TRIAL, &c. At a Court of Oyer and Terminer, and Quarter Sessions of the Peace, holden at Doylestown, in and for the County of Bucks, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, December Sessions, A. D. 1831: Before the Honourable JOHN Fox, President, Honourable WILLIAM WATTS, Associates. WILLIAM PURDY, Esquire, Clerk. Judges of the said Court. The Court was opened on Monday, December 12th, 1831, at 11 o'clock, A. M., and after some preliminary business, the Grand Jurors were impanelled, and charged by the Court, upon the subject of their duties. The indisposition of the President Judge prevented him from enlarging, with much particularity, upon the nature and definition of the various offences which were expected to come under their notice; of which the highest in the list was Murder. On Wednesday afternoon, the Grand Jury brought into Court the following bill of BUCKS COUNTY, fs. INDICTMENT. "In the Court of Oyer and Terminer, held for the County of Bucks, at December Term, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one. The Grand Inquest of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania inquiring for the body of the County of Bucks, upon their oaths and solemn affirmations, respectively do present, that Lucretia Chapman, late of the County aforesaid, widow, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, late of the County aforesaid, widow, and Lino Amalia Espos y Mina, late of the County aforesaid, yeoman, otherwise called Celestine Armentarius, late of the County aforesaid, yeoman, otherwise called Amalia Gregoria Zarrier, late of the County aforesaid, yeoman, not having the fear of God before their eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the devil, and of their malice aforethought contriving and intending a certain William Chapman to deprive of his life, and him the said William Chapman, feloniously to kill and murder, on the twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one, and on divers other days and times between the said twentieth day of June in the year last aforesaid, and the twenty-third day of June, in the same year, with force and arms at the County aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction of this Court, did knowingly, wilfully, feloniously, and of their malice aforethought, mix and mingle certain deadly poison, called arsenic, in certain chicken soup, which had been, at divers days and times, during the time aforesaid, prepared for the use of the said William Chapman, to be drunk by him the said William Chapman, (they the said A Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, and the said Lino Amalia Espos y Mina, otherwise called Celestine Armentarius, otherwise called Amalia Gregoria Zarrier, then and there well knowing that the said chicken soup with which they, the said Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, and the said Lino Amalia Espos y Mina, otherwise called Celestine Armentarius, otherwise called Amalia Gregoria Zarrier, did so mix and mingle the said deadly poison as aforesaid, was then and there prepared for the use of the said William Chapman, with intent to be then and there administered to him for his drinking the same,) and the said chicken soup with which the said deadly poison was so mixed as aforesaid, afterwards, to wit, on the said twentieth day of June in the year last aforesaid, and on the said other days and times last mentioned, at the County and within the jurisdiction aforesaid, was delivered to the said William Chapman, to be then and there drunk by him, the said William Chapman, and he the said William Chapman (not knowing the said poison to have been mixed with the said chicken soup) did, afterwards, to wit, on the said twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one, and on the said other days and times above mentioned, there drink and swallow down into his body several quantities of the said deadly poison so mixed as aforesaid with the said chicken soup, and the said William Chapman of the poison aforesaid and by the operation thereof then and there became sick and greatly distempered in his body, of which said sickness and distemper of body, occasioned by the said drinking, taking, and swallowing down into the body of the said William Chapman of the deadly poison aforesaid, so mixed and mingled in the said chicken soup as aforesaid, he, the said William Chapman, from the said several days and times on which he had so taken, drunk, and swallowed down the same as aforesaid, until the said twenty-third day of June, in the year last aforesaid, at the County aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction aforesaid, did languish, and languishing did live, on which said twenty-third day of June, in the year last aforesaid, at the County, and within the jurisdiction aforesaid, he, the said William Chapman, of the poison aforesaid so taken, drunk and swallowed down as aforesaid, and of the said sickness and distemper occasioned thereby, did die. And so the Inquest aforesaid, upon their oaths and solemn affirmations aforesaid, do say, that the said Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, and the said Lino Amalia Espos y Mina, otherwise called Celestine Armentarius, otherwise called Amalia Gregoria Zarrier, him, the said William Chapman, then and there in the manner and by the means aforesaid, feloniously, wilfully, and of their malice aforethought, did kill and murder, contrary to the form of the Act of the General Assembly in such case made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. And the Inquest aforesaid, inquiring as aforesaid, upon their oaths and solemn affirmations aforesaid, do further present that the said Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, not having the fear of God before her eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the devil, and of her malice aforethought, wickedly contriving and intending the said William Chapman to deprive of his life, and the said William Chapman feloniously to kill and murder, on the twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one, and on divers other days and times between the said twentieth day of June in the year last aforesaid, and the twenty-third day of June in the same year, with force and arms at the county aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction of this Court, did feloniously, wilfully, and of her malice aforethought, mix and mingle certain deadly poison, called arsenic, in certain chicken soup, which had been at divers days and times, during the time aforesaid, prepared for the use of the said William Chapman, to be drunk by him, the said William Chapman, (she, the said Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, then and there well knowing that the said chicken soup with which she, the said Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, did so mix and mingle the said deadly poison as aforesaid, was then and there prepared for the use of the said William Chapman, with intent to be then and there administered to him for his drinking the same,) and the said chicken soup with which the said deadly poison was so mixed as aforesaid, afterwards, to wit, on the said twentieth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one, and on the said other days and times last mentioned at the county and within the jurisdiction aforesaid, was delivered to the said William Chapman, to be then and there drunk by him the said William Chapman, and he, the said William Chapman, (not knowing the said poison to have been mixed with the said chicken soup) did afterwards, to wit, on the said twentieth day of June, in the year last aforesaid, and on the said divers other days and times above mentioned, there drink and swallow down into his body several quantities of the said deadly poison so mixed as aforesaid with the said chicken soup, and the said William Chapman, of the poison aforesaid, and by the operation thereof, then and there became sick and greatly distempered in his body, of which said sickness and distemper of body, occasioned by the said drinking, taking, and swallowing down into the body of the said William Chapman of the deadly poison aforesaid, so mixed and mingled in the said chicken soup as aforesaid: he, the said William Chapman, from the said several days and times, on which he had so taken, drunk, and swallowed down the said deadly poison as aforesaid, until the said twenty-third day of June, in the year last aforesaid, at the County aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction aforesaid, did languish, and languishing did live, on which said twenty-third day of June in the year last aforesaid, at the County aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction aforesaid, be, the said William Chapman, of the poison aforesaid so taken, drunk, and swallowed down as aforesaid, and of the said sickness and distemper occasioned thereby, did die. And that the said Lino Amalia Espos y Mina, otherwise called Celestine Armentarius, otherwise called Amalia Gregoria Zarrier, then and there, feloniously, wilfully, and of his malice aforethought, was present, aiding and abetting the said Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, the felony and murder aforesaid, in manner and form last aforesaid, to do and commit. And so the Inquest aforesaid, upon their oaths and solemn affirmations aforesaid, do say that the said Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, and the said Lino Amalia Espos y Mina, otherwise called Celestine Armentarius, otherwise called Amalia Gregoria Zarrier, him, the said William Chapman, then and there, in the manner and form last aforesaid, feloniously, wilfully, and of their malice aforethought, did kill and murder, contrary to the form of the Act of Assembly, in such case made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. And the Inquest aforesaid, inquiring as aforesaid, upon their oaths and solemn affirmations aforesaid, do further present that the said Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, not having the fear of God before her eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the devil, and of her malice aforethought, contriving and intending a certain William Chapman to deprive of his life, and the said William Chapman, feloniously, wilfully, and of her malice aforethought, to kill and murder with poison, on the twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord one, thousand eight hundred and thirty-one, and on divers other days and times, between the said twentieth day of June, in the year last aforesaid, and the twenty-third day of June in the same year, with force and arms, at the County aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction of this Court, did knowingly, wilfully, feloniously, and of her malice aforethought, mix and mingle certain deadly poison, called arsenic, in certain chicken soup, which had been at divers days and times, during the time aforesaid, prepared for the use of the said William Chapman, to be drunk by him, the said William Chapman (she, the said Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, then and there, well knowing that the said chicken soup with which she, the said Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, did so mix and mingle the said deadly poison as aforesaid, was then and there prepared for the use of the said William Chapman, with intent to be then and there administered to the said William Chapman, for his drinking the same); and that the said William Chapman afterwards, to wit, on the twentieth day of June, in the year last aforesaid, and on the said other days and times last mentioned at the county aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction aforesaid, did take, drink, and swallow down into his body several quantities of the said chicken soup, with which the said arsenic was so mixed and mingled by the said Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina as aforesaid, (he, the said William Chapman, at the time he so took, drank, and swallowed down into his body the said chicken soup, not knowing there was any arsenic or any other poisonous or hurtful ingredient mixed or mingled with the said chicken soup,) by means whereof he, the said William Chapman, then and there became sick and greatly distempered in his body; and the said William Chapman, of the poison aforesaid so by him taken, drunk and swallowed as aforesaid, and of the sickness occasioned thereby, from the said several days and times on which he, the said William Chapman, had so taken, drunk, and swallowed down the same deadly poison as afore said, until the said twenty-third day of June, in the year last aforesaid, at the County and within the jurisdiction aforesaid, did languish, and languishing did live, on which said twenty-third day of June, in the year last aforesaid, at the County and within the jurisdiction aforesaid, he, the said William Chapman, of the poison aforesaid, so by him taken, drunk, and swallowed down, and of the sickness and distemper occasioned thereby, did die. And that the aforesaid Lino Amalia Espos y Mina, otherwise called Celestine Armentarius, otherwise called Amalia Gregoria Zarrier, not having the fear of God before his eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the devil, before the said felony and murder committed, to wit, on the said twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one, at the County aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction of this Court, with force and arms, feloniously, wilfully, and of his malice aforethought, did incite, instigate, stir up, counsel, direct, advise, command, aid, abet, move, and procure her, the said Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, the felony and murder aforesaid, in manner and form aforesaid, to do and commit. And so the Inquest aforesaid, upon their oaths and solemn affirmations aforesaid, do say, that the said Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, him, the said William Chapman, then and there, in manner and form last aforesaid, feloniously, wilfully, and of her malice aforethought, did kill and murder, and that he, the said Lino Amalia Espos y Mina, otherwise called Celestine Armentarius, otherwise called Amalia Gregoria Zarrier, feloniously, wilfully, and of his malice aforethought, in manner and form aforesaid, at the County aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction of this Court, her, the said Lucretia Chapman, otherwise called Lucretia Espos y Mina, did aid, abet, counsel, direct, advise, and instigate, the felony and murder aforesaid, in manner and form aforesaid, to commit and perpetrate, contrary to the form of the Act of Assembly, in such case made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The following named gentlemen appeared as Counsel: For the Commonwealth, Messrs. THOMAS ROSS, Deputy Attorney General, and WILLIAM B. REED. For the prisoner, Lucretia Chapman, Messrs. DAVID PAUL BROWN, and PETER M'CALL. For the prisoner, Lino Amalia Espos y Mina, Messrs. SAMUEL RUSH, and E. T. M'DOWELL. On Wednesday afternoon, the prisoners having been brought up, and put to the bar, Mr. Rush, on the part of Mina, rose and addressed some remarks to the Court, expressive of the embarrassment under which he laboured, in consequence of his client's imperfect knowledge of the English language. He proceeded to state that, although it was with considerable difficulty the indictment had been explained to the prisoner, he was prepared to waive all objections to the immediate arraignment on that ground, provided that, by pleading to the indictment at once, he did not debar himself from the right, on which it might be his duty to insist, to be tried by a jury of which one half should be composed of foreigners (de medietate linguæ). It was his object therefore to obtain some assurance from the Court, or from the prosecution, that an immediate plea to the indictment should not foreclose that right. Mr. Ross, for the Commonwealth, said that, so far from taking any advantage, of the kind referred to, the counsel for the prosecution had concluded, if the application for a jury de medietate should be pressed, to accede to it. Without admitting it to be the law, they were disposed to yield, from a wish to extend to the prisoner any advantage which he might suppose such a privilege would afford. The prisoners were then arraigned by the Deputy Attorney General, and severally pleaded Not Guilty to the indictment. Being asked, separately, how they would be tried? They answered, "By God and my country." |