Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-04-10
Recovery OF a Female after Exc
CUtfOn.


poor girl who was unjustly executed
in 1866, is given by celebrated
French author, as an instance of the in
Justice which was often committed by |
the equivocal mode of trial used M
France:
"About seventeen years sincea young
peasant girl, possessed of very agree
able figure, was placed at Paris in the
service of man depraved by all the
vices consequent on the corruption Of
great cities. Smitten with her charms
he tried every method to seduce her:
but she was virtuous, and resisted. The
prudence Of the girl only irritated the
passion of her master, who not being
able to make her submit TO his wishes,
! determined on the most black and hor-
rible revenge. He secretly conveyed
into her box many things Belonging 10
him, marked with his name. He then
exclaimed that he was robbed, called in
a commissairc, "a ministerial officer Of
justice.) and made his deposition. The
girls box was searched, and the things
were discovered. The unhappy SER
want was imprisoned. She defended
herself only by her tears: she had no
evidence to prove that she did not put
the property in her box; and the only
answer TO the interrogatories was, that
she was innocent. The Judges had no
suspicion of the depravity Of the accu>
ser, whose station was respectable, and
they administered the lawn all its ri
gor; a rigor undoubtedly excessive,
which ought to disappear from our
code to give place TO a simple but cer-
tain penalty, which would leave fewer
crimes unpunished. The innocent girl
was condemned to be hanged. The
dreadful office was Intellectually per-
formed, as it was the first attempt Of
the son of the great eXccutioncr A
surgeon had purchased the body for
dissection. and it was conveyed 10 his
house. On that evening, being about
to open the head, he perceived a gentle
warmth about the body. The dissect-
ing,knie fell from his hand, and he pla-
:, ced in his bed her whom he was about
to dissect His efforts TO restore her
life were eliectual; and at the same
time he sent for priest, on whose dis
cretion and experience lie could depend
in order TO consult with him on thi:
strange event, as we'll as TO have hin
for a witness to his conduct. The mo
ment the unfortunate girl opened he
eyes she believed herself in the othe
world, and perceiving the figure OF th'
priest, who had a marked and majestic
countenance, Qor know him, and it i
from him that | have this iact) she join
cd her hands trcmblingly, and eXclaim
ed Eternal Father, you know my in
nocence, have pity on me- In thl
manner she continued 10 invoke the &c
clesiastic, believing, in her simplicity
that she beheld her God. They wer
long in persuading her that she wa
not dead-so much had the idea
punishment and death possessed her in
agination. Nothing could be moi
touching and more expressive than II
cry of am innocent being, who thus al
preached towards him whom she rega
ded as the Supreme Judge: and ind
pendently of her affecting beauty, tn
single spectacle was sufficient to crea
v the most lively interest in the breast
an observing and sensible man. VIII
a scene for a painter! What a MOI
for philosopher What lesson iol
legislator
''The process was not submitted to
new revision, as was stated in the Jo'
nal de Paris. The servant having
turned to life, recognised a man in h
whom she had adored, and who, dir
ting her prayers towards the only a
the rable Being, quilted the house OF the
d at geon, who was unquiet on her
on count and his own. She retired TO !
ught herself in distant village, fearing
the meet the judges or the officers "
with the dreadful tree, incessa
rtily haunted her Imagination. The v
hand nous accuscr remained unPunished'