Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-19
The Resurreesiouist Case.

formed an opinion as to the guilt or innocence
Of the accused. Messrs. Burgess, Adler, and W.
II. Wormley therefore retired and the following
were selected; John $. Perkins, T. X. Bright
well, j. II. Knott, r. A. Griffin, W. II. Free
man, Frederick koones, james G.. Nsylor, Jos.
Smallwood, w. o. Harry, G. X. Han, James
Cornell, and Burgess X. Gladman.
OPENING ARGUMENTS.
Mr.. Harrington, for the government, briefly
prove that on the morning Of December 18Th
last the accused dug up the dead body OF one
Thomas Fletcher, which had been inferred at
Holmead's burial ground.
Mr.. Norris said that he would not have made
any opening, but for an erroneous statement
which had been made, and said there was no
up for the purpose stated. He denied that the
diary which he supp osed would be offered in
evidence was connected with the case. The last
alleged removal of Fletcher's body. The Roard
of Health had declared Holmesd's Ground a
nuisance, and had ordered the removal of the
his client did remove this BODY he was only
carrying ont the orders of the Board of Health.
GLaughter.l
TESTIMONY FOR THE osEcUTIoS.
Obcer poIkmdn testified to Christian, Green
ara Harris having been brought to the 4th
precinct station house on the morning of De-
Gember 18th by Officers Hawkins and McGlue.
They were in a carriage and some bags sboyels
a bottle ofiquid, and a screw driver were found
in the wagon
Officer Ha,ckins testified that he and his part
carriage, which two men left, and he watched
IL, noticing the colOred man return with two
shovels,. and in twenty minutes Christian re-
turned. They then took them into custody.
When they returned they had the shovels and
bags, but did not zee them take them when they
lett the carriage. Witness afterwards went to
Holmead's and called the sexton, who sounded
some of the graves, and found the body of
Fletcher near the fence.
"TAKE 1T OUT"
witness identified one of the bags found.
Is hat no
Witness.-Yes, sir.
The Court, (who had, with others, by this
time got a scent of the bag. 1--WE take it
out" 1t was promptly removed
THE FEMALE WITNESS.
Margaret Harrison was sworn.-Witness ap-
peared closely yelled, but moved her veil on
been acquainted with Christian two months;
that che was with him on the night Of the ar
rest; that he asked her to go with him, and she
got in the carriage; Green was there, and the
doctor got in and drove off somewhere, she does
not know where, and Christian and Green got
out; some people came around, and she Judged
from what they said that they were colored; one
asked what she was doing, and she replied,
g You dou't belong to me-" and they threw
some stones, when she turned the horse around
and drove to the circle; Green then came to the
nothing away, but Green returned with two
shoyels; she did not know that they were stoned,
but she was; this was the first time she had went
with Christian.
Allen Mason, colored, ties fled that on Friday
night in December when he was coming in the
city with load of wood; he saw a carriage in
the road and hollered to it to get out of the way
he come near driving into 1t, and when he got
down by the grave yard he saw Christian get
over the fence, and saw Green hand him a
shovel.
r. r. Sparks was called and testified to the
handwriting of the defendant in the diary
Mr. Harrington said he proposed to Introduce
this diary to disclose the object of the defend
ants visits to grave wards,
Mr.. Norris objected, and said that il had no
reference to this particular body, and therefore
u was no evidence that he intended to sell it.
1 his party was a student of Georgetown COL
Z ge, and may have intended to have dissected
the body himself.
The Judge ruled that if the book contained
evidence that the business of the defendant was
the taking of bodies for profit and gain it NAV
be read, but If only an isolated body was sold it
could not be admitted.
Mir. Harrington real extracts: December 8, |
'ent two subjects TO Virginia this morning; De- !
'ember !. got subject at Holmeads," &C.
Mr.. Harrington next proposed to offer a certain |
otter, addressed to DIR. French, 3O3 East Capt. |
tol street, but the court ruled it out on the |
ground that there was no proof that it was ad-
dressed to the prisoner.
Mr.. r: W. Bro,cn testified to burrying the BODY
Of Fletcher, on the morning OF December 18th.
and seeing the body next morning about 60
yards from the grave.
MIR. Harrington here rested the case, and the
court took q recess.
On reassembling, Mr.. Norris moved that the
read to the jury be withdrawn.
The court suggested that this question might
come up on a motion in arrest, and Mr.. Norris
Nh. HARRINGTON PROCEEDED TO ARGUE THE
CASE,
claiming that the prosecution had proved that
christian took up the body. He claimed that !
he body was taken up for gain, as the extracts !
rom the diary showed.
MR.. NORRIS, FOR THE PRISONER,
his argument by quoting from the |
etter Oh Prof frothingba-A, (which was not ad- |
nitted,l that ignorance and superstition tri- |
implied, and said it was regarded as impious to |
axe body from graveyard. If he had the |
disposition of his own body he thought il would |
'e better If it was used on the dissecting table,
o be consigned to the earth as food |
or worms, especially IL his frame could be |
cleaned and set up in physicians Office. The |
sacTergious, but in his time he had |
seen four grave yards In the city limits ruth |
essly laid waste and destroyed, among them
Did Baptist, old Methodist, and old Catholic, |
md they claim it was done under the sanction
'f law. He claimed that the prosecution had
not proved that there was such place as Hol-
mead's grave yard, and he proceeded to argue
that the government had not made out a case.
the circumstances testified TO.
MR. HARRINGTON CLOSED THE CAss,
arguing that the government had made out a
: ase beyond a reasonable doubt. He acknowl-
edged that 1t was necessary to science that
bodies should be procured, and he favored the
giving of bodies for dissection to the medical
schools. He favored making 1t a part of the
punishment of criminals that their bodies should
90 TO the dissecting table. He, however, would
not like ghoul like this 1.-THE prisoner) to 90 at
arge ravaging the graveyards, taking the in
Iant fresh from the mothers breast, the aged
father or grandfather, and treating them as a
commodity. This was not in the interests of
science. He then referred to the diary, and
read, under date of Sept. 9Th, event to Pot
ters field and confiscated two sets OF extremities
and one head" and from this the world knows
Of the remains Of "Poor old Beau" beau Hlck-
MANI.
Mr.. Harrington did not know what the doctors
wanted with the bones of a poor old decrepid
m N like Beau. II he had been fine looking
young man like his friend Norris he would not
be at such loss to guess. He read various
extracts from the diary, and asked what furt Ter
proof was necessary.
THE CoURr INSTRUCTED THE JURY
that the charge was misdemeanor, and with
the questions as to the propriety OF furnishing
subjects for dissection they had nothing to do
The law prohibits and Furnishes it, and that was
sufficien for them. Ii was an offence against
decency to remove q body and also to fail to
bury one.
A VERDICT OF Gritty.
The jury retired at 2:l5, and at 230 returned
with a verdict of guilty.
The prisoner was then returned to Jail, his
wife accompanying him, and a large crowd fol-
lowing.
The COLUMBIA TYPoGRAPHICAL UNION
met on Saturday evening and the following Of
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