Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-04
ARGUMENT TOR THE Defence.
Speech Of Mr.. Bev. T. Crump Yes
terday Morning.
JTpCE CgTxP MAKES 4 GREAT EFFORT.


morning Mr.. Beverley l. NtutnP' VI
counsel for defence, addressed the Court
and Jury in consideration Of the Law and
evidence in this case. Said he;
Your Honor and gentlemen Of the
iury. see from your faces that you
are tired, but that you are anxious TO
hear anything that any Of the counsel
in this cause may present which will help
You in reaching proper conclusion in
the discharge Of the high duties resting
upon YOU. You have listened already,
rentlemen, 10 two able and long discus
sions from the defence IN this cause,
necessarily long because OF the grave
issues involved. | know you will ap-
precia,e not only the high and
solemn duty that rests upon you
in this cause, and know as well that
you appreciate the position that counsel
for the defence, one and all OF as.
occupy before you. You are not
only sensible Of your responsibilities,
but you appreciate those which our
relations TO accused impose upon US IN
this case. Therefore. gentlemen, II we,
acting under the deep responsibility on
our part and the binding tie that exists
between attorneys and client on trial for
life should perhaps tire you. | hope
that We will be excused. No man
can Judge US harshly for throw
int-each one Of us--our whole nature
and every energy and influence for the
defence in this case. But you, least Of
All. will Judge us harshly for that, and,
therefore. gentlemen, relyingupon your
good sense and judgment and under
standing Of our position here before
YOU. ! ask you 10 listen 10 me with
patience, and know that you will.
| will endeavor in the remarks ]
shall make in the defence Of this case
not to soar aloft on the wings Of fancy
and rhetoric, but to come down upon
PLAN and solid ground. and scratch
that ground to see what those facts
really mean: and in doing so ] will
attempt TO trim my language as little as
possible with flashes Of rhetoric, al
though ! may be Incapable Of IT. Iou
are not to be guided by conjecture or
speculation. but BY moral certainty
that Is. YOU are 20 be convinced, men
tally and morally. that this prisoner Is
guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
ARGUMENT.
Mr. Crump having spoken TO the
Jury about their duty and the law Of
evidence, discussed '' what is reasona-
ble doubt" and combatted the idea Of
Colonel Aylett that it Is "a doubt for
which reason can be given He de-
clared that a definition Of what Is
reasonable doubt " can only be found
in each mans conscience; each man
must find the answer for himself.
Mr.. Crump, Of course, reviewed the
speech Of Colonel Ayleit. and he criti-
cised him for introducing as evidence in
this case the slanderous Hdrper's Week
~ Of 1866. III was the paper in which
was printed the cut OF Mn. Abr&hams
lashing negro girl TO DEATH Mr..
Crump wondered that Colonel Aylett
while meditsting on Sunday in Holly
wood-while there amidst the graves Of
the dead Confederates-had not been
filled with remorse that he had laid
such paper before the jury-a paper
that had so persistently maligned the
Confederate cause.
AARON.
Next he examined the evidence Of
Aaron Watkins. and claimed that
Aaron had said that he heard screams
on Thursday night and that it was not
until he was recalled to the stand and
asked again that he said it was Friday
night.
HER MEMORY.
Mr. Crump denounced as untrue the
charge that they had desecrated the
grave and blackened the memory " Of
this poor girl; they had done no such
thing. but the Commonwealth had. and
he would, if he could, root out " the
sinking plan, and put in its place a
wreath Of immortelles." In this con-
neetion, illustrating his point. the
speaker referred 20 the alleged visit Of
deceased with prisoner to house OF
prostitution, and that in open daylight
sand on a much-frequented street. Not
the defence but the prosecution had IN
troduced these deiamatOry witnesses.
This whole story Mr. Crump much
disciedited.
lie spoke Of Mrs. Dickinson as a
muoh-prejudiced witness, - and natural
ly So"
Further On he said that though
the mous;ache is an important element
Of Identification, there is no witness
who swears absolutely that he had a
moustache.
JANUARY VISIT.
1t is charged that the man had .
mousiAehe when he visited the Ex-
change Hotel January 9Th" but Mr..
Crump contended that that visitor could
not have beea prisoner; for on that
date Mr.. George Robert Bagby, who
was at the supper-table with prisoner,
says he k0d none.
I'VE have accounted for Cluverius
in the January visit. Now II is for the
Commonwealth to account for the girl. -
IN MARCH.
Quoting from the law, MF. Crump
oontended that 20 make this murder, az
charged, the accused must have had
lodged in bis breast for some time the
intent TO Kill that woman, and he
pointed out 70 the jury how Clnverius
left his home how he invited friends
10 accompany him 20 Richmond; hew
be comes oYealy with friend; asks
that friend 10 remain with him until he
leaves; registers in his ovn name ;
registers where be always registered /;
met friends in the streets goes TO the
Dune Museum that afternoon, looking
on like any other observer. You can't
cay that man who has q criminal in
tent in his bosom would have so acted.
Now, the irst statement be made
upon his arrest was that be WAS al
the Dime Museum that night, Mr..
Crump knew that the jury had looked
TO defence 10 relieve them Of all trouble
on this point. Gentlemen, We are
unable 10 DO it." he said.
Then he showed, with strong en-
phasis Of thought and language, hsw
Z. l.. A