The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1823-08-21

Fen tao ahi,ed booes Of humsh being tLey
were easmined By an snsiomist, sud declared
to be the perfect parts Of the skeleton OF
man, whom they judged might have been de-
posted there four or five yesrs before An
opening In the trunk some distance from The
ground confirmed The probability Of, story
the Germans, and their eighbors too, caught
il up esgsrly and the fate Of tho unfortunate
woodsnaso seemed fxsd.--He fled the storm
he saw gathering, but in . month retufasd
snd surrendered himself up for trsl.
The excitement Of the populace ron bigh
land as ,he day fixed for his iriai drew nigh
the hopes Of his scqui,,al vanished. The
mass o! tho people were sure OF his guilt snd
they collected Tho evidences sgsinsi him with
oh sciivity snd zeal which ssvored rather ol
tbe spirit Of biner persecution, Than OF love
Of Justice. Ilesye tho reader 10 imagine Tor
'him.elf the feelings Of tender wife, sod six
destitute ltiie children /; es they looked ior'
ward through tho gathering cloud TO the day
That VAS 6xcd for his destiny, while j hasten
10 the crowded cour, room and Tho sole ON ar
yaivnmsnt Of the husband and iathet Tor Tho
crime 6f murder.
= The prisoner stood pale end detected, but
silcot and resigned, At the bar, ood answered
with calm sOd steady voice, Not guilty."
10 tho charge. Hs was asked if he had eoun.
oil he answered in the negative, and request.
cd that assistance might be assigoed him.
The Judge css, his eyes round tho court, As
II casslessIy in search Of some one on whom
TO lay what, ~ his msDoer see med TO iodicsle,
no though, o hopeless task, when On old gen.
flemsn, whose presence amid the ,brong had
not been noticed, roso end introduced himself
As Mr.. ---, on eminent lawyer Of the city.
The court bowed respectfully, and look of
ss,onishmeot was visible OF eve'y lace, when
no ssksd the privilege OF acting as the defen'
dents counsel.
Il was grained, however, unht tsltaiiDgly,
end he resumed his sen,.--When The wines
ses had been head on the side Of the prosecu-
tion, no rose and addressed the court. lie
recollccted tho prisoner F; he remembe ed
,hat 90 the nigh, on which the evidence went
TO fx the mui der, he had employed tho pris.
oner, in The capacity OF guide, and was con-
ducied by him over the Ford that he missed
hi. way and did not roach tho lower Ford TO
which hs had intended TO 20, but travelled by
snothet direction 10 the cny. 10 regard TO
ths bones SO mys,eriously found, he had Two
evidences 70 provo, he said, that the very ply.
sicisn who pronounced them human eDd Of
two years decay ond who vase biuer enemy
of the dsfende0t, had placed the IN there him
sen; ,hot they had for many yeas before
sscksd corner OF his study: the FIRST was a
boy who assisted in placing them there, and
The secoqd was en- aperture in the trunk Of
tho tree iiself, which OF tho en,rance was no,
shore then Eve inches diameter, end lhe,sforo
utterly ioespsble OF admitting q human body.
He sat down amid secisrustiors Of as,onis n.
Vn~ he We np he Ie( drpt ras
Acquitted wnhou, an argument. and the cor.
rup, and revengeful physician jus, escaped
from the village ,ine enough 10 save hi,
neck.
This is the story Of the Blasted Tree. Il
has moral---how dangerousis supess.ition---
how carefully should ci,curnstsntiai evidence
be examined, end bo~ cautiously weighed |;
bow false and bow deceptive 10 the idea, that
what ID generally beloved is infsiiibiy the
right.