The Virginian

From the Richmond Compiler.

TRIAL OF JOHN CONNERS.

The melancholy case of Miss Cunningham was deeply felt throughout the whole country. The hue and cry was raised after the monster, who had perpetrated both rape and murder upon a helpless and unoffending stranger. Many persons were taken up on suspicion, and discharged for want of proof. Until at length, Justice was supposed to have laid her hand upon the real culprit in the person of John Conners, who without the least temptation or the least terror had confessed himself the murderer of the unfortunate girl.

After having been removed from Virginia to Maryland, from Cecil county to Kent; after sundry delays in the procuring of witnesses both for the prisoner and the prosecution, the trial of this unfortunate man came on, on Monday the 31st ult. at Chestertown, in Kent county before Judges Earle and Parnell. The testimony before the Court presents a curious contrariety of evidence as to the identity of the prisoner.

Some of the witnesses swear, that he was near the scene of the murder on the 4th of April: others, that he was at the very time in the State of Kentucky. The case has excited so much interest, and the testimony in so curious a state of contradictions, that we cannot reconcile it to ourselves to pass it over. The trial itself fills more than five columns of a Baltimore paper. We must then content ourselves with seizing its leading features; and laying the following sketch before our readers.

Messrs. Kilt, the Attorney General, and David Campbell appeared on the part of the prosecution: Messrs. Chambers, Gale and McLean on behalf of the prisoner.

In persons were challenged by the prisoner before the jury was complete. The Attorney General opened the case, and Mr. Campbell sketched the points of evidence, as related to the acquittal of the accused.

Grey Barber is the principal witness against Conners. He stated, that while traveling on the road in Virginia, about the last of May or first of June, he fell in company with the prisoner, he was with him days in end; but C. told him he had murdered six persons; the last of his victims was Miss Cunningham of Cecil county; that he had violated her, taken her gold ring, and expected to get a gold watch, but she had none: that he had killed her for fear she would be a witness against him: He wanted the witness to join him robbing the U. S. mail: that at the house of a Mrs. Billingoly, he again confessed that he had killed her with a silver dirk. The witness said, he had prepared on a young man by the name of James Johnson to listen in the bushes while he should interrogate the prisoner, who still told the same story; and said he had sold her ring in Baltimore or Alexandria for 3 dollars. Witness admitted both the prisoner and himself were sometimes drunk, yet C. when sober always told the same story. When cross-examined, the witness said that he did not know when he heard of the murder of Miss C.: that the prisoner called himself John Peters, and said he had stolen all the clothes he had on; behaved badly on the road, and was turned out of several houses for his misconduct.

James Deacon testified that at Barber's request, he had secreted himself in the bushes, and overheard C. tell B. that he had violated Miss C. and heard him say something about a ring; but he was too far and the sound of the wind too great to permit him to hear distinctly what passed.

Peter Bouler stated, that on the 1st June last, Conners with Barber were together at a tavern in Virginia. C was cursing very much, &c. Mr. L. Jenkins questioned B. about the confession of C. Barber said that he had confessed the murder of Miss C.

Others stated to swear partly with, B.: ri:r;:! nim with brtraglr g tio, aud at- it arytp ly otriks pim, "When asked by Caiaka wha be had knieddhe ladvit. maid he had not ki d her. bot bad passed by the place where she was murdered on the daythe derd was done!

L. Jenkins stated, that when B. told him he would inform him what he kues of G. Conuers wanted B. to go asidle with h m: hut witurss would not lrt him go.-C. said B. was a har for gaying he bad cuntossed tim murder, struck hum and charged him with hetraving bimn,-C. sad at one töme he had "otked on tihe Chesapeake and Delaware canal, ahd soon after denjed it.- C. said oe fell in with Barber ou the road. and asked him if he had ever heard of the murder of Miss Cunnioghan : told him he had wravetlrd past the place wlere the murder wae counmitted, near the time it was done. Witness afterwards. when Con- ners was m jait, asked whe re he was on the firat of Aprd laat. C. saud he wan twelse miles from Wherdng, Qhio. said he had been atthe mouth of Wahash river and travet'ed from there to Jaousville and tu Milleraburg. Kentueky, in the month of A puil. He had passud by the name ofCon- ners and Peters, but said mothing about callng hi nselr Pan ; said he had buught a hat from a Mf Giet,-Witoess said, he had examinrd C'a. bmundle atter his ariest. and found . cainbrie shaal which appear- ed ika lady's,

Richard Boulden, helinved that be had seen the p sohet at his hoame ws the ad Apl: eat hreakfint thore ; sau he was gotug to thethrsapeak: aud Deleware e. nad; refurnid aome tirne afterwarde said ne did not hik" the canal: left a bundle ot chuthes at hs house. &e. He alwaye will beohve whtle he has senses, that the prinr- mer is the sairye nan no leftnie house ou tne 4thda of April.

Jumea Snith workrd aome tine on the can : ga the prsoner at the canal to k- mg ot for work; noticad he had , bad countenance snd co fused to hry him,

Haley Moffil betr vrd he had sern priso anes attne canal: hay no doubt on his mind of it.

Willian Adam found Mis C's hody a bont 2eo yards sou'h of the state road. be- tween Elkton an IHavre de Grace.

George Stubbens saw a man coining out of the "oods where the nurder wae com- mitted : the man had a knapsack. enquir. edath road to Hace de Grice ; thinks Li. yoice was,like the prisoner's, but caunot think it was him,

George Turuer is impreased with the beliefthat on the morning of the 'h of Aprif he paised the prisoner nrar Eiktoy

Charles G. Black also thsoks he me him o. that morning -Joseph P. Bunting thinks too be methin but could not be cer- tain.

Now here are three witnesses whoswen to hi-hring in the neighboushood-four o thers who think they saw wen-and two heard hun confeagthe murder This seeis weiy stroug proof: let us seetheother side

H'm. Hatson.-Miss 'C. hued witl him ; knowa othir'g of her rings "xcept the one found on her bapd aher her de- cease.

"im. Mofil-aloes not bel ave the man he met on the morning. of the murder 1 the prisouer. thourgh be hu fir-t thougbt qo. John (odurn dos nit thi.k the pris. oner the sane aa hr mrt, sith a long sartot coat o, &e.-James. Russrd-th Sir.'

Bm. Coale stated, that a man with a bundle got inty hisgig, and rude fifty or sixty ywrds when they mrt Miss C. The man thrt, g it out and he hunself rode otf --Dors wot huk that mat was the priso- ur!

Abraham Kuight, the ferryman at the Ch sage ke,on the ewrningof the fourth put , hanoter the riser; the clothrs in his buodle were bloody-thinks he was the gailty person--but the prisuuer is iot that inan.

Jumes Serall-examinrd C. in the jail at St.fordg he theo said,he did na' kmow where he vay on dth Apil-but in Elkton ul, he told him he was in Millersbarg. Kentnekv, at the time: he mnentioned his acquaintauce with Dier, Saupders and Vi mont of that place, ant spokr of a hat oe k ud bouight of'Mr. Dier thrve. "itness had at the reaieat ufthe cartusr for shi prisoner, witten to Mr. Forbus,da respecta- ble aod intethgent gentleman of Virgtota. rrguecting the chararter or seracity of Grey Barber. T e answer to the tuqat- risa was, that he was a nan addicted t in- toxr alon -except that. he knew nothing ag wnst hint, aod his evjdence in his opin- inn woold be cntitled to cradit.

Thomas Walker, was the person sho had gone toKentucky after the witnesses; the the prisouer had told him, before starting, that he had been empl yed by. a Mr. Vi- mant, and his son J.torson T. Vunont, S&ee. ; and he had found things just as he had described thein, &c : Jas: Sanders had described parteutar marks on the pris- oher, without being asked sbont hin.

Janes Sanders, fron K. was then sworn, and stated that James Counees, the priso- ner. did come to Mutlersburg on the. last day ofMareh, and woked with him one week, when be was disch iged for dronk- enness. The wituess spoke tou of the hat honght of Dier. Prisoner knew witaess the moment when he saw him in Chester- townjail.

Jefferson T. Fiment of K. alsn appear- ed and saore to prisoner's being in Millers burg on the last day of Marchilast ; witness hejnt his fatlirr's hooks at the time, and now produeed his day book to shew he was there at that time te had charged cert ain things to hin under the name of Pano (which he had Rrst called himself.y though he nad afterwards said his nane waa Con- ners, &e.

Dr. Morgan Bronn, High sherif of Kent chuuty, wworn, saith-He was inthe prison wh. the witnesses from Kentueky were faken mto the presonce of the prisoner : he mnnediately uamed James Sanders and Jefferson T. Vimont. and appeared! much affected and agitated. Witneas had given orders that thry should not he taken. into theprescrnce of the prisoner until he "as prosent.

The Evidence bring gone through, the case w is argurd on both sides, duringthe rest of that day and part of the next At lo o'clock the Jury retired-at 20 mninutes past 2.they returned with a ver dict of "Vot Guitty." ' Thr prisoner was then discharged;and leftthe court-house in company with his Counsel, without any obwervation from the Conet.

The Jury we think decided aecording to eridence-hut the clashing of witnessesin this casp nught to teach to humnan judgmnent incasrs ofhighexciteinent, intc cgution if ww somebuwillgs