An impression has existed on the minds of many, that the Rev. Mr. AVERY has never given any account of himself during his absence on the afternoon and evening of the death of S. M. Cornell. Such persons, however, cannot have read either the Report of his Examination or of his Trial. Mr. Avery has never exhibited the least reserve on the subject, but has always manifested the utmost frankness, and readiness to answer the questions proposed to him. So far from concealing any thing, the testimony shows that his first step, after hearing of the suspicions against him, and his first step after his arrest, were, to give to his friends and to the examining justice a detailed account of all he knew in relation to the girl, and of his excursion on the Island. Many more signatures might be obtained to the following certificate were it deemed necessary. Bristol, January, 1834. We, the undersigned, hereby certify, that soon after the arrest of the Rev. E. K. Avery, and during his examination at Bristol, we severally held conversations with him concerning his tour to Rhode Island on the afternoon of the 20th of December, and concerning his knowledge of S. M. Cornell, at which times he was perfectly frank and open in his communications with us upon those subjects, and did not appear to have any secrets whatever about them. NATHAN WARREN, MR. AVERY'S STATEMENT. I SHOULD have given to the public a statement of my acquaintance with the unfortunate Sarah M. Cornell, or Maria S. Cornell, and of my excursion on Rhode Island, Dec. 20, 1832, long before this time; but the following reasons have served to prevent: 1. I had given a general, as well as particular account, in my voluntary statement respecting my acquaintance with the girl, which was used on my first examination, and was published in Judge Drury's report. 2. I had given to Rev. S. Drake and others, an account of my excursion on the Island, which he stated at the examination, and which was also published in that report. 3. I was advised not to be in haste to make any further statements, it being presumed that what had been said was already sufficient. 4. The peculiar situation in which I have been placed, has rendered my burden of affliction almost insupportable, and disqualified me for such a task. And I now repeat, what I have repeatedly stated, that nothing but a conscience void of offence towards God and man in this matter, could yield me the least support. This consciousness in the sight of God, however, has been my solace even until now. Notwithstanding the above reasons, with others, it is now judged expedient that I should make some communication to the public on the above subject. Some reasons for this are, 1. The statements published in Judge Drury's report, are not contained in the report of the late trial at Newport, not being made use of on that occasion; and also, the report of the examination had but a limited circulation. 2. There are some things in the narration which it may bé proper to note and explain. 3. There are other circumstances which it would be proper to lay before the public, which may throw additional light upon my case. 4. I also feel as though I ought to acknowledge my obligations to God for that grace he has afforded me, and which has supported me under all my trials, and to my friends and brethren for their kindness, prayers and friendship. Innocent as I feel and know that I am, Í should a thousand times rather have been removed from the walls of Zion, than that this dark day should have overtaken me; but I have confidence that God has wise ends to answer, and when those ends shall have been accomplished, all will be cleared up to his glory and the good of his church. The hope that I shall witness this, now sustains me. The course I propose in this, is to begin with laying before the public my voluntary testimony, making such explanations in notes as may be necessary, in order to a full understanding of it. I shall begin with some circumstances that preceded my arrest. On Friday, the 21st of December, 1832, Rev. I. M. Bidwell came from Fall River to Bristol, and took me into a room, and stated that he had some unpleasant news to relate. He then stated that the girl we were conversing about (S. M. Cornell) was dead. I inquired what was the matter? He replied, that she had hung herself; adding, that on that morning he had visited the place where she was hung, had ascertained who she was, and had received information from Dr. Wilbur, which implicated me as having had illicit intercourse with her; and that he had, in compliance with a conviction of duty, come to inform me of the same. To which I replied, that it was altogether untrue, and that I was prepared to meet any thing of the kind. I felt at this time such a perfect consciousness of innocency, that I had not the most distant idea that it would ever amount to any thing serious. I invited Mr. Bidwell home with me, which invitation he accepted, tarried all night, and left next morning for Fall River. During this evening, we conversed over what I had before stated to him in regard to the girl's former character; and he agreed to accompany me the Monday following to Lowell, and there get testimony respecting her character, which I knew must rebut any assertions she might have made. Saturday, 22d, I wrote to Rev. Mr. Drake to come over from Portsmouth. R. I., which he did, arriving some time after noon. I informed Mr. Drake of what Mr. Bidwell had stated to me, and before the interview between us was concluded, the stage from Fall River arrived, and the information was brought me that I was suspected of having murdered the girl. This intelligence, so unexpected, so gloomy in its character, and so well calculated in its nature to be a source of affliction and distress, produced the most solemn impressions on my soul, and I felt immediately to commit my case to God, first in secret, and after this in my family-after having in as suitable a manner as I could, communicated the heart-rending and soul-chilling intelligence to my wife. In my religious exercises at this time, and at subsequent periods, I found as ready access to God, as much liberty in prayer, and confidence and trust in him, as ever I had; and I should lie against God if I were to deny that he comforted my soul; and I was blessed especially with this confidence-all would be overruled for his glory and the good of his church. After the information that I was suspected to have been instrumental in the death of S. M. Cornell was communicated, being interrogated, I gave Mr. Drake the account of my visit upon the Island, which he related in court at the examination. At this time, I engaged Mr. Drake to preach for me on the Sabbath, which he did, and I spent this Sabbath at home in prayer, and reading the word of God. Such a day I had never experienced. My feelings were such as to beggar description, and although supported by conscious innocence, to think of my wife, my infant children, and to inquire in my own mind what will become of them, produced the most thrilling emotions in my heart. But O, thought I, the church! the cause of my Redeemer! must this suffer reproach by having one of its ministers suspected of crimes that have been, and are, justly ranked as the most hateful among men? And shall this precious cause suffer through me? I do most solemnly declare that I felt more for the church than for myself. Dec. 23, about sunset, I was arrested by the Government, on the charge of a crime, to name which would chill one's blood; but so it was, and I was kept in charge of the officer of justice against my examination. I this evening sent for Nathaniel Bullock, Esq. as counsel, who assured me he should be ready to render me what assistance he could; but his business was such he advised me to call in Joseph M. Blake, Esq., who would have much more time to devote to the case than he could himself. This advice I complied with, and sent for Esq. Blake on Monday, Dec. 24. When he came, I made a full statement to him of my acquaintance with the girl, and of my excursion on the Island, not omitting a single circumstance of which I had any recollection. Esq. Blake informed me that I might make such a statement to the court; but in case I should, and any thing appeared to contradict it, it would be to my disadvantage. I replied, I have no objections to make such statement; the truth cannot hurt me. Dec. 25, I gave in my relation which appears in the report or Judge Drury, and is introduced and stands as follows: "The voluntary examination of Ephraim K. Avery, taken on Tuesday the 25th of December, the Respondent being first advised by the Court that it could not be required of him, and would, if contradicted by proof operate to his prejudice." "Ephraim K. Avery, of Bristol, in the County of Bristol and State of Rhode Island, &c., charged with the murder of Sarah M. Cornell, answers that he is not guilty of said charge, and that his whole knowledge of the deceased is briefly as follows: "That my first acquaintance with and knowledge of the deceased was in July, 1830.* I then resided in Lowell, Mass. At this time, she called at my house, and wished for employment in my family. Mrs. Avery not being pleased with her appearance, she was not employed. In August following, she again came to my house, and stated that she was going to Eastham, on the Cape, to a camp-meeting, and thence to Killingly, Conn., to visit her friends, and requested a certificate of regular standing in the Methodist Church. Having previous *It ought to be here observed, that I moved from Saugus to Lowell on the 1st of June, 1830. S. M. Cornell was then, and for some time before had been, a member of the church, though I never had any personal knowledge of, or the slightest acquaintance with her, until the month of July. ly heard her accused of profanity, I hesitated to give one, but consented to give it conditionally, if I heard a good report of her conduct after leaving the meeting. If I did not, I told her I should write to the preacher of Killingly not to receive it.* Instead of going from the camp-meeting to Killingly, she returned to Lowell, and retained the certificate in her possession. She then entered into another factory, belonging to the Appleton Corporation. A short time after, the overseer came to me to report her character, stating that the clerk of the corporation had informed him that he could swear it was very bad, and that from her own confession, she had been guilty of illicit intercourse with two or more. One or two days after this, she herself came to converse with me on the subject. She confessed she had done wrong, and had been a bad girl-she said she had had unlawful connection with a certain man, but with him only. I told her I had been informed of her having it with two or more, which she finally acknowledged, and asked what course would be taken. I told her there must be a trial in the usual way, and advised her to go immediately to her friends. She inquired if it would not do as well for her to go to Dover or elsewhere. I told her she could do as she pleased, but she had better go to her friends. I told her that as the subject was of a delicate nature, she had better be with her friends at the time of her trial than in Lowell; that it should be a fair one, and if she was dissatisfied with it, she should have an appeal to the quarterly Conference. At this time I asked for the certificate I gave her. She said she had lost it on the Cape. She finally consented to go to her friends agreeably to my advice, and immediately left town. Shortly afterwards I heard she was in Dover, N. H. Previous to her trial a physician in Lowell asked me if one Maria Cornell, was a member of *It may be asked why I gave her the certificate after having heard her accused of profanity? The reasons were, 1st, there had been no regular charges preferred against her, and I judged I could not legally withhold it: the charge was only flying report-2d, she fully denied it, and having a very partial knowledge of her, I could not determine but that she told me the truth. I therefore gave her the certificate as stated in the examination. The overseer of the factory, in conversation with her, gave her to understand that he should inform me of her character, but she entreated him not to do it till she could see and give me information herself. On condition she would do it within a certain time, he engaged he would not; but she not doing as she agreed, he gave me the information, and she in a day or two after came herself. The reason why I advised her not to be present at the trial was, in addition to the subject being of a delicate nature, I considered her crime such that even confession and contrition would not be sufficient to enable her to hold her relation to the church; that to preserve the church from reproach, her expulsion was inevitable. She might, in due time, if she manifested proper humiliation and reformation, obtain a standing first as probationer, and then as a member amongst us. But such was her offence that she could not avoid excommunication. I told her explicitly that she would be expelled-her own confession of the crimes was sufficient evidence. I advised her to go to her friends if she had any, as I would advise any female in like circumstance. |