Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-05-05

come mixed up in the business; so he determined
not to leave his refuge u1 morning Tie there
lore Kept his position, staring in spite of himself
at the dreadful object beneath him, in sort Of
waking dream, till he wus suddenly aroused by
seeing the woman accompanied by several per
sons (evldently officers Of justiCe) approach tho
hut.
They examined the corpse they searched the
house, and began to take down their notes ia wr-
ting, wheh the pedler, anxious to seek their pro-
lection, by sudden stir Of the branches succeed
ed in attracting their attention.
In an instant gun was pointed at him and lie
was commanded to descend. The poor man will
lngly clambered down, when to his surprise, he
was instantly seized and bound at the nstigation
Of the wonan, who, with frantic gestures decar-
ed that she recognised in him the assassin Of her
adored husband.
| Tho wretched prisoner was Immediately brought
to trial, and, despite his declarations of innocence,
condenned TO death, the wonan's statement be
| ing clear and probable. She affirmed that the
pedIer had come to their house aud sought shelter
Tor the night--H boon her husband had unhesta-
ngly accorded that the two men had a severe
dispute about the price ~ some trlnkets, when
her husband in Fl. Of passion, thrust the timer
ant merchant out Of his hoJse, who 1t seefnedi
had not gone far for soon after, the toddy-colec-
tor feeling warm and uncomfortable from the de-
bate he had held and the liquor he had drank had
gone TO lie down. A slight noise, however, awoke
his wife, who distinctly saw the wicked traveller
stab her husband through the heart and that she
then, without uuering any cry from fear OF instant
annhalion herself, stole from the back-door, and
rushed into the town for assistance, aud succeed
ed in arrestng the ASSN before he had time TO
escape.
The account seemed so plausible, that scarcely
any one in the court doubted the prisoners guilt.
In the first place, what motive could the wretched
widow who was well known to have been warm
" attached TO her husband, have TO invent talse-
hood In a word, thousand arguments were
brought forward to satisfy the jury OF the guilt of
Tie unhappy prisoner.
Only one person present doubted the whole sto-
ry aud that, fortunately for the innocent man,
was the enlightened Judge before whom the case
was tried. He felt assured of the defendants
statement, yet he had no means of upsetting the
strong testimony of the woman. The jury re-
turned a verdict of equity" without a moments
hesitation, but still the Judge not satisfied and
afterwards declared that one of the most awful
moments OF his life was that when he found HIM
self compelled TO pass sentence OF death on the
unhappy prisoner. He, however, had one pow
er, that OF reprieve, and he exercised ii by delay
ing the execution of the culprit fifteen days.
The very instant that he left the court sudden
thought struck h,m. He directly sen. for the
bench on which the murder was said TO have been
committed, he'd it closely examined, and disroy-
cred that the point ola sharp instrument was odg-
ed in it. This he had carefully extracted, and
found it 20 he the end of a cocoa-nut knife which
of course further strengthened the judges suspi
cons, and he sent fresh reprieve TO the prisoner
i He then caused the road leading from the cottage
of the deceased to the town TO be closely search
I ed and ransacked. His efforts happily succeed-
D ed Close to the edge of half dried tank, the
; weapon was found it was rused with blood, had
/ ost its point, aud borne on lis handle the nome Of
s the murdered man.
The woman without receiving any previous
: notice, seized, and the knife suddenly pro!u-
1 ced before her. The sight al once turned the cur
. rent of her feelings, she fell upon her knees; con
J iessed the whole declaring That tho temptation
mad been too great for her, but that God hud de-
E termiDed she should nos escape, since he haC
i brought up the knife from the bottom VI tank
l into which shs had thrown it; and all she nov
! prayed tor was instant death.
Il Two days afterwards she underwent her jus
s sentence, while the poor peder was released iron
u his gromiuous confinement.