Year: 1879

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PRoNoUNoED, DELIVERS A sTUDIEI


PROTEST AGAINST THE JUSTICE OF HI


CoNyICTIoN-IiIs APPEAL TO HEAvEN


TO ATTEST uIs INNOCENCE OF MALICE


by TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.


RICHMOND, Va. May 3, 1870.
There was quite Il dramatic scene il


the Hastings Court room to-day when


John Il. PoindeXter was brought up tC


receive his sentence of two years inn
prisonment In the penitentiary for kill
| ing G. G. Curtis on the 3d of March last
The prisoner was neatly dressed In 4
dark Prince Albert suit. He did not ap-
pear much depressed, and his tall. slcn-
der figure and rather handsome features
showed TO advantage. The court had
been in session nearly an hour when the
clerk ordered PoindcXter to stand up,
and asked him If he had anything to say
why sentence should not be pronounced.
Much to the surprise of everybody, he
made IN address, which had evidcnly
been prepared, for he read from few
sheets of paper which were covered
with interlineations and scratched. Its
delivery affected many in the court
room, and none more visibly than his
Honor, Judge Christian,


THE coNvIcT's ADDRESS.


PolndcXtcr said;--"May it please
Your Honor, If | bowed my head to this
sentence and did not protest against the
injustice Of this verdict, vcrdt which,
If ratified by this community, makes me
the first victim of q revolution in ira
dltional sentiment Of my native State,
that has educated me to believe that the
defence OF woman Is one of the first du-
ties man owes to himself and society. |
should be false to myself. false to every
feeling that goes to form the strongest
conviction Of innocence In my own
breast. No one more dcplorcs this sad
and most unhappy tragedy and the nm
fortunate circumstance that led thereto
than myself. My feelings will not per-
nit me now, nor have the strength,
bowed down with sorrow as my heart
now is, to 80 into any extended defence
Of my course. I do not claim to be
Gultless. am but human, and moved
by those passions with which God In his
Judgment hath seen 1T TO ill the souls
of men. AS to the charge that | was
moved by maliceln taking the life Of the
deceased, do, in the name Of heaven,
again plead not guilty. Let me say it in
the face of God, and as Iyaluc my souls
salvation, had no desire orwlsh to take
his life, and every feeling which may
have had was crowded from my mind
by the all-absorbing thought that my
life was at stake, and the God-given
law of self-defcncc alone controlled my
action. Willingly and gladly would |
give half my days to return to his sor-
rowing sister and friends the life which
lies on my hands and raise from their
hearts the grief which no less opprcsscs
mine. will say nothing against any
one. simply ask that charity may be
extended to me aud others which 80
willingly accord 10 MI. II Is not enough,
Your Honor, that the very foundation Of
my life will ever he slowly frettcd away
by the deep sorrow that must acccmpa-
ny me even TO my grave. This chas-
tlsemcnt Is surely sufficient, the bitter
ness of which no heart can know but my
own. do not complain Of the number
of years contained In this verdict. Sir,
two are as good as twenty. Suffice II to
say, II this verdict Ia ever carried into
effect, the sentence you are about TO
pronounce is death sentence that
crushcs out Of my life all hope, all hap
piness, and only leaves me what man
cannot take from me. feel no sense OF
guilt or disgrace; but carry this verdict
into execution, and with my nature and
the thought Of those loved ones who are
so dear 10 me should be utterly crush
ed. In closing ! thank Your Honor
from my heart Cor your sincere and feel
ing expression Of sympathy"


In the beginning polndextor read In a
firm aud distinct voice, which could be
easily heard In all parts Of the court
room. When he said, 81 do, In the
name Of Heaven, again plead not gull
ty," his voice rug ont IN clear, strong
and emphatic tones. There was pathos
in his uttering, "Gladly would give
half my days" and 81 ask that charity