Argument of William H. Seward, in defence of Abel F. Fitch and others, under an indictment for arson, delivered at Detroit, on the 12th, 13th and 15th days of September, 1851.: Phonographically reported by T. C. Leland.

49
his Visit without his associates, and without the presence of the defendant's counsel to the same places. Recall him as he has sat here among the ten distinguished
and highly respectable Counselors for the people, nay, at their very head, advising
if not directing the course of the prosecution at every stage since his own examination was closed. Enough then for Henry Phelps.
"Room for the Leper! Room!"
Few words will suffice for HEIVAN LAKE. His part is subordinate. He is only
a shadow of Phelps. His testimony an echo. His history therefore, need not be
recited at length. On arriving at manhood, he learned something of engineering, and did nobody knows what till his depraved proclivities bore him into the
State Prison. There he was a friend and enemy of Phelps by turns: In the sunmer
of 1849, Lake declined Phelps' invitation to join him, but in thie winter following, he
accepted his proposition, to work, at he knew not what, for the R. R. Company under his direction. He is a "gay Lothario," and having been introduced lnto
Gay's house as a spy for the R. R. Company, he atones for the unkindness of
betraying Gay, by taking the vacant place in the bed of his wife immediately after the husbands arrest, a place which he retains with touching fidelity,
when by Gay's death in prison, that wife becomes a widow. Provided with fie
tickets for himself and paramour, Lake openly traverses the State with her in the
Railroad cars-while your wives and daughters, and all other good citizens with
their wives and daughters pay full charges on the great public thoroughfare. He is
well looking, and his fingers and bosom, are adorned with rings and golden charms,
tokens of manifold and meritorious favor. But he is a man of feeble mind and
executes only indifferently well the plots of Phelps. In short he is an illustrat,ii
of the truth that "a pretty fellow is but half a man." He testifies from a diary, in
which even the facts observed by himself are recorded by his master.
These are the three chief witnesses of the prosecution-Gay, Phelps and Lae
It is easily seen, that the plot before us is the work of Phelps alone, conceived and
contrived for his own gain and to gratify his own revenge; that the agents of the
R. R. Company misled and deceived, have furnished him redundant means and subordinates of his own choice. Gay while living, if not an instrument was a dupe.
Lake is manifestly an inrstrumentin his hands.
But gentlemen, the malice of Phelps, cannot be understood without knowing the
chlaracter and circumstances of him who was the object of his revenge. Abel FFitch was a native of Connecticut, aged when he appeared before you 43 years
He had a strong mind and considerable education. He came to Michigan in 13'7,
and with a fortune belonging to himself and wife, which was small in Connecticut,
he was a rich man in the oak openings of Michigan. No man, not even one among
all that cloud of accusers which gathered around him here, ever charged him with incincerity or falsehood. He whom you saw brought here a felon on the 19lth of April
was on the 7th of that month, elected and without a disenting ballot, as I have bees
told, Justice of the Peace and Supervisor of his town. He was gentle, just, andt
humane, the friend and patron of the poor, and their gratitude crowned him with un equaIled popularity. You have seen the house of Henry Phelps in Sylvan. You
remember how dark and desolate it was-its low naked walls, its windows glazed
with clapboards, its scanty furniture. its doors closed and suspiciously fastened, it
master and mistress abroad all over the State, looking up long lost relations, while
a malefactor was pursuing his dangerous vocation-unseen. You remember th0
half thatched barn that was empty of everything but refuse hay to conceal unlaw
ful things in the manger. You remember the fuel gathered from the waste timber
of the railroad, although the dwelling was almost in the midst of the forest. Hovw
truly all this illustrates the darkness of the spirit that inhabited there. You have
seen also the dwelling of Abel F. Fitch, of Michigan Centre, shaded with
planted with his own hands. It is neat, spacious and elegant. You remember thX
prairie rose clustering over its piazzas and verandahs. Though the owner of X
mansion was childless, yet its chambers rang with the merry voices of children
Books, pictures and musical instruments meet you on every side. The garden ex
i.