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EDWARD D, WORRELL. 11

eceentricity of conduct in any man’s life can never be con-
sidered an excuse for wilful crime. It never has been.

But I deny that the prisoner is crazy. If at previous in-
tervals he may have exhibited such symptoms it has no ap-
plication to this case. The hinge on which this question must
turn is not as to—

Counsel for the prisoner asks Mr. Coalter not to anticipate
what defense ia to be made, but simply to state the facts the
State expects to prove.

Mr. Coalter. I thought it fair—and in fact to the advan-
tage of the prisoner—that the views of the State should be
fully presented in the opening. I desired also to advert to
this plea of insanity at this time, in order that the jury might
keep their minds upon the conduct of the prisoner, as proved
before them, and judge how far his actions corresponded with
those of an insane man. But perhaps enough has been said
at present, and therefore I shall close by requesting the jury
to weigh well the evidence which shall be given, and thus be
prepared to say whether the prisoner did the act as charged
against him, and if he did, was he in a responsible condition
of mind, and thus be prepared to render a true verdiet in the
premises.

THE WITNESSES FOR THE STATE.

Robert Walker. Am chief engi- of gloves like mine. On the eve-

eer of the North Missouri Rail-
road; knew Basil H. Gordon inti-
mately for nearly twenty years.
Early in January, 1856, Mr.
Sturgeon and I determined to go
up the line of the railroad. Di-
reeted Mr. Gordon, my principal
assistant, to accompany me, The
weather was so cold as to induce
me to purchase these gloves
(showing a pair of fur gauntlets).
and advised Mr. Gordon to bay
a pair just like them, where I
bought mine—on the corner of
Fourth and Pine, St. Louis, Gor-
don had a pair of fur enffs which,
I told him, would not be snff-
cient protection. He got a pair

ning of Sunday, January 13, we
left St. Louis. Mx. Sturgeon aud
myself took the cars to St.
Charles; Mr. Gordon on horse-
back. We stayed that night in
St, Charles, at the house of E.
L. Wentz, one of my division en-
gineers, On Monday morning,
Mr. Sturgeon, Gordon, Wentz,
Pratt and myself, accompanied
by a negro boy (employed by
Wentz), left, and after several
days arrived at Bourbonton, in
Boone County, previous to which
Wentz left us. Mr. Sheerbarth,
another division engineer, had
joined us. Sheerbarth and TI
were in a sleigh. We all had

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