The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-02-16

'ible motive for stating anything but
tue truth.
Prisoner had been told by FL jah
/. Charles on Friday. Jups Orb, that The
people did not want bim-tnar they
were be, omirg Dissatisfied with him.
and would not help. so long as he re-
mained around. al d had charge of the
medicine. Notwithstanding this war
ming, he did return on Saturday, 10th,
and again took charge of the medicir g.
He seemed to have an intense anxiety,
amounting almost to a mania, to get
hold of the medicine.
At one time prisoner said he never
gave poison but once. and that was TO
dog; and to other witnesses 10
claimed thorough knowledge of pois-
ons, their different natures, and their
several effects-while to Others he
feigned an utter ignorance of any kind
of poison.
Now, gentlemen of the jury, I will
not occnpy your time longer. We have
shown that prisoner had possession of
the poison and opportunities of using
it. We have shown the D .werful no.
tive he had for making use of his op-
portunities. The circumstances encir-
cled bin as closely as the web of the
spider encircles the fly in its mesbes
There is no escape for him in view.
the damaging circumstances that form
the complete chain circumstances that
expose his igu 1t. Counsel adverted d to
70 the testimony of DIR. Sturgeon, and
Indicated his method of treatment
OF the poisoned persons, maintained
that, but for his skill the whole eleven
instead of only one who had partaken
of the poisoned bread, would probably
have perished.
He then reminded the jury of the
weighty and solemn responsibility that
rested on them. They had been called
upon to determine the gnilt or inno-
cence of a person charged with one of
the worst crimes that ever was record
ed in the category of human offenses.
whether convicted or acquitted-and
If it be the latter, he passes out again
into the world with a mark Stamped
upon him that will render all his
efforts TO regain his lost foot hold
fruitless struggles. You are sitting
in judgment upon the life or liberty of
fellow being, and a more grave re-
sponsibility never devolved upon you,
and never may again. He is deserving
commisseration. But if he has suf-
fered, other hearts have bled. There
have been the walls of the inuocents-
of stricken ones who, in tender years.
were bereft of the care of q mother
These hearts, and those of husband.
and of other children, are also smitten.
Whatever your verdict may be, will
say to this prisoner, you have my pro
found sympathies, and may Almighty
Gud have mercy upon your soul.
After Mr.. Daugherty concluded,
Judge Pillars delivered his charge to
the jury, which was substantially as
follows:
GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY:
The testimony in this case has been
SO well presented, and what it proves,
or what it fails to prove, has been SO
well argued to you, that it is unnecess-
ary for me to say anything more to
you, heyord giving you the law of the
case.
When you retire to your room, for
deliberatioD, you will first appoint one
of your number as foreman of your
body: and when you have agreed upon
your verdict, you will have such fore
man sign il, and you will then return
it TO the Court.
Your first inquiry will be. whether,
in fact, a crime has been committed
whether, in fact, the deceased, Melissa |
Charles, died from poison, having been,
knowingly and purposely put in the
food which she ate, or in that from |
which it was prepared, with the purpose |
and intention of thereby killing her.
If you are not satisfied beyond a |
reasonable doubt, from the evidence
in the case, that Melissa Charles was
thus killed, your verdict must be not
guilty, and your labors will there end
But. if you are not so. satisfied, and |
SO find from the evidence, then your
next inquiry will be,-Is the prisoner,
Isaac b. Charles, guiltyi Did he |
knowingly and purposely, put poison
i'm food which Melissa ate, or in that
from which it was prepared, with the
intention and purpose Of thereby kill
ing her.
Did the prisoner knowingly, purpose
ly and Intentionally. cause the death
of Melissa, by putting poison in
food which she ate, or in that from
which it was prepared, with the pur-
pose and intention of thereby killing
herr
If you are not satisfied, beyond q
doubt, from the evidence
in the case, that the prisoner did so
cause the death of Melissa Charles
then your verdict must be not guilty
and you need enquire no further.
But if you find rom the evideuce in
the case, beyond reasonable doub-,
that the prisoner did so cause the
death of Melissa Charles, then you will
from the evidence, whether
be is guilty of murder in the first de-
gree, or of murder in the second de-
gree. or of manslaughter
To authorize you to find verdict of
guilty in the first degree, you must be
beyond a reasonable doubt,
from the evidence i'm the case, that the
prisoner so caused the death of Melissa.
First, purposely-thatis is, that the pris
oner durposely put poison in the food
which Melissa eat, or in that from
which it was prepared, knowing that It
was a poison, and with the intention
and purpose that it should be eaten by
1er. and that it should kill her. Second,
hat he thus caused her death of NAL I
ce, that is that he thus caused her
leath to accomplish some purpose, or
o attain some end, or to crafty some
ceiling of revenge, or hatred, or in an
Lttempt to do SO. Third, that this
malice was deliberate and premedi
ated; that is, that the prisoner, be ore
arrying out, or gratifying, this malice,
" ia attempting to do so, entertained
t in his mind, deliberated upon it,
nd determined to carry it out, OF
rafify it, by killing her with poison
'efore he did so.
If is no matter for how short time
e may have so thought about the act,
r entertained it in his mind-only so
hat he did, in fact. so previously think
bout it, deliberate Cpon it, aud enter
ain il in his mind.
1t, then. you find, beyond a raasona 4.
lie doubt, from the evidence in the pr
ass, that the prisoner thus purposely HI
nd of premeditated and deliberate
ialice. caused the death of Melissa
harles, then he is guilty of murder in II
ne first degree; and your verdict hr
Iould be accordingly =,
If you find. however beyond a rea su
'Dable doubt, that the prisoner thus ga
ause the death of Melissa Charles
and maliciousIy. as have q, ~
bove expIa ned, but without this de- 81
beration and premeditstion, which / -
ave above mentioned, then he is Z,
uilty Of murder in the second degree sy
nd your verdict should be according re
J.
If, again. you find, beyond reason hs
BILE doubt, that the poisoner thus ex
..-ol A. 5-o,t, of MaI:... CI, sc
1uscO lUS OcdlI vi AcIleed OuAIles. L I,ri