From the HiilshoEo' Recorder.
ORANGE SUPERIOR COURT.
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! AT the March term of our Superior Court, held
last week, Judge CALDWELL presiding, Mary
Ann Johnson, charged with the murder OF her
father, Inrncr Johnson, was IIcd and acquitted


The ground Of defence set up for the prisoner,
was lst, That she did not commit the act I'd,
That if she did. she was, in the words of the law,
doll incapar-had not a knowledge Of good and
evil; and, Sd, That it was justi6ablc. 'Phe con-
fesslon OF the prisoner, upon which the State main-


y relied on the first point had but little weight
the evidence in the case being Of such nature as
to lead to the conviction that the prisoner did not
perpetrate the de6d-ihat Il stronger aim than hers
struck the blow that deprived Turner Johnson of
his life. Mary Ann Johnson is but twelve years
old yet appeared that the first blow struck the
deceased the axe passed through his head, through
three folds of the cover, and har an inch into the
floor. Upon The second point. it appeared that
she had been raised in great ignorance, though
naturally shrewd girl; that she had never been
to church, to school; had no knowledge of
God or religion, and was not conscious OF having
committed crime. An ignorance trnfY lamen-
table, and that too in Orange county Heather at
our very doorst The third point in the defence
was maintained on the ground of lis having been
part of her confession that her father threatened
to kilt her if she did not put an end to his life.


This is n melancholy case, viewed in any as
pect and almost makes the heart bleed for the
depravity of our race when we review It. That
n tender girl, of inEantile proportions should be
the principal in so horrible tragedy; or the
mere instrument in the hands Of others; or should
have been taught tale which would screen the
vile perpetrator from the vengeance of the law,
and through fear, or some other powerful influ.
ence is made to STICK to her tale through the
fierce ordeal ola trial ;-either of these supposi-


ons presents case Of depravity TO which the rec
ords ofsn rarely furnish a parallel.