The Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii) 1840-1841, 1841-01-23
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agony and hope deferred, lay before him -,
extent OF which it would have been Gn
if not impossible, for him then to hnrn u
sccn;-t'olcd in the search, the dircc,,N
the bank sent one of their body to ucn',
with Amos; to offer him large sum e. ''
ncy and a guarantee from farther md, ~
ton, if he would confess, restore tho wv
ty, and give up his accompIiccs. if any a.
were. 1t was in vain that he pro,cs,cJ'
innocence, and avowcd his abhorrcnco ~
crime; the banker rallied him on his ,,n
composurc. and tlIrC atcncd him with ,'
qucnccs, until the locksmiih, who h,Jl
unaccuSiolncd to Dialogues founded nn y,
presumption that he was villain. orl
his tovncntor out of his shop, with the 81.
of Il man who, though poor, was rcsol,
preserve his self respect, and protcc, /.
sanc'ity of his dwelling from impc.tincu, .
insulting intrusion.
The banker retired, bahlcd, and 'thrcr
ing vengeance. A consultation was I
and it was finally determined to arrcs, Sn,,
and commit him to prison, in the hone fl
by shutting him up, and separating him
his family aud accompliccs, he would h. !
upon his guard against the collection ora
dcncc necessary to II conviction. andrcrr
be frightened into terms, or induced IA m,
Il full confession. This was Il severe bnu
the family. They could have borne nm
together, for mutual counsel and symoal
can soothc many of the ills of life: but ia
'lvldcd--to have the strongest mind, am
which the lccbcr ones had been aeon, j
cd to cling, carried away captive to bror(
solitary confinement on an unjust accusari
was almost too much, when coupled with 4
cloud OF suspicion that seemed TO GA
around their home. ard infect the very i
they brCuthcd. The privalions forced m
them by the want of the locksmith's camr
were borne without a murmur: ard mr
the little that could be mustered. po,
was Away reserved to buy some triG!nc
unexpected comfort or luxury to carry to
prison.
Some months having passed wihoutSpu
having made any confession, or the disco,
of any new fact where by his guilt might
established, his prosecutors found themseIp
reluctantly compelled to bring him to tml
They had not title of evidence, exec
some strange locks and implements fount
the shop, and which proved the talent,
not the guilt, of the mechanic. Yet tbs
were so various, and executed with such d
borate art and such an evident cxpcndtmy |
labor, that but few either of the Judges, T
or spectators, could be persuaded that n
poor would have devoted himselfso seduh |
~ to such an employment unless he
some other obicc in view than mere instr
ton or amusement. His friends and nj. |
bors gave him an excellent character;
on the cross-eXamination, all admitted l
entire devotion to his tavorte pursuit. III
counsel for the bank eycrtcd himself vi
consummate ability; calculating in some
gree on the state of the public mind, anjI
influence which vague r,Imous. coupled NJ
the evidences of the mechanics haudiul
exhibited in court might have on the mind
the jury, he dwclt upon every word and vI
IN" of the story of his iron chest, on the q
dent poverty of the locksmith, and yet
apparent waste of time, if all this work vi
not intended to insure success in some u
design. lie believed that verdict WI
be immediately followed by confession
ne thought Amos guilty; and he succeed
IN making the beIicfprctty general anon:
audience. Some of the jury were half
cincd to speculate on the probabilities o.
c"hicss'on; and swept away by the cuncH
were not indisposcd to cons
without evidence, i'm order that the res
might DO credit to their penetration, Bma
was impossible. even in an American cGi