Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-01-02
FROM CHICAGO.
Correspondence of the Ledgor.l

CHICAGO, December 30, 1878.-The
Clark-St, Petrie murder trial, as your
correspondent predicted from the
start, resulted in a verdict of acquit-
tai. The sensation took place last
Friday night at O'clock. The jury
were out four hours. The verdict was
received with applause by the specta-
tors Most certainly this has been
one Of the most remarkable trials ever
before an American criminal court.
The prosecution was strong persecu-
tiOn, This was carried to such an ex-
tent that the court, jurors and audi
ence were Mortified by the attorney
for the prosecution introducing into
court the portion Of the murdered
mans remains through which the ia
tai ball passed. Not only was this
offensive to the eye. but also to the
sense Of smell. The proceeding was
simply an outrage, and it is to be won
dered at how his honor, Judge Gary,
tolerated such a proposition. The only
point in favor of the prosecution was
this. the ball found in Mr.. Clark S body,
and the same fred from the pistol
pawned by st. Petrie the day after the
murder, presented certain defects of
a similar nature. On the other hand
the pawnbroker swore that he exam
ined the pistol with microscope for
defects before loaning money on it,
and that each chamber was dusty, or
presented no evidence of having been
recently fired. To-day | learned from
a gentleman that the whole charge
that Mrs. Clark and st. Petrie were
criminally and lustfully intimate,
which was a good motive for the muir
der, was trumped up by religious
faction opposed to Mrs. Clark.
Throughout the whole trial the coun-
sci for the prosecution displayed an
animus far outside their prerogative,
or consistent with common charity.
1t is a sad commentary that attorneys
will forget, in their arguments, that
the accused is presumed to be inno-
cent until proven guilty, and that it is
outside their province to prejudice,
and should be far remote from the
conduct Of any gentleman Colonnls
Van Buren and Mum were counsel
for the defense, and MIR. Weber and
Colonel Van Arman for the prosecu-
tion.
Pistol and pool balls we're ex-
changed by Messrs. John Leyden and
Henry Bartellis yesterday afternoon.
1t was one of the usual Sunday
amusements at Bridgeport, on the
south side Mr., Leyden now lies in
hospital with a pistol ball somewhere
in his head 1t entered under tie
ball of the right eye. Bartcllis is un-
der arrest.
Messrs. Mcclellan and Tucksbury,
attorneys, had late chief deputy sher-
iff Garrick, and late sheriffs chief
clerk Cunningham, arraigned before a
magistrate Saturday for giving the
said disciples OF Blackstone a good
shaking up.
An explosion of a startling nature
occurred in the south division Of the
city Saturday, on Wabash, one of the
fashionable resident avenues. Mrs.
Smith was searching for gas leak in
the basement She struck a match.
Then she imagined an earthquake
struck her. The lighted match
caused frightful explosion, causing
considerable damage. One woman
declares that when the side walk went
up it was accompanied by a horse and
cutter that have not yet come down.
Fortunately, and certainly miracu-
lously, Mrs. Smith was not very seri-
ously injured.
Blake, the Fidelity safe deposit rob
Der is in custody. Notwithstanding the
fact that DR.. Turpin, the receiver of
bank, did not want to prosecute,
Justice Morrison bound him over
Blake was a confidential clerk of the
bank for six years past. There is no
accounting for poor Georges criminal
conduct.
Notwithstanding the hard times
Chicago is alive with theater and So
cial amusements. Some of the hops
and receptions are princely in design,
while some of the costumes of the
ladies are wonderfully attractive and
costly
Chicago's commerce for the past
year demonstrates that she is second
to none of the cities of the Union.
Just think of it; she has marketed to
date 133,000,00O bushels of grain.
| ,lOOOOO,000 feet of lumber and 5000
600 hogs. Other items of commerce
figure equally as high. Chicago's re-
cord is one of which to be proud.
The cold spell is still upon us. 1t
was G. below zero this morning. Many
unfortunats have been picked out of
the snow dead.
wish the LEDGER people all a
a happy New Year An revoir,
NYAR.