Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-11-30
Thomas 3. eEEycrtus

correspondence Of the alexandria GAZETTE
! NORFOLK, VA, Nov. 26th.--Many cf tht
developments Of public opinion as voiced By
the newspapers, jurors and sunGry CORES
/ poEdcnts, ia regard to the Ciuyerua cage
; are the most remarkable your correspondent
/ has ever witnessed. Had il been r.royey
that Miss Madison had COME 10 her death by
violence, had there been found upon he,
person any evidences Of kruta! assault .laG
ner clothing indicated there had been g
struggle, had Eer countenance given express
sions Of alarm, terror or despair, then there
might have been some excuse for accisi no
her supposed murderer with vindictive and
malicious vengence. But when the gauzy
| Grape about her neck Wos unrutlled. when
her features were in repose, when % mark
OF violence was found upon her person. nc
one caa sag she was murdered BY any one
| Though she was dead. it might have been
has been assigned.
But Lillian Madison was found dead in g
secluded spot and T. j. Cluverius was in
|. Richmond at the time and had been familiar
with her, and az 10 assignable agent or per-
son could be discovered for her death, there
fore, CiuveriuS killed her, whether she was
killed or not. As be had fir trial before
jury Of his countrymen, and they have
found him guilty, therefore. lie must be
guilty. Ard as the Court ef Appeals has
! refused him i new Trial. therefore, he should
be hung
Your correspondent witnessed the trial of
a man in Caroline county, Va, for murder,
! who had been sent on to higher and higher
courts, and his counsel, one of the ubIest
| lawyers in Virginia. was 50 convinced Of tis
guilt tha' he, the chief Counsel, took 10 part
in the trial until, just as the evidence was
about to close, a witness happened to state
| two facts which had never been diyulged
| which demonstrated the faliacy OF the
charge and aroused at once the attcn.
ton Of the distinguished attorney, awak.
| eDed all his sympathie5 and called forth
all his mighty powers to gave Que
whom, till then, he felt sure vas guilty.
This gentleman informed your correspond
emf that had it net been for the accidental
relation Of these two facts, just as the testi-
mony was closing, the prisoner would Ger
tnnly have beer hung. ga hundred
guilty men had better escape than one inuo-
cent one should perish"
No one who has observed the decisions Of
juries in hundreds OF cases in the last few
years, has felt that they are By any means
infallible. Indeed, so strange have been
their rendcIings in many instances that
many Of our "isest citizens doubt whether
tiinl by jury is, By any means, the best node
Of securing justice.
And no one who is familiar Mitn the deci-
sion of the Supreme Court in the Tildan
and Hayes contest can esteem our COuT. oi
Appeals, II much inferior body Of ju;ists 50
wise and learned as 20 be incapable Of eYeu
graver errors and mistakes.
Though thousands OF julgoa, ard Jurors,
| and citizens, intelligent and conscientious,
believe C!uverius to be guilty, there arc
thousands more. as learned rs wise, rs dis
interested and as conscientious as they.
who believe, no matter how problematical
h'7 guilt may be, it has never been proven
| beyond the shadow of g doubt.
Since, therefore. the highest tribunals in
the land have been tainted with fallabiiity
since juries are constantly rendering dec
sions which are not in accord with law or
testimony, reason or justice; and since it
has never been demonstrated that ma.
licious or hostile hand was ever raised to
take the life Of Lillian Madison, does it not
seem cruel, b!oodthirsty, vindictive, cold.
blooded malicious, and revengeful for per.
sons to rise up to hush the cry Of mercy,
for one, no matter how unworthy ne may
be, who is about 10 suffer the extreme pen
ally Of tho law, for a crime Of which it has
not been proven, beyond q reasonable doubt,
he is guilty? Surely every murderer should
be hung. But surely no enc should be ad-
judged Il murderer and be hung whose guilt
has not been established by the most de-
mcnstrable, indisputable, overwhelming
and conclusive evidence HANOVER.