New-York tribune., 1879-10-18
ATTORNEY GENERAL srocKToy's PLEA.


HE INSISTS THAT THE coAcnMAN ARMSTRONG
WAS FoUILy MrRDtREp BY HIS EMPLOYER.
In the Blair trial yesterday, AttOrney-Gen-
eral stockton made the closing argument. In addition
10 Judges Dspue and Meeker, Judges McCarter and
rcnenor the bench The Attorney-General
concluded his remarks n the afternoon but the Judges
charge deferred until to-day consequence Of the
illness OF juror.
1--WE have been told" said the speaker, who Joseph
A. Blair IL. His character has been lauded In terms
cannot repeat Even this ira gedy II is claimed be
showed sublime se.restraint. that every he did
can be not only excused put justified All the mercy
which has been invoked bv the counsel who rst spoke
brushed aside BY Mr Parker. The nrst pleaded or
sympathy. MI Parker. with Characteristic c@ndor. put
the case on the ght ground aud challenged the jury TO
consider facts in the The plea sympathy
ought not 70 have been made and Will only make the
jury's duty more painful wish simply to bring The
jury 10 the questions: Did Blair Kill Armstrong; and
Had he a right TO doitr
q" 1t is true that man may put a revolver IN bis
pocket under certain circumstances. and may keep
place But II man, being abused by his
servant. gets revolver and sh1wsit TO the servant
and when the servant runs follows and shoots MN in
The back and then when be Is on his face shoots him
again. the shooting Is murder. IL has been said that
when Catholic has performed peDance and received
aOsoluton he feels free 10 do say anything. Father
Mendel has sad that the contrary of this is that
from God alone. II ever dying state
mcnt was 20 Do believed 1t is Armstrong;
There are disputed points IN the case: Whether
Blair sad 1. must be done and whether he took the
pistol from Armstrong; hand. Deciding both these
points defendant, stll contend tnat out OF
MS mouth aud the words OF his counsel. BAR Is
90 be gully OF murder Ia fAe fist degree Ile
and the Il t OF kOs eiOt proved malice plenicd-
talOu and murder. Armstrong not a trespasser,
bat was dong his masters work Blair had rlght 10
have Armstrong removed from the premises. Duf lad
riEht % follow hm about ana provoke him. IL is
munstTUu>lhe doctrine that man can put pistol III
demand his rights, ana Wien ne gets Llt
worst Of IL draw his pistol and Kill the wIOm he
has attacked. IL ~ represented thai Mrs BAR, Miss
Draper aud the children ran into the house because
John going 10 shoot. But the instincts OF "A Wfe
away when her husband Is IN danger
-Ac would have slipped between them rather MAY not
Mrs. Blair have understood thar 10 was her husband
who WAS gong 10 shoOti The foul expression which
Blair testified used by Armstrong toward Mrs.
Blair heard by one OF the other witnesses ana
other t~slncs 10 IT,
o." Gould BlaI's danger have been avoided without
resort 10 viOencet Friends were about them; 10 was
not Isolated spot, suggesting danger TO acqut me
d..ruial the Jury that Tie necessity Tor llt
shooting 4c ual y existed Had Blair ground Tor fenr
the house when telling Joun he was armed
I; clear that he then feared uOtAlng. lie tAluAs
finally r. gong into the room TO get
revolver and shoots him. Was his LIE then IN dang rt
Had he "A right to say remember there Is revolver
hat room T.
TIA. Attornev-Seneral submitted series Of thirteen
propositions each clinug that the several POINTS oi
teucc the defence OF seiefence was improper and
incorrect IN tins case, and ne quoted many authorities
law q read, and Tie ATTORNEY GENERAL
conclusion asked The jurors 20 20 their duty 70 the
-latc, the law ana TO themselves.
The general belief H. she charge OF Judge Dcpre
chances are thr Attorney General having said that the
questions tie case were largely questions oi law