Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-02-22

grave!
What passed a, this interview between
Mr.. Burnett and his strange visitor re-
mained secret. Mr.. Burnett was OBJ
served to issue several times, pale and
agitaied, from his dwelling, and to visit
the magistrate charged with tho conduc,
of the criminal processes of the colony.
In the course of the day, while John
Moon was RECALLING himself with tea, un-
der the palm trees of his garden, with a
Circassian female whom he had bought
some time previously, he was arrested
and taken TO prison by the officers oil
Justice. On the following day he was
brought before the criminal court, accus-
ell of robbing the late Clodomir Frenois,
the crime being ccnjoined with breach
of trust and violence.
Moon smiled at the charge with all
the confidence OF man who had moth.
ing TO fear. The Judge having demand.
ed of him if he confessed the crime, the
accused replied that the charge was al
together absurd; that clear testimony was
necessary to fix such charge upon him,
and that, so far from there being any such
evidence producible, neither the widow
of the deceased, nor any one in his ser
vice. had ever heard the pretended rob-
berry even once mentioned by FrenoIs
during his life. -.a. .l,s.r
$50 you then affirm your Innocence!
repeated the Judge, gravely, after hearing
what the other had TO say. u.,. ....s
IL will arouch my innocence re-
piled Moon, seven before the body oI
my late master if that be necessary. =
(Such a thing often took place under the
old colonial law. aE&#s.@
"John Moon" said the Judge, in a
voice broken by some peculiar emotion
sit is before the body OF your late mas
ter that you will have to assert your IN
nocence; and may the God OF justice
make the truth appear" T.eA .."s
A signal from the Judge accompanied
the words, and Immediately door open.
ed. and Clodomir Frenois, the suppos ed
suicide, entered the court. He advanced
to the bar, with a slow and deliberate
step, having his eyes calmly but firmly
fixed on the prisoner, his servant. Ut
tering shrieks of horror and alarm, th'
females fled from the spot. The accus
ed fell on his knees in abject terror, ant
shuddering, confessed his guilt. For {
time no voice was heard but his. How,
ever, as i! became apparent that living
man stood before the court, the advocate
for the prisoner gained courage to speak
He demanded that the identity of the mer
chant be established, and the existence b,
explained. He said that the court shoult
not be biased by what might prove to /,
accidental likeness between a person liv
ing and one deceased, and that such al
avowal as that of the prisoner, extracted
in moment Of extraordinary terror. wa
nos TO be held of much weight.
"Before being admitted here as wit
ness,' continued the advocate, address
ing the resusci,ated merchant, 'prov,
who and what you are, and disclose BY
what means the tomb, which SO lately
received your body, mangled with bul
lets, has given up its tenant, and restoret
you to the world in life and health"
This firm appeal of the advocate, wht
continued steadfast to his duty, unde
circumstances that would have close,
the lips of most men, called forth tn
following narrative from Clodomir Ere
nos:
"My story may soon be told. and viii
suffice to establish my ideetity. Wher
| discovered the robbery committed b,
the accused, he had then fled from th
island, and speedily saw that all at
tempts to retake him would prove fruit
less. saw ruin and disgrace before m ,
and came to the resolution oftermInalin.
my life before the evil day came. o.
; the night in which this determination
was formed. / was seated alone in m,
private chamber. | had written the lei
ter which was found on my table, an
: had loaded my pistol. This done,
PRAYED for forgiveness to my Maker. 70
: the act that was about to commit. Th
! end of the pistol was at my head, an
my finger on the trigger, when knoc
] at the door of the house startled me-
I / concealed my weapon and went to III
! door. A man entered, whom | recoe
0 nized to be the sexton of the parish i
E in which lived. He bore sack on hi
4 Il '.ul = q, H. Lo.l., 80 4, ~,