Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-04

powers-by deduction, by analysis. by
your experience Of mankind and OF his
motives and conduct. BY every method
that you would try Circumstance,
must you try every circumstance IN
this case upon which it is relied TO con-
vict this accused. And when il is done
and your task is over, while it will
have been tedious and wesrisome, you
will have the consciousness Of knowing
that you have performed your duty in
the one mode in which it is practicable.
and. with a safe conscience, you may
Law your hands upon your hearts and
appeal to the Great Divine to witness
that you have performed your task.
And nothing short Of that will answer.
TWO GREAT CARDINAL FACTS.
Gentlemen, | shall waste no time in
getting down TO what | consider the
real questions in this case. The ground
has been traversed with ability and
power by my associates. can add
but little TO what they have already
said. But / will endesvor to give TO
you the result Of my thought upon the
testimony which you have heard.
There are two great cardinal facts in
this case upon which the Common
wealth relies for conviction First,
that the accused took the deceased from
the American Hotel. carried her TO the
reservoir. and there slew her /; and
second, to support the theory Of muir
der at the reservoir, a piece Of property
charged to have been his IS said TO have
been found upon the spot.
Now. those are the two great cardinal
facts in this case. Everything else in
it is dwarfed into insignifcance II these
two be not established. To establish
them. remember there Is not one word
Of positive proof. Remember in this
case the ordinary incidents which attend
charges Of this sort are utterly want
ing.
NO HUMAN BEING SAW OR HEARD.
There is no human being who pre-
tends TO have seen these two parties
near where the death occurred. None
nearer than a quarter Of a mile, per-
haps. or more. TO where the death Oc-
cured. DR.. Siratton. the last who
supposes that he saw parties that he
thinks were these, or who may have
/ been these. saw them more than a
quarter Of a mile from the spot where
/ the death occurred.
No human being has ever heard this
accused utter one threat Of violence
against the deceased. She was his
cousin: she was his friend. All that
you know Of the personal relations be-
4 tween them disclOses a state Of kind
ness such as might exist between young
kinsfolk. as they were. Not one whis-
per ever fell from his lips to indicate a
purpose 10 take the life or injure hair
Of the head Of this deceased: not oHe
single preparation to take her life; not
one single motive to take her life that
is founded upon a substantial or a re-
spectsble reason.
WHERE Is THE MOTIVE:
What gentleman upon that jury can
answer to his own satisfaction what mo-
tive animated this accused to take that
girls life: What has been suggested
Why. that his aunt would have dis
carded him from her iayor-that society
would have turned its back upon him
II it had been discovered that he wa,
the father OF the child. That IS assign,
ed as a motive. You are asked to as.
sumo that il was the motive. Is that q
common motive: You are put there tC
Judge by your experience IN life anc
your observation Of the conduct am
actions Of mankind whether such mo
tives as are ascribed in this case are OF.
dinary and reliable as the basis Of youi
Judgment. When have you ever know
in the experience Of life that mar
who had deflOweTed a woman had slain
her to avoid the consequences: CO
back in your experience Of life, yoI
who are elderly gentlemen, you whC
are Younger. Tell me by what process!
Of reasoning. from your knowledge o
mankind and your experience oihunal
motive. YOU arrive at that comfort an,
conclusion which fills the breasts ofth
Commonwealth attorneys that he Slew
her because she stood in the way Of hi
ambition.
WANDERING IN CONJECTURE.
When your experience and observs
tion Of human life shall have called u
the instances in which that motive ha
inspired such a hideous and monstrou
crime, then you may apply that stand
ard Of motive 10 the cond uct Of thi
accused but until then you are wan
dering in the yainest conjecture as I
what purpose animated his breast. Tn
prosecution seek his conviction. not b,
the route Of human experience and hu
man knowledge and judgment, but seeI
| his conviction in a vague attempt Z
frame q reason for crime 30 atrociou
that il has no parallel in human experi
ence Motive 10 slAy her. That ciT
between whom and himself, assumin
the worst that the Commonwealth i'm
putes to him. there existed none othe
than tender relations What IS ther
in his nature and character to author
ize YOU 10 suppose that he would sla
her: What is his conduct: Sirs. 70
Virginia men. | call upon you to pro
nouDce by your verdict that Nirgini
has never raised such a monster as tha
man would be if be were what the Con
monwealth paints him-capAble Of de
bauchiDg and Staying this unhappy CIR
SUCH A MONSTER.
And sirs. while a shout Is ringing
your ears for vengeance, | call upon yo
in the name Of this ancient Common
wealth. Of ali her sons, do not stigmi
tize her. as you will, by pronouncin
that such a monster has been reare
upon her soil. What justifies you
support Of that: What Of his life an
T history authorizes you 10 imagine il
What are his vices: What has |
done in these years since he left co
lege. now three years ago this month
His life in that period has been OF
without q stain.
PAIR OF wRETCHED WOMEN.
They bring from the purlieus al
the sewers a pair Of wretehed womei
One Of them tells Of him in the yea
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