Sunday June 8^th
My dear Sister,
I have had no letters from you
this week for which I cannot account – for
myself I have never found time to write a
line since Monday – Dr. Brigham came
Tuesday and Dr. Doane Wednesday – Sam
Blatchford has boarded here since he came
back ^(except breakfasts)^ and Mr. Morgan and Seneca are
frequent visitors – I have found no
intermission from the labour required to make
them all comfortable – I concluded you
would read an account of the progress of the
trial in the Auburn Journal – You perceive
that little real progress has been made –
the court adjourned over yesterday. Henry
does not think a jury of unprejudiced men
can be found to try Wyatt – and if in a
preliminary trial Freeman is found to be insane
he will not probably be tried for murder —
of his insanity I suppose there is not a shadow
of doubt – Dr. Brigham thinks it is a very
clear case – It is marvellous to see the
change which has already taken place in public
opinions two months ago no one was
permitted to intimate any thing of the kind

now they begin to enquire what will be done with
him if he is acquitted – Of course there is still a
large majority who do not choose to credit his
insanity and many who maintain the obsolete
notion that he should be hanged sane or insane.
among the latter I am sorry to place dear Clara
who had she been all this time with us would
think and feel very differently – McClallen
says the "nigger" ought to be hung –
& how I wish you could hear good Dr
Brigham discuss this point – he is the very
personification of moderation charity and
gentleness – he does not believe in capital punishment
under any circumstances of course is mainly
opposed to the barbarous theory which justifies
executing an insane man though a murderer –
Dr. Brigham went home yesterday is to return
when his presence becomes necessary – Dr. Doane
will remain – There is a letter here for
Frances from Philadelphia which I did not
send on immediately, expecting to hear from you
every mail and thinking you might be
coming so soon as to render it unnecessary –
Henry had a letter from Mrs. Maury last
night – it was written in New York but
she was going back to Washington on some
business which would better become the

masculine gender – She is coming here but does
not say when so I do not think it worth
while for you to defer your visit on
that account – it will probably be two
or three weeks before she gets along
her letters are more and more disgusting –
I have not seen Clara since Wednesday –
Yesterday the gentlemen and Mary Morgan went
to the Lake fishing – I staied at home and prepared
dinner for the party (except Mary) – they
all took tea at Dr. Pitneys – I was invited
but too tired to go – To day I have been
in church three hours and feel proportionally
weary – I hear nothing from Augustus yet –
or Fred or Clarence since I wrote before
Willie went to fish and had a very satisfactory
time – Sister is fat and precious – she has
a thousand amusing pranks which you
must see to enjoy – I will not write a
long letter as I expect you soon –
Love to Frances – Your own Sister –

Mrs Alvah Worden
Canandaigua
AUBURN N.Y.
JUN 7