desperate attempts to defend himself,
by first endeavoring to grasp the pistol, which
he succeeded in doing, and then trying to wrench
it from him. When he found this to be impos-
| sible, he iumped to table in the center Of the
! room, and, catching lamp and salt-cellar,
| hurled them at him through the grated door:
Mr.. FewelI further stated that after he tired
the last shot he walked deliberately out Of the
Jail door aud turned in the direction OF little
belt of pines in rear OF the court green;
reaching this cover he stopped and reloaded his
pistols, and then returned to BrentsVille, pass
ing Immediately by the jail. Here he saw a
carriage, driven by Dir. Varnes, of Manassas, IN
which he took 3 seat, and the vehicle started,
but before he had gone fifty yards some part OF
the harness broke; he got out and assisted IN
repairing it. Fully fifteen minutes, he said,
were consumed before they finally drove OF,
during which time persons we're continually
passing, none Of whom offered to arrest him.
He assured me that he could have escaped at
any time during his incarceration, and to con-
firm his statement, told me the Jail WAS 80 inse-
cure that frequently during the night he would
take of his Shoes raise the door OF his cell from
its hinges, and walk in the passage.