CHAPTER VII.

Death of Mrs. Webster-Mr. Webster's Second Marriage-The Celebrated Case of John Francis Knapp-Circumstances of the Case-Revelations of Hatch-Of Palmer-Crowninshield arrested-The Two KnappsConfession of Joseph Knapp-Trial of Francis and Joseph Knapp— The Result-Mr. Choate's Narrative-Mr. Webster's Ability as a Criminal Lawyer-The Variety of his Talents.

IN the year 1827 Mr. Webster endured a severe domestic affliction in the death of his wife. This event occurred at New York, while she and her husband were on their way to Washington. It was the heaviest blow which he ever received; for the attachment which existed between them was of the most tender nature. From his youth he had loved the fair and amiable Grace Fletcher with all the intensity of his nature. She had watched his rising fame with pride and joy. She had been one of the most devoted and affectionate of women; and her loss was to him irreparable. It may truly be said that, after her death, the moral and social tendencies of Mr. Webster underwent a change which probably never would have occurred had she continued to live.*

In August, 1830, Mr. Webster delivered his famous argument in the trial of John Francis Knapp for the murder of Joseph White, of Salem. This was his masterpiece in the department of criminal law; and the case was one of intense interest. Joseph White, a wealthy mer

* In 1830 Mr. Webster married Miss Caroline Le Roy, daughter of Herman Le Roy, of the city of New York, who survived him.

chant of Salem, was found murdered in his bed on the 7th of April, 1830. He was eighty-two years of age. His servant was the first to discover the deed and to proclaim it to the astonished citizens. Thirteen stabs were found upon the body, made by a sharp dagger; and a heavy blow had been given upon the left temple, by which the skull was fractured. No valuables had been stolen from the house, though gold coin and silver plate were in the apartment of the deceased. The murder was perpetrated at night, by an unknown assassin, in one of the most densely-crowded portions of Salem.

Never had a more profound and terrible mystery occurred in the annals of crime than was presented by the circumstances of this case. Not the slightest indication could be detected, for several weeks, which threw any light upon the horrid enigma. At length the public learned that a person who was then in prison at New Bedford, seventy miles from Salem, had asserted that he could make important revelations in reference to it. His name was Hatch; and he eventually deposed that the real murderer of Mr. White was a former associate of his at Salem, named Richard Crowninshield, Jr., a young man of bad reputation, bold, adroit, unprincipled, and capable of the most heinous crimes. Another witness afterward came forward, named Palmer, a resident of Belfast in Maine, who acknowledged that he had been acquainted with Crowninshield, and had learned from him his intention to assassinate Mr. White, as well as the connection of Crowninshield with Joseph J. Knapp, Jr., and John Francis Knapp, near relatives of the deceased, who hoped, by first destroying the will of Mr. White and then his life, to become heirs at law of his immense estate. The two Knapps, thus implicated by two witnesses in this awful crime, were young shipmasters in Salem, who had hitherto borne excellent characters. They

were immediately arrested. J. J. Knapp, Jr. made a full confession, on the third day of his imprisonment, to the effect that he had projected the murder; that he had communicated his project to his brother, John Francis; that Francis had agreed to employ an assassin; that Francis had subsequently engaged Crowninshield to murder Mr. White, for which he was to receive a thousand dollars; that Joseph Knapp had promised to unbar a window at night in the abode of their victim, and thus facilitate the operations of the assassin; that he had actually abstracted Mr. White's will, and opened the shutters of a window in their victim's house, as agreed upon; and that Crowninshield had finally entered the mansion, proceeded to Mr. White's chamber, and had murdered him while asleep by a heavy blow upon the head and thirteen stabs upon the body.

Crowninshield was not aware of the revelations which had been made by Joseph Knapp, and maintained a stoical indifference of manner, which seemed to indicate his innocence; but as soon as he heard of Knapp's arrest his behaviour changed, and indicated the utmost anxiety. The subsequent incidents connected with this memorable case can be best narrated by an eye-witness of the thrilling scenes connected with it:

"Palmer was brought to Salem in irons on the 3d of June, and committed to prison. Crowninshield saw him taken from the carriage. He was put in the cell directly under that in which Crowninshield was kept. Several members of the committee entered Palmer's cell to talk with him while they were talking, they heard a loud whistle, and, on looking up, saw that Crowninshield had picked away the mortar from the crevice between the blocks of the granite floor of his cell. After the loud whistle, he cried out, 'Palmer! Palmer!' and soon let down a string, to which were tied a pencil and a slip of

paper. Two lines of poetry were written on the paper, in order that, if Palmer was really there, he would make it known by capping the verses. Palmer shrunk away into a corner, and was soon transferred to another cell. He seemed to stand in awe of Crowninshield.

"On the 12th of June, a quantity of stolen goods was found concealed in the barn of Crowninshield, in consequence of information from Palmer.

"Crowninshield, thus finding the proofs of his guilt and depravity thicken, on the 15th of June committed suicide by hanging himself to the bars of his cell with a handkerchief. He left letters to his father and brother, expressing in general terms the viciousness of his life and the hopelessness of escape from punishment. When his associates in guilt heard his fate, they said it was not unexpected by them, for they had often heard him say he would never live to submit to an ignominious punishment.

"A special term of the Supreme Court was held at Salem on the 20th of July, for the trial of the prisoners charged with the murder: it continued in session till the 20th of August, with a few days' intermission. An indictment for the murder was found against John Francis Knapp, as principal, and Joseph J. Knapp, Jr., and George Crowninshield, as accessories. Selman and Chase were discharged by the attorney-general.

"The principal, John Francis Knapp, was first put on trial. As the law then stood, an accessory in a murder could not be tried until a principal had been convicted. He was defended by Messrs. Franklin Dexter and William H. Gardiner, advocates of high reputation for ability and eloquence. The trial was long and arduous, and the witnesses numerous. His brother Joseph, who had made a full confession, on the Government's promise of impunity if he would in good faith testify the truth, was brought

into court, called to the stand as a witness, but declined to testify. To convict the prisoner, it was necessary for the Government to prove that he was present, actually or constructively, as an aider or abettor in the murder. The evidence was strong that there was a conspiracy to commit the murder, that the prisoner was one of the conspirators, that at the time of the murder he was in Brown Street at the rear of Mr. White's garden, and the jury were satisfied that he was in that place to aid and abet in the murder, ready to afford assistance if necessary. He was convicted.

"Joseph J. Knapp, Jr., was afterward tried as an accessory before the fact, and convicted.

"George Crowninshield proved an alibi, and was discharged.

"The execution of John Francis Knapp and Joseph J. Knapp, Jr., closed the tragedy.

"If Joseph, after turning state's evidence, had not changed his mind, neither he nor his brother, nor any of the conspirators, could have been convicted; if he had testified, and disclosed the whole truth, it would have appeared that John Francis Knapp was in Brown Street, not to render assistance to the assassin; but that Crowninshield, when he started to commit the murder, requested Frank to go home and go to bed; that Frank did go home, retired to bed, soon after arose, secretly left his father's house, and hastened to Brown Street, to await the coming out of the assassin, in order to learn whether the deed was accomplished, and all the particulars. If Frank had not been convicted as principal, none of the accessories could by law have been convicted. Joseph would not have been. even tried; for the Government stipulated that if he would be a witness for the State he should go clear.

"The whole history of this occurrence is of romantic