Trial For Murder.
The Times, 1824-11-16T00:00:00

L From the IVorcester (Mlassachusetts) SPy]: On the 8th inst. Abel French was brought before the Supreme Judicial Court of this commonwealth, then in session in this town, and put upon trial for the murder of Abel i?rencb 2d. The indictment contains two counts ; the first of whicl avers, that Abel Frenchl of Fitchburg, on the 11th day of April last, with force and arms, at 'itchburg aforesaid, in and upon one Abel French, thc second of that name in the peace of the commonwealth, then and there being, feloniously, w ilfully, and of his matice aforethought,did make an assault ; and that the said Abel French, with~a certain jack knife, of the value of 20 cents, by the said Abel French then anid there hatl antl held, in and upon the sides of the bodv of the said Abel French 2d, between the ribs of the said Abel French 2d, then and there feloniously, wilfully, nnd of his malice aforethought, did strike and thrust, giving to said Abel French 2d, with the jack-knife afore- said, two mortal wounds, each of which mortal wounds was of the breadth of two ines, and the depth of six inches, of which said mortal wounds the slid Abel French 2d -then and there instantly died. The second count makes a general clharge against Abel French of having kiUed and murdered Abel Frenclh the 2d, on the day aforesaid. To this indictmeint the prisoner pleaded " not guilt." The cause was opened, on the part of the cominonwealth, by the Solicitor-General, who made a brief statement of the facts he ex- pected to prove, and proceede4 to call the witnesses as follows :- I Dr. Peter Snow sworn.-On the 11th of April last, at three o'clock in the morning, I was called to the house of Abel French 2d. After dressing the wounds of prisoner's wife, I went out of tle door, and saw the dead body of Abel French 2d lying there naked, except his shirt. I had it carried into the house. On examination I found one wound on the cheek, one a little below the eye on the left side of the face, one on the left side of the chest, penetrating tbe cavity of the chest, and another penetratine the cavity of thc abdo. nien. I probed the wound on the chest with my finger, and have no doubt it was mortal. The prisoner told me he came to the house on the evening df the 9th with his brother; that seeing no light in the house he rapped at the door, and soon heard some one walk from) his wife's bed-room to the bed.room of the deceased. After which the deceased came and opened the door. While there he saw some of his wife's clothes In the deceased's room, which excited his suspi- cions. ie then went away, but soon returned back, and stayedi about the house till near sun-rise. The next night lie wvent from the house of John Battles, jun., about one mile off, to the house of the deceased, to ascertain if his suspicions were correct. He said he suspected he should find his wife and the deceased in bed together, bat hoped he should not. If he found his wife alone, he interded to pass the night and part of the next dar with her, and then go eff; but if he di(i not, he iiatended to kill thcm both. He waited at the door ten or fifteen minutes, till he heard the deceased snore, and then got into the wvindow of his wife's bedroom. Finding no one there, lie went to the deceasedia, and found them both in bed together, asleep. His wife lying the fore side of the bed, he stabbed her in the throat and then reached over and stabbed the deceased, intending to despatc'a them both. The deceasedi jumped out of the bed, when a senfle ensued, durinig which lhestabbed the deceased whenever he could, tillthe deceased got hold of his right hand and prevented him, hethen chan,ged the kn3ife into his left hand, and continued the thrusts. His wife said "PI'ut him out of the house ;" deceased an- swered he would if she would open the door. S!e opened it, and the deceased sooR let Ko his hold, and went to the door and fell on the door stone he rose and fell twice more. Wife said, " I ani afraid you have killed JlSr. French, let us go and see if lie Is dead." Prisoner answered, he would not go near the scoundrel. His wife then complained that she was faint, and requested him to help her oni the bed, and to binid up her wounds. H-e did so. She then request- ed a Bible, after which the prisoner went to caU Captain Thurstota and his brofther. The prisoner repeated the same story in my hear- ing twice, nearly the same words. Captain Jonathan Thurston sworn,On Sanday norning, the Ilth of April last, betweer one and two o'clock, 1 was awakened by a rapplng; I looked out andi saw a man under my window-asked himn what was the matter. Hesaid, " There is trouble at Abel French's, I can tell you," and requested me and my family to go there. At my reqnuest he went across the way to call my brother. As soon as I could dress I followed him there, and asked him what was the case ? IIe answered me, " I have killed Abel French, and intended killing my wife," and confirmed it with an oath. re then proceeded to the house of the deceased. Whilc on our way the prisoner related the circumstances of the afair. [LHere the witness relatetl the story substantially as testified by Dr. Snow with the following additionsl :-Prisoner said he had intenAed to have despatched both his wife and the deceased before either of them could leave the bed, and thsen go anti inform the neighbours that they might see -bow he found them. After the deceased left prisoner, has wife pleaded hard for her I lif'e. He said ho ought to despatch her at once, upon which sheI wrested the knife from hi3 hand and threw it away. She confessed her guilt, and said if he would spare her she would confess it to the vworldl. H2e remarked he thought it strange she should ask favours of him. He assisted her to do up her wounds, helped her ton Bible, and then came tocallus: when we got to the houseprisoner spoke to his wife, who WaS on the bed, but she made no arnswer. Wc found her very low. The prisoner then went to an outside door opposite the onewe entered, and said "Freinc is here." We foubid him-about two rodsfrcm the door, deat and cold, bloody and rnuch mangled. Prisoner told rne he supposed he should be put under keepers, but he did not care for tha. He then related the circumstances which took place the night before, wheis he camue to thse house wvith hisa bro- ther. On4isyinquiring if he had ever been iealous of his wife be- fore,he answered that he had for a long tinse, and had come to a de_ termnination, i? he ever detected her, to put her to death. When the body was laid out, I saw a wound on the right-side, nearly op. posite tbat described by 1)r. Snow.- Qaestfon by the Sollcitor-t3eneral.-.-.Did the prisoner tell in what direction his wifietheow the knife ? He did; and.on examination It was found there, and afterwards tickedupbytheCorener. [Herewitness prduced the knife, -.and. atledit to ihejur y.l. Qaestion by the prisoner's CounEei.-Did you examine the two beds ?-I did. Did it appear from the examination thai the prisoner's statement was correct ?-IE did.. .: Abel Thuraton confirmed e8tatenment of Captain Jona.Thursto6i: Several witnesses were thencalledd 'who testified to the occasiosaal insanity ef theprisoner, mieptioningtshat his father,-faicle and bro- thers had bqea. insani for i3a6y 6.y Otherwitiaecses tetifiedto the calm and sane appearAnce and deportment of the prisorer anh morning following tbe comnmission of his crime. The caiise was aigued&by- thc$olicftor.G'neral, and l?essrs aDu- vies and Hfoar tor the -defendant';- when, after a cbmg.rfrnm Ltic, Xurt, tbe jury ?turned a vcrdict--of " Not Guilty,b emao.d,f In conformity with the provistsn of a' aRtntnte ef this GoinfO]- wvealth, the Courc IIRS direc'd' that-the prbsorrer shall continue tOtbe conlfinled Th prison till reitoved hy order .of Court. -... TRIAL FOR MURDIJt.