Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-06-03
Tho West Trial.
a BRIEF RRsUNE OF THE oAsE-0 0REAT INTEREST
FELT IN TIE TRIAL = THE OPENING PROCEEDINGS.
Down. June 3. 1873.

BRIEF RheUME OF THR CAsE-0R INTEREST
FELT IN TIE TRIAL - THE OPENING PRooEEDEE0s
DOVER, June 3, 1878.
No criminal event has ever occurred in this State,
within the memory Of many men, which caused
50 much excitement and public interest as the
murder OF Henry Turner, colored, by DR.. Isaac @.
West, for which the latter is now being tried.
The circumstances attending the crime were so
revolving in there nature, that they caused thrill
of horror to extend over the entire Peninsula,
while for cold blOoded atrocity the deed has never
been paralielsd in the criminal annals Of our
State.
The details Of the affair, at the time of its COM
initial, were published in full in the columns Of
the GAZETTE 80 that it is not necessary that more
than brief synopsis be given here.
Prof. Isaac Z. West, the murderer of Henry
Turner, is aboat 80 years of age, a Delawareall
| by birth, of respectable connections, and up to
| the time Of the murder, was always regarded as n
young man of exemplary character and good
standing. He was graduate of Dickinson Col
lege, and studied both law and medicine, but
| never practiced either to any extent. During his
his stay at Dover he was at first employed as an
assistant in private school, but afterwards rent
| ed an Office, and began experimenting IN gas Of
his own manufacture, which he claimed would
cure consumption. 1t was in this office that the
horrible tragedy occurred.
His victim was Henry, or as he was more IA
mihaTly known, "Cooch" Turner, an inohenslve
negro, who gained q livelihood by dong all sorts
of jobs and errands for the people of Dover
About one o'clock, on Wednesday morning,
Dec 4th, 1872 the residents in the vicinity of DR..
Vests effice, were alarmed by heavy explosion,
ana when some of them repaired TO the spot, the
building was discovered TO be in flames. These
were sooR extinguished, aud several men entered
the Office, when they were horTlhed at discovering
upon the floor, the partially burned body OF a man
whom they at first supposed to be Prof. West,
with the head, hands and feet missing. The sup
position then was that the Professor had been ex-
penmenting with his gas, when an explosion OF
the retort took place, with this sad result
But soon grave suspicious began to be aroused.
The body was discovered to be completely skin
ned no evidence Of the whereabouts of the head,
hands end feet, appeared in the office under the
hooT, near the body was found a sufficient quaint
ity of powder to have blown the building and bo-
dy TO atoms, had il been exploded. Through the
day, the absence of "Cooch Turner" was observed,
and then the opinion began to gather force that
he had been murdered by DIR. West. Soon this
was the prevailing belief, and the sympathy at
first extended to the Professor, for his supposed
melancholy fate, was changed to feelings Of hor
rcr and indignation, at his revolving crime.
Diligent search was made for the murderer, but
without avail, though traces Of his departure were
discovered. He lett Dover, and proceeded as faI
as Salisbury, Nd, but without stopping there, re-
turned to Dover, on the following Friday even.
| ing, and surrendered himself TO the Sheriff, Ol
Kent county. Attorney General Lore was in
stantly telegraphed for, and that night, beforg
him, and the Coroner's jury, West made ful
| and complete confession OF his crime, which wal
published in the GAZETTE, the next day. He
claimed that he committed the deed in seli-de
fence, and it is this question which the Court vii
/ determine.
As before stated, the case has excited the mos
intense interest, and the court room will probably
be packed with spectators at the opening Of tht
Court of Oyer and Terminer, this morning. Wes
will be defended by Hon. Willard Salisbury, ant
all that legal acumen and argumentative abilt!
can do, will be brought to bear upon the eouT
and the Jury, to secure the Acquittal of the prise
nee, or a lessing of the grade of his crime. H
also has quite a number OF friends and supporters
who, notwithstanding appearances are SO mucl
against him, stoutly maintain their belief in hi
explanation and attempt to palliate his sickenin
attempts to conceal the evidences of his crime.
The case was called up for trial at the regula
term of the Court Of Oyer and TermineT, bu
was postponed, on motion Of Vests counsel, an
the Court adjourned until this time. Since hi
imprisonment, West has been treated with kind
ness by the prison officials, and strange, to say
has remained hopeful and and confident of his u
innate acqulttal.