American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-04-03

as death. 1t was The prisoners vile.
| The Judge hastily drew his hand across Iii,
eyes and said TO tho clerk in a husky voice.
"Poll them every mani"
! 1t is a mercifnl provision Of the law which
! gives the prisoner right of asking the jury
individually for their opinion, 1t thus secures
him the benefit of any change of sentiment,
and prevents all doubt Tho right is not al.
ways exacted but the Judge in this case himself
| required it,
"John Fletcher" said the clerk, solcmnly
chow say you, is the prisoner at the bar, guilty
or not guilty in manner and form as he stands
! indicted"
Guilty" answered the forman, with terrible
calmness.
And so they continued one by one, amid a
| thrilling silence, to give in their condemnation
Mems breath came thicker as they drew nearer
and nearer to the end. The twelfth man was
about to answer when cast hurried look at
my client. But though his features were rigid
| ly set, not muscle of his countenance betok-
| ened fear. His half dead wife gazed alternate
ly at her husbands lofty look, and at the jury
man about TO answer.
"George Holcombc," said the clerk, show
say you, is the prisoner ut the bar guilty or not
guilty in manner and form as he stands indict-
edo
The man paused an instant and cast a com
passionate look at the prisoner, as Ii almost
tempted to save him. His wife saw it, and gave
a convulsve sob, as if to speak, half rising
from her seat, seemingly with the intention OF
supplicatlng juryman.
What might have ensued know not, but at
this moment, as If echoing her cry, solitary
voice was heard far off through the open win
dows, apparently from its faintness beyond the
utmost verge of the crowd, shouting, "make
wayn'-and as the sound came rapidly nearer
it was caught up by mouth and tongue until a
hundred voices rung it forth upon the air, and
rising nearer and louder, and deepening as it
rose it swelIed into wild uproar from the
thousands without, that roared and echoed
round the building like roll Of continuous
thunder.
Every man started to his feet. The iurymon
looked in wonder at one another and the Judge.
The Judge i'll mute astonishment, ran his keen
eye over the crowd toward the entrance, where
the uproar seemed concentrating-whilet the
encouragement grasping the rails of his box,
gazed up at the bench and toward the tumultu-
Gus entrance in silent wonder. The prisoner
himself started, as if he had been shot, and
then fixed his proud, lofty eye upon the door
way, still shielding his wife, whose color went
CulHo lhC TIE SlldUDNS VI u ldllu-
scape.
The uproar deepened. The thousands with
out seemed swayed by some sudden tempest of
passion; but amid their loud cries and wild
shouts it was impossible for a time to distin-
guish anything. All was suspense. Then
that clear, giant voice was heard ringing out
again over all the thunder of the crowd, "make
way-make way--make way" and directly
the dense masses in the doorway swayed to
and flo, as if some one was struggling inefiec-
tually to enter. The next instant the form of
a man was seen elevated on the shoulders of
the mob, it was borne through the entrance, it
shot TO the bar, and there, not two feet from
the prisoner, IN full life and health, stood james
Wilson, The pery man for phoSe m,trdCr my client
sDaS drTaigned.
What u moment followed Suddenly the
uproar ceased, and men gaZed in awe and Won
der at the new conner, as If he was spectre
from the dead; while the prisoner who had re-
manned unmoved till now, placed his hand on
the intruder's arm, ga2nd Il moment wildly in
his face, and gasping, 'thank God" fell back
trembling like child into the arms of my col
league,
That silence lasted but a minute. Hun
dreds simultaneously recognized Wilson, and
losing all thought of the place, broke into
shout of triumph. A whirlwind of passion
swept through the room. From bar and jury
box, area and gallery, men started up in fran
tic Joy, and while even grey haired sires waved
their arms OH high, a roar of tumultuous APP
plause arose, which shook the old building like
an earthquake, and caught up by the thousands
without rolled from voice to voice, and crowd
to crowd, until the very welkin trembled
again. Never shall forgetit All command
of the faculties seemed lost, and sympathetic
excitement shot like wild fire from breast to
breast.
1t was some minutes before the uproar was
checked Judge, bar, clerk and all, though
used to such scenes, were moved to tears, and
when the attorney general rose, his voice trem-
bled so that he could scarcely speak.
But why dwell on the picture. AS the ver-
Dict had not yet been giveDin, and as fifty men
could testify to the person of the newcomer,
the tormalities of proof were soon despatched,
and the prisoner acquitted. The transition was
too great for his wife. She was carried from
the court room in fainting fit, to the house of
the judge, and for a long time her life was des-
paired OF. But she recovered, and loveer
being never smiled upon prosperity From
thenceforth, thank God! sorrow was stranger
to her bosom.
MIR. Wilson's tale was short and soon told
After parting with Duval he had proceeded on
his journey, fallen in with "a maraudng party
OF British seamen, been wounded, taken prison.
er, carried off on board the fleet, and thus, for
months, cut off from all communication with
his countrymen. He had once or twice for
warded the intelligence of his capture to his
friends, but the casualties of war had prevent
ed its receipt. AT last he was exchanged-but
what was his horror on reaching New York. to
sec notice Of the intended trial of his wards
husband for his own murder. In an instant the
whole current of his feelings was changed.-
But u few days were left to the trial, and start
ing that hour, he rode express day and night,
and arrived just in time TO save my client from
an ignonlnlous conviction. The feelings of all
may be better imagined than described