A Report of the Evidence and Points of Law, Arising in the Trial of John Francis Knapp, for the Murder of Joseph White, Esquire |
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Common terms and phrases
abetting aforesaid answer appear asked assent assistance believe brother brought Brown street called Capt cause cell chaise chamber charge circumstances club Colman committed Committee common confession conspiracy conversation convicted counsel Court crime Dexter door doubt dress evidence examined fact felony Francis Frank Knapp gave Gentlemen George give given Government guilty half past hear heard horse hour John Joseph Joseph White Jury Justice knew known letter light live looked manner minutes morning murder never night o'clock object Palmer passed person Phippen present principal prisoner prove question reason recollect remember Richard Crowninshield Salem seen side Southwick standing Stephen steps supposed sworn tell testify testimony thing thought told took trial turned usual walked wanted Webster Wenham White whole window witness
Popular passages
Page 33 - The secret which the murderer possesses soon comes to possess him, and like the evil spirits of which we read, it overcomes him and leads him whithersoever it will. He feels it beating at his heart, rising to his throat, and demanding di.sclosure. He thinks the whole world sees it in his face, reads it in his eyes, and almost hears its workings in the very silence of his thoughts. It has become his master. It betrays his discretion, it breaks down his courage, it conquers his prudence. When suspicions...
Page 33 - When suspicions from without begin to embarrass him, and the net of circumstance to entangle him, the fatal secret struggles with still greater violence to burst forth. It must be confessed, it will be confessed ; there is no refuge from confession but suicide, and suicide is confession.
Page 32 - Especially in a case exciting so much attention as this, discovery must come, and will come sooner or later. A thousand eyes turn at once to explore every man, every thing, every circumstance connected with the time and place ; a thousand ears catch every whisper ; a thousand excited minds intensely dwell on the scene, shedding all their light, and ready to kindle the slightest circumstance into a blaze of discovery.
Page 32 - The deed was executed with a degree of self-possession and steadiness, equal to the wickedness with which it was planned. The circumstances, now clearly in evidence, spread out the whole scene before us. Deep sleep had fallen on the destined victim, and on all beneath his roof. A healthful old man, to whom sleep was sweet, the first sound slumbers of the night held him in their soft but strong embrace.
Page 14 - Columbia, laborer, not having the fear of God before his eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the devil...
Page 31 - Against the prisoner at the bar, as an individual, I cannot have the slightest prejudice. I would not do him the smallest injury or injustice. But I do not affect to be indifferent to the discovery and the punishment of this deep guilt.
Page 58 - Colman and NP Knapp, differ entirely. There is no possibility of reconciling them. No charity can cover both. One or the other has sworn falsely. If NP Knapp be believed, Mr. Colman's testimony must be wholly disregarded. It is, then, a question of credit, — a question of belief between the two witnesses. As you decide between these, so you will decide on all this part of the case. Mr.
Page 62 - A sense of duty pursues us ever. It is omnipresent, like the Deity. If we take to ourselves the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, duty performed, or duty violated, is still with us, for our happiness or our misery.
Page 62 - Gentlemen, your whole concern should be to do your duty, and leave consequences to take care of themselves. You will receive the law from the court Your verdict, it is true, may endanger the prisoner's life, but then it is to save other lives.
Page 36 - ... disclosure, and his promise of indemnity, he now refuses to testify. He chooses to return to his original state, and now stands answerable himself, when the time shall come for his trial. These circumstances it is fit you should remember, in your investigation of the case.
Bibliographic information
| Title | A Report of the Evidence and Points of Law, Arising in the Trial of John Francis Knapp, for the Murder of Joseph White, Esquire |
| Contributor | Massachusetts. Supreme Judicial Court |
| Publisher | W. & S. B. Ives, 1830 |
| Original from | Harvard University |
| Digitized | 11 Mar 2008 |
| Length | 74 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |