Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-10-28

symptom. A tendency OF tne neau anu ueels
to meet, is not to so great an extent the re.
suit of puerperal convulsions as of convul-
sions caused by strychnine. But in the case
of puerperal convulsons, my impression is
there would be some rigidity. The umbilical
cord could be torn.
To the Court.-Frothing at the mouth is
always the result of puerperal convulsions.
It never occurs from the effects of strychnine.
Some of the symptoms are the same in both
but maintain the first statement. Contrac'
ton of the lower limbs and of the arms is in
cident to poisoning by strychnine. l do not
know that warming would straighten the con-
tracted limbs. Friction or heat would be the
proper agency for removing rigidity in living
persons.
Re-cross eramined-Expulsion without as
sistance would break the cord, if the mother
were on her feet.
Re.redirect eramination-For the purpose
of killing crows, strychnine is used in the
spring season.
DR.. A. I. BARRON, s,uorn.-I am physician
by profession; have been in the practice of
medicine forty-6ve years. I saw the body of
the deceased. 1t was in a state of decom posi-
ton. The arms were contracted, and the
hands and fingers drawn up. The head was
so decomposed I could tell nothing about it.
The after-birth was expelled from the uterus.
Five or six inches of the umbilical cord was
attached. 1t seemed to have been cut. I have
never seen person die from puerperal con-
vulsions. Ihave seen one death from strych-
nine-the case Of a little girl who had swal-
lowed the poison by accident. do notknow
the quantity she swallowed. was called to
treat her. She was in violent convulsions.
She was in violent convulsons and died two
hours after swallowing it. She was aged
fourteen years, and in good health otherwise.
1 did not remain long after the death, nor
take particular notice to the condition of the
body, though there was contraction of the
limbs. The remainder of this testimony, on
the subject of poisons, convulsions, and the
appearance of the body after DEATH was sub.
stantially the same as that of the preceding
witness.
With this testimony the State closed.
THE PRISONERS DEFENSE.
I. D. Witherspoon, Esq, Of counsel for
the prisoners, then opened for the defense as
follows:
MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT AND GENTLEMEN
OF THE JURY In behalf of the prisoners at this
bar we propose to show to the reasonable satisfac
ton Of this Court and jury, that the sudden and
deplorable death of Mary Isabella Castles, at the
prisoners house, on the night of the 18th Of No
vember, 1874, should be attributed to a natural
cause: that she yielded up her life in obedience
to the sentence of death which hangs suspended
over every human being-a result that could not
be averted by human skill and that it was one
~sD 1c r@lte that
Court, at all times faible, cannot fathom or de-
termine; that the charge of murder against these
prisoners cannot be established by the State with
that degree of certainty that the issue of life and
death demands. The testimony on behalf OF the
State being entirely circumstantal, we shall ask
and expect such verdict as will vndicate the
irreproachable character, hitherto sustained by
the prisoners, on the just and humane principle
of law which prescribes that where the result o.
the evidence gives natural cause to which death
can be attributed, jury is not authorized to
merely suppose or conjecture that it might be at
tributed to some other cause. With the PROPOSE.
tions thus laid down, we announce our readiness
to proceed in the defense Of the prisoners ar
raigned for trial.
Rev. L. A. JOHNSON, s,oorn.-I am min
lister of the gospel, of the Methodist denomi.
nation. 1 have known j. Albertus Hope, the
prisoner, for ton years. His general cliarac-
ter, so far as I have ever heard, is without ex'
ception. His character is as good as that Of
any man could name. His disposition to-
ward his wife and children evinces great
deal of affection.
Rev r. A. Ross, s,uorn.-1 am minister OF
the gospel. I ain of the Associate Reformed
Presbyterian Church. I have known j. Al.
bertus Hope for the last thirty years-per.
haps for thrty-one or thirty-two years. ]
have not known him intimately, but have
known his general character. l have never
known or heard anything 'derogatory to his
general character. His character is as good
as that of any man whom I could name
Cross eramined.-BY THE SOLICITOR. Did
you never know of men to fall from high po.
sition and disgrace themselves? l have.
Did you never know man Of previous good
character to fall from Grace! Are we not all
liable to fall from Gracei There is no telling
when man may fall [Laughter.]
S. R. MOORE, sworn-I know j. A. Hope
I have known him for twenty-five or thirty
years. His general character is good-as
good as that of any citizen within my knowl'
edge.
Gross eramined.-I live in Yorkville, nine
or ten miles from Mr.. Hope. l knew him
ten or fifteen years ago more intimately than
of recent years was more intimate with him
twenty or twenty-five years ago. Have never
heard anything derogatory to his general
character.
Redirect eramipation-I have been fire.
quently in the prisoners neighborhood, of
late years, but have not often met him there.
IA. CARROLL, sworn.-I have known j.
A. Hope for twenty-five or thirty years. |
know his character to be good. I never knew
it impeached in any wise. We were both
raised in the same neighborhood were boys
together, and were at school together.
Cross eramined.-I am not aware that the
prisoner, J. A. Hope, ever was under iDdict-
ment for crime and turned States evidence.
[Objection over-ruled] l do not know that
he ever turned States evidence, nor did l ever
hear it intimated until the question was asked.
J. G. CHAMBERS, sworn.-1 know Mr..
Hope. / have known him fifteen or twenty
years. We were both raised in the same
neighborhood we were boys together. |
know nothing against his general character.
Cross eramined-I know that Mr. Hope
was once witness in the United States Court,
but do not know the circumstances Of his
being witness.
J.C. MITCHELL, sworn.-I have known Mr.
Hope from boyhood. He was raised within
two miles of me- He was an honest, indus
trious boy, and have never known anything
harmful of him.
Cross eramined.-I do not know that he
was arrested as ku-klux. l did not know
thatJ. A. Hope was used as witness against
the ku-klux. r. Hayes Mitchell is my son:
l have seen copy of the ku-klux trials; l
have the book have read portions Of the
book; never read it regularly through.
j. ALBERTUs Hope, s,uorn.-I am forty-six