Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-05-27

married to young woman, and younl
woman who had diverse lovers coming
to see her, and the evidence impresse
US tn believe that that condition O
things existed. There is evidence her
that there was good deal of bad feelin,
between the wife and the husband
There is also evidence that some ugl
language had passed between them
She said to him "he would go in the wa,
of America Holland" On the othe
hand it is proved her paramount wa
Sam Morris. and Morris had been guilt,
OF some very Incorporate language
He said if he did not have his way will
her by Christmas John Turner woul,
not be alive by Christmas. That alon,
would show unquestionably that Their
was sufficient motive on the part o
these parties, hut il is not every tim,
the case that man who has motiy,
will do the deed. Now to say who di,
the killing we must connect them il
some way with the act itself. aud her,
is our difficulty. We do not think Their
is any evidence whatever which bring
these three people upon the scene of thi
homicide. Where did it take place
The States Attorney asks us to find h,
was murdered in the school-house
What evidence have we to that: Non,
whatever. We may have suspicion
but there is not the slightest sign o
any such deed having been done there
There is no sign of suspicious char
acter. There are no marks of struggl,
in there. There are no blood stains il
there. No evidence except that the,
swept ont the house and busted it an,
filled up the stoves.
Then when we go into the field wher,
he might have been killed, where hal
the Court evidence to show that he wa,
killed there? At any rate he was fount
there, but there is not single soul thai
says it was done there except FELTON,
The fact that they had motive to Kill
him don't carry him there. and there i,
no evidence of that. That they had ;
motive to kill him may be true. If i
were shown i'm the statement of tn,
proof that he was killed in the school
house we would then have these tire,
people there. Then there would b,
some evidence that the Court nigh
consider. Or if we could get them ou
ON the place where he was found. How
can we infer it from that apron: Tn,
States Attorney has asked us to fine
that there was blood ON that apron
How can we tell by looking at it tina
that was his blood. The witnesses sa,
that it was blood, but we can't take ;
mans life on such an opinion as that
Suppose it was blood Where did i
come from? What right have we I,
infer i'll the absence of any proof on tn,
subject that it was John Turner blood
We have no reason whatever to believ,
that il was John Turner's blood excep
the fact that the woman might hav,
had a motive to put him out of the way
and that she was found in possession o
il. How can we connect it? You may
suspect, but il is not enough to suspect :,
hang a man. How can we say it wa
traced to Fields? He had not been il
that house for Is days. Can it b,
assumed i'm the absence of any proc
that thing that was in the house a
one time was there Is days afterwards
can it be assumed that he put it there
The same remarks apply to the quilt
We can't find the mark on the quilt, w,
can't say that man who slept on it fo
years would not make such mark. w,
can't say it was spot of blood. w,
may suspect as much as we please. bu
we can't say beyond reasonable doub
that it was the case. Leaving out the
testimony of FELTON, we think that ther,
is no evidence at all. While il may
prove suspicious conduct on the part ot
these people, and it may prove that they
had grudge against John Turner. thai
the wife wanted to get rid of him be
cause he was obnoxious. and that Morn:
wanted TO get rid of him because h,
wanted his wife. yet we can't say tina
there was any evidence in the case thai
connects these people with the fact tha
John Turner lost his life. The book,
say wherever there is reasonable doubt
the Court and the Jury are bound t.
give prisoners the benefit of that reason
able doubt.
Suppose all this is true, could not
somebody else have killed him? If some
body had way-laid him other than thes,
people it would not have affected the
truth of any one of these facts that
have spoken of. am not arguing the
case, we simply propose to give tn,
reason for the opinion we hold.
Now we come to John Felton's case
II we believed John Felton's testimony
probably we could connect these pris
oners with this crime. John Fcltor
says that ON the night before the event
happened he had conversation with
Alice Turner, in which Alice told hin
they were going to take Turner off and
kill him, but there is no principle
think that is better settled i'm the Law
than the discriminating testimony q
an accomplice shall not he accepte,
affecting the parties unless there il
confederation to sufficient extent to hi
testimony. And it must be notice,
that an accomplice labors under a grea
suspicion. and it is universal maxim
that no conviction shall be had upon tn
testimony of an accomplice.
Now, without going through .Joh,
Fciton's testimony it may be said tina
John FELTON, is not corroborated in an,
point anywhere. The fact that h;
statement was for instance, the tw
facts probably that are nearest n !,
one of them is the carriage alleged I
have been standing in front of the hons,
John Felton's statement was. that tho
Were not only seen by him going in tn
carriage but to go with Mr.. Schoolfield'
morse, and you can't separate his stat,
ment from the horse statement. an