Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-10-21
&atgseIlameotts Departsaemt.
STORY OF DON JUAN.

APortuguese gentleman, whom shall beg leave to des-
'lbe no otherwise than by the of Jon Juan, was
iey brought 10 trial for poisoning his halsisc by the
same father after she seducrJ Ivy him. This gentleman
had Tor time before his trial. led solitary life his
aS'le i'll the neishbourhood OF Moncnos, the
road between Lisbon and Badagos the frontier garrison of
Spnni was shown hts castle passed through that dis
mai country, about mile distant from the road IN bot
tom surrounded with cork trees and mel
ancoy habi,aou The circumstance which made against
TINS gentleman were so strong, and the story III such
general circulation i'll the ueighbourhuod where lac lvc
tia, although ne laid out the greatest part Of cons!eo
BE ncome in acts oi charity nobody entered his gates
TO thank him foo his bauny. solicit relief, except
father oi the Jerongutc in Moniremos, who
was his cenicSsot and acted his alnoner discretion
charge OF so black nature. involving the crime oC in
eest as well as MURDER at cuSt reached the Justice
and conni ssugsvcs Mcnemos, make inquiry
into the case: the supposed criminal made attempt
cape, but readily attended the summons of the coniisso
Upon the tia from the conf sscu of
prisoner, we'll aG from the deposition of the witnesses that
Don Juan had lived from his infancy, in the family Of
ch merchant at Lisbon, WHO caied considerable trade
and Jurisprudence in the Btazs Don Juan being allow
cd 10 take this merchants generally supposed
that he his natural and clandestiue affair
loye having, heen carried between him and the
chants daughter Joscpha, who only child, she
hocaWe pregnant, and medicine being administered
to her by the hands of Don Juan, she died in few hours
after, with all the symptoms of person WHO had taken poi
sou. The mother OF the young lady survived her death
but few days. and the father threw himself into
of mcndicauts, making by deed Of gift the whole of
| his property to the supposed murderer.
In this account there seemed strange obscuity of facts,
for strongly the elimination of Don Juan g.
the last mentioned circumstance of contradictory
rs to throw the whole into pcpcxity AID therefore
compel the prisoner further clucidacn of case,
it was thought proper intorrogatc him by
Whilst this was preparing, Don Julian without betraying
iho least alarm upon what going forward, told his jug
es that it would them aud himself trouble, if
they would receive his confession upon certain points,
which he should truly speak, but beyond which all the
iu!e5 in the world would force syllable. lie said
he was not the Sou as 1t supposed of the merchant
with whom he liz Cd allied the ed Josepha any
otherwise than by the tcnderet rS of mutual affection and
Il promise OF unrriage, which hc however Acknowledged
had been solcmnizc. that he the son Of gen
cman of considerable fortune in Che BaZis, who left him
an infant the the v!io reasons
known TO himself, chose call him by his own name, aud
tas being done in his nfAncy, he taught believe that
he was orphan youth the OF distant relation the
person who Adopted im he begged his Judges observe
that he understood Josepha be his sister; to
her situation by him lie acknowledged IL and prayed God
tnsiyeess for the offence, which il mad been his intention
to repair by marrying herr that with respect ncd-
cine, he certainly did give it her viii, his hands for
that she sick consequence az her situation aud be-
ING afraid oicrcating alarm suspicion in her parents, had
required him tn orier certain drugs from the apoIccaIy,
Tor himself, which he accordingly did, and &c verify be-
eved they aiiully mjSed uasnGeh he stood by
9c man, whilst ne prepared tho medicine, and every
ingredient separately pat together.
The Judges ;iHyeurau skei hin: If ne auId AXE upu Ills
conscience say the lady did by poison Don
Juan bursting into tears for bo s e, answered. % bis
eternal sorrow he knew at she did die by poison WAS
that poison contaned the medicine size tcch?-t was
Did he impute the crime of mixing the poison ned
cine TO the apothccary, did lie take it hnsc Nc-
ihef the apotiecay himself guiity-Did the lady
from principle Of Shame, The was :cn asked commit the
act OF suicide, and iuuSc the poison without lis know
lcdgeHe started in horror sc question, aud took God
to witness that she was Innocent OF the deed.
The Judges seemed confouuded and for time b
stained from any further heterogeneous debating the
ter among themselves by whispers, when of then, OBJ
served TO the prisoner, that according his confession he
has said she did die by pocn, and yet by the answers lie
had now given, ii should he acquit eve
ry person, whom suspicion could possibly res there
was, however, inor0gatory left which unnatural as il
"as he would put 70 him for FORMS sake only before they
proceeded TO greater eXtremies and that question involved
Tie father OF mother of the lady. Did he TO mpuc
the hoFrld intention of numbering their child the parens
No. replied the prisoners i'll lirm of voice,
tam no such intention eeer entered the hearts the unap
y parents aux should be the of sinners if impt-
ed it TO them The judges this, declared with voice
that lie was tng with the and gave orders for the
rack They would however for the last time demand of
himif lie knew who it that did poison Josepha 10
which he answered without hesitaton that did know
bat that shaul force him declare it, and thew
might dispose of him as they m he could die in
greater than he had lived.
They took this prematorv rscusan and efr,ninr
him Of his upper garments laid him ON the rack: sur
gcon was called in who kept his fingers OF his pulse
and the eHecutoners hitscted begin their ortu.e
fhey had given him one severe stretch by gatures affixed
tn S eXtreHcs, and passed over axle which
ed by wlnilass, The strains upon his muscles and Joints
oy the action Of tsnferna engine dreadful and ma
turc spoke her sucrngs by orrid crash in every limb
the sweat started in age drops upon his face and
yet the man firm amidst the ogonics oil the machine
groan escaped, and the iend who superintendent o
the hc!sh work declared they might increase his torure
upon the next tug for that his pulse had varied stroke
nor abated Of its strength III the smallest degree,
The tormenors had began second operation with
more violence than the former, which their deys iugcnu-
y mad conrged to vary pains from,
NE dPpcdon or ne engine, parts that mad yei
heir uN share of the first agony when suddenly monk
usIed into their chamber and called 70 the Judges to
csS from torturing that Innocent and take the CON
sson OF tie Jnu dcrer fo,n his lips Upon siruu
rom the judges, the eXecut'nes let 60 the engine once
nd the Joints snapped auAhy their sockets t the elias
city of bow. Nature sunk under rcvulsion, and
Ion Juan tainted on the rack. The monk Immediately
18th loud voice exclaimed, Inhumau wrctchcs delegates
hell, aud agents Of tho devil make ready your engines
u the guilty, aud take oil your bloody hands the in
oceru for behold; tard saying he threw back his cow
ehod the fthcr aid ihs murderer Of Josepha!"
The whole assembly stood with astoushmcnt: he Judges
TODD agast; aud tho demons torture rolled their
ye-balls on tnc monk with horror and dsuay.
"i you arc wiling sny he TO the judges receive my
oncsson whilst your preparing their rack
or he yics criminal stretched it, hear mel if not
Ct you engine to work without further inquiry and glut
'our appeties viii human agones, which in your lives
,ou may inAi,t With Justice