Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-06-14
THE WEST TRIAL
Sneech ofHon. Willard
Salisbury.


nssssd lived for l8 years In Dover, and
Tas therk a pupu to DR.. West. On
W,dnesday Of Thanksgiving week saw
prof. West In the Wilmington depot |
about 10 d. M; witness had a converse
lion with him; West told him he was
waiting for the train be had peculiar
iook was restless and seemed to be In /
treat trouble; witness remarked at the |
lime TO a Mr.. Jones, that If West was |
rot crazy he was drunk never knew |
West TO drink saw West again the next |
Jay at sixth and Chestnut streets In Phil |
adelphia and spoke 10 him West said he
Ind a little busines to attend 10 In Phila'
Jelphla and had, therefore, not gone to
Dover, as Nc had Intended he bad the
same look on Thursday as he had on
Wednesday night; the look and manner
was in marked contrast to anything wit
ness had previously observed In west
witness believes that West was Insane on
that occasion.
the case.
The prosecution in reply;
Edward Ridgely recalled. Has some
curlositles that were presented to him by
a friend they are snakes and tish pre-
served in alcohol. (Exhibted.)
Cross eXamination-He never expected
10 stnrt a museum on them and never
expected to make big thing out Of them.
VIM. d. Fowler, sworn-Has not been
a collector Of curiosities to any great ex
tent; had, on one occasion, bought some
from some one and had them in his place
Of business for some time he never ex-
pected TO make public museum out OF
Them, nor to realize "big thing " out
OF
Bsriah Watson, recalled-llad heard
of south American fortune, hut does not
know whether ii was when West was ad-
dressing his present wife; After the wed
Ding West was at the Office of the witness,
nj witness told him all that yarn was
in order to get the lady to this West
made no reply in words but laughed
heartily; this was after his marriage /;
has frequently had conversation with
West. but has never visited his office,
although West has been in the office OF
he witness he also visited West In jail.
where he advised West not to talk so
much; does not recollect what reply
West made West told the witness on one
occasion that he had dlscolored the skin
Of Turner with alcohol, so that It might
appear to be the skin Of white man
never believed West insane.
The cross examination brought out
nothing new.
Henry r. Bennett, Sworn.-IIas known
West ever since he came to Dover as
student to MIR. Reynolds in 1861 or 1862
has known him intimately; at schoo
West had some arrowheads he after
wards saw the arm preserved In glass
topped case, 10 alcohol; West ais'
had an old coffee mill said to have beer
brought over ia the May Flower; witness
himself had made several collections &c
knew West until the tragedy Though
bis head was level.
David F. Burton, sworn.-known !
Z. West several years had conversation
one day during the week of the homicide
thinks on Monday night, about West
sore toe conversed for few minutes o
tuesday night or Wednesday night
West bought pint Of alcohol from vii
ness on Wednesday; be called In an
handed his eyeglasses 10 the witness be
cause the gas blackened themi had cor
yersation and business transaction wilt
West never thought him insane.
Charles Culreth, sworn.-Has know
West for two years was in the store an
IT the hotel where West boarded ha
little acquaintance with Westi though
his mind was good.
Andrew j. Wright, re-called.-Ha
sent bis children TO school to West al
ned Rad business transactions arislr
out @ tnat fact his knowledge OF We
bud sN ended up to the time Of the XII
Ir. alwavs thought West sane.
Al, j. Ia, Tor, affirmed Has know
WsaL or yeats thought him saur.
J5rn II Ba cnar, sNort i Cashl
Ct ,he Bank at Dover; West had kept
account thuro, lad bad his (witness
son at Vests school as a teacher W
satisfactory thought his uind sound.
John X. Evans, swoTn-Formerly liv
near Dover, now in Wilmington, 81
West in reading room of the hotel betwe
the homicide and the fire said he wot
like to take gas said he could not go
then; West said that his apparatus
not In such condition a to enable him
administer Il thought him sane.
Luther Z Noel, sworn-Had seen W
at Harrington West there said that
reason ut his return to Dover was on
count of his wife and child.
Vim. L. Smith, David Harrington, "
a. ReSno'ds, VIM. c. Fountain, John
Stevenson, James Cowgirl and John
Penuewell testified 10 their belief he
sane.
John Laws (colorcd waiter) testi
that Vests manner of eating was
that of any body else.
Henry Z. johnson; DR.. Jos. I.
Dickson, Albert Cowgirl, and Robert
Jumps testified that they believed "
to be sane.
Titus II. Irons and Samuel Hargai
X testified that they had not noticed
evidences Of insanity in West until q
his lWe.t's) interview with DR.. pa
son.
Prosecution here closed testimony.
Geo. II. Bates addressed the Jury
a.. EttN hfaA mol
n his speech when the Court took re
until tomorrow morning at 10 o'cloc
bovRR, Del, June 7th.-In the
case TO day, the Deputy Attorney ten
Geo II Bates, continued his argument
n reviewed tue evidence in its bearing
the question of sanity. lie said tina
& enc Of the acts OF Wet was pro-
VI insanity; that each and all of them
81 capable of explanation, and takeT
& etlner lhey would not amount to
q thing al proof of insanity and, hn
L he cOntended that the fac. that those
e were about him constantly and sal
e. evidence of insanity was strong
that II did net exist and, furthern
that even If West was insane, he mi
so insane as TO be Incapable OF
gushing b tween right and wrong.
Mr.. saulsbnry, in behalf Of the pri
4 then addressed the jury. He said,
In body lie was very weak, and not a
do his duty rs he desired. But to Il
tent of his feeble strength he Won
his duty BY the unfortunate young
who now stood before them on TIL
hs life, and to show them that h
DOT and could not be guilty OF the c
Vi murder.
He feelingly referred to the moth'
wife If the prisoner and to his chill
said that they had not been brought
by their presence and their tears 10
the jury that he rather depended
their reason.
He said that no man went al one
from the nights Of virtue 10 the del
crime, that West was a man VIII
always been of ireprOachable III
from his childhood up he had I
borne, and that now II should HI
are weight in his favor. Tie said
vas not impossible that West mig
apparently nationally although
~ a read to the jury the poeni adj
BY Cowper, The insane poet :
Mothers PICTURE which, WI
n showed no such trace upon It's IA
Was written by a man who VI
dpHb:edlY and eonfessedly insane
He said that It was useless for u
to say that self-defense aud insAni
Incompatible He would like &c
" On II had become impossible 10
sou to make an assault upon
map.
He contended that the prlucip
which the DeUuty Attorney Gene