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 should 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 his 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.