The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-10-02
John brown I, n thu lAss {. ii. 4;


TaIAf. FOR ATTEMPTING no XIII Mas EMILY
AIRY. s
iBaitimorc Sun, Saturday. 81 sa
John Brown tnegro), twenty-five years
old, indicted for q deadly nssanls on Miss
Emily Whelan with an axe while in bed
asleep, at her home, No. 1i8 Biddle street,
May II, 1876, was yesterday tried before
Judge Brown, in the Criminal Court, with
out Jury, by his own choice. The charge
of burglarious entry into the house OF Mrs
Henrietta Whelan, mother OF the young
lady, where the assault was committed, was
stetted. The prisoner, though OF adult
years, looks rather like boy OF seventeen,
and Is rather small In size. He appeared
with his head tied up in o white handker-
chief on account OF ear-ache, had no coun-
seland no witnesses IN his behalf, though
the Court took care that his interests were
protected. as
Miss Emily Whelan, the next witness
who sat at the stand while giving her testi-
mony, is an interesting young lady, pale and
delicate. Her face showed no scars The
marks Of her terrible wounds are hidden
under her hair. and she wore her hat. She
testified she awoke In perfect consciousness
from the assault, and did not at first know
she had been struck. There was bright
light in the room, and by 1t she saw man
standing in the door as II IN the act OF enter
ing the room. She looked straight at him
and he ut her q moment, and then she
screamed murder or something like 1t.
At that the man ran out. The door
of her room was not locked. She had
been sick, and kept light burning
and the door open in order that
her mother might enter ct any time. AS
her mother entered, the man had just turn
ed the corner o! the hall stairway. She did
not realize that she was hurt until her
mother took up the bloody axe from the
bed. She then sas up in bed, and the blood
streamed down over her face. The witness
pointed out the place of the wounds on her
head.l She had seen Brown pass her Win
dow several times, but he had never seen
her until that night. She told the police
next day that her assailant was the cooks
| brother, John Brown. The next day when
| Brown was brought before her she could
| only see out OF one eye, but was fully con-
scious, and recognized Brown distinctly US
| the man, as she did then in court. Her lead
still feels badly ut times.
! The States attorney, Mr.. Knott, made no
remarks on the case, but asked for con-
yiction. RI
Judge Brown said "John Brown, stand
up. lou nave DSeJl cOnflcteu Oh very
grave offence, which is clearly proved and
fully admitted by yourself. You assaulted
a young lady with intent to murder her.
That such was your wicked purpose is
established by the murderous instrument
used-a large and heavy axe, intended for
splitting wood. You struck her two yio-
lent blows on the head while she was lying
asleep in her bed in her own home, entirely
at your mercy. A person you had never
saw before, and one who had never
given you the slightest proyocation.
1t is very strange and unac-
countablc crime, and indicates a very
wicked motive on your part. The Court is
bound for the protection of society, and in
the interest OF the lives OF its members to
mete out to the perpetrator of such crime
Just punishment, and to impose the Sc
yerest sentence allowed by law, which is
ten years Imprisonment in the penitentia-
ry."
Brown exhibited not the slightest emo
ton, his face wearing a stolid, unapprecia-
tive look Of cold indifference. There was
| slight ripple Of excitement among the spec
tators when sentence was pronounced,
which was quickly suppressed Ten years
is the limit OF imprisonment for the crime.