Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1850-08-17

6IIdHSef.
Il do, " was her answer as long
drawn sigh escaped, that seemed to rend
her very heart strings.
The case Immediately progressed and
al 1t had a tilige Of romantic mystery, We
viii epitoniise the Substance Of the svi.
dehce.
About twelve months before, the defen-
dant had arrived in the village, and opened
an establishment Of millinery. Residing in
row connected with her shop, aid all
alone, she prepared the articles coiiNected
with her highly respected and hohorable
.rAde with unwearied lat,tt alid consumate
taste. Her habits were secluded, modest
and retiring aud hence she might have
hoped to avoid notority, but fof the peril.
o,,s gift that extraordinary beauty which
too dfess and to the poor and friendless
always; provSs curse. She was soon
sought after by all those glitsering fre-fes
Of fashion. But the beautiful stranger
rejected them all with unutterable scorn
atid loAthing. Among these rejected ad.
mirers was one Of charatttr from which
the fair milliner had everything to fear
Hiram Shore was at once opulent, infuena
tial and dissipated. He was himself licefi.
tious, brave and fsrociously revehgeful--
The rtiost nAmotis duellist of the south West
1t was generally known that he had matc
advances to win tlis favor Of the lovely
Entnia, and had, SHARED the fate Of iii
dthei wooefs-sa disdainful repulse.
At nine o'clock on Christmas night
1887, the people Of Lewisburg were start
led by a loud scream of mortal terror,
while, following with scarcely an interval,
came successive reports Of fre.atrtis, ohe
two, three, with n dozen deafening roars
They few to the shop of the millner
whence the sounds proceeded pushed
back the unfnstened door, and scene Of
horror was presented. There she stood
in the centre Of tho room, with revolver
in each hand, every barrel discharged, her
features pale, her eyes flashing wildly, but
lips patted with fearful smile, And
there at her feet, weltering in bis warm
blood, his bosen literally riddled With bul.
lets, lay the all-dreaded dusllist, Hiram
Shore, gasping in the last agony. He AZ
tculated but single sentence:
"Tell my mother that am dead, and
gone to hell " and instantly expired.
"In the name of God, who did this T.
exclaimed the appalled, spectators.
II did it !" said the beautiful Ihil1iher---
Il did it to save my honor"
As may be readily irt,agihed the decd
caused an intense sensatiunl Public opin-
ion, however, was divided The poorer
classes, credting the girls vefsidh Of the
facts, lauded her heroism in TERMS Of Ulea.
s'lreess etilogy. But the friends Of the de.
ceased, and Of his wealthy family, gave a
different and darker coloring to the afTnir,
and denounced the lovely homicide as TN
atrocious criminal. Unfortunately for her;
the officers Of the law, especially the Judge
and sheriff, were devoted comrades Of the
slain and displayed their feelings in revolt'
ing partiality. The Judge committed her
without the privilege Of bsil, and the
sheriff chained her in the felon's dungeon
Such is. the brief abstract Of the cir
cumstancSs developed in the examination
OF the witnesses. The testimony closed.
and the pleading began.
First of all, three advocates spoke in suc-
cession for the prosecution but neither
names nor their arguments are worth pre-
serving. Orators 81 tie blood and thunder
genius, they about equally purtitionsd
their bowling eloquence between the pri-
soner and her leather.robed counsel, 10 If
in doubt VAho Of the twain was then on
trial. As for the stranger, he seemed to
pay not the slightest attention to his op.
ponents, but remained motionless, with his
forehead bowed OH his hands, like one
buried in deep thought or slumber.
When the proper time came, however,
he suddenly sprang to his feet, CROSSED the
bar, and took his seat almost touching the
jury. He then commenced In n whisper,
but II was whisper 80 wild, 30 clear, 90
un,,sterably ringing and distinct, as to fiji
the hall from floor to galleries. AT The out
set, he dealt in pure logic, separating and
combining the proven facts, till the whole
mass Of confused evidence looked trats-
parent as a globe Of glass, through which
the innocef1ce of his client shone, brilliant
jas sun beam; and the jurors nodded to
each. other Of thorough conviction; that
thrilling whisper, ard fixed concentration.
and the language, simple as child's had
convinced all.
He then changed his posture, 80 a. to
sweep the bar with his glance and began
to tear and rend his legal adversaries. His
.allow face glowed as heated furnace,
his eyes reseinbled living Goals; and his
| voice became the tlahgof Of d trumpet. ]
have never, before or since, listened to
such murderous denunciations. It was
like Jove's eagle charging flock Of crows.
| 1t was like Jove himself hurting red-hot
thunder-bo'ts among the quaking rank OF
conspiracy Of inferior gods! And yet in
the highest tempest Of his fury he seemed
caIm: he employed no gesture save one
the flash Of long fore-fnger direct in the
eyes Of his foes. He painted their venality
and unnanly meanness, in coalescing, for
| money, to hunt down d poor and friendles.
| woman, till shout of stifed rage arose
from the multitude, and even some Of the
jury cried "Shamel !"
He Changed the theme once more. His
voice grew mournful as funeral song, and
| bis eyes filled with tears, as he traced q
vivid picture Of mans cruelties and wo,
mans WRONGS, with peculiar iIlustrations
in tie case ef his client, till cne.half Of the
audience wept like children. But it was
! in the peroration that he reached the zenith,
at once, Of terror and snblimity. His fea'
lures were Iivid as those of corpse, his
very hair appeared to stand on end hi,
| nerves shock as with palsy he tossed
| his hands txeildIv towards heaven. each