Washington telegraph., 1850-05-15


uttered piercing shrek, and then stood
trembling as if the presence of ghost
from Eternity; while the singular being
who had caused her unaccounIable emo
tion addressed the court in his sharp ring
ing voice, sonoruus as the sound of bell
metal:
"May it please your honor, will assume
the task of defending the lady"
What" exclaimed the astonished
Judge, "are y0u licensed attorney!"
"The question is irrevalent and imma-
terial,' replied the stranger, with a ven-
omous sneer, "as the recent statute enti-
ties any person to act as counsel at the
request of party"
But does the prisoner request it!' in
quired the Judge.
"Le: her speak for herself" said the
stranger.
| 81 do was the answer, as long
drawn sigh escaped, that seemed to rend
her very heart strings.
The case Immediately progressed; and
as it has tinge of romantic mystery, we
will epitomise the substance of the evil
dence.
About twelve months before, the de-
fendant had arrived in the village, and
opened an establishment of millinery
Residing in a room connected with her
shop, and all alone; she prepared the ar
ticles of her trade with unwearied labor
aud consumate taste. Her habits were
secluded modest and retiring; and hence
she might have hoped to avoid notoriety;
but for the perilous gift of that extraordi-
| off n he
| poor and frendIess always, proves curse.
She was soon sought after by all those
glttering fire-flies of fashion, the profess
sion Of whose life, every where. is seduc-
ton aud ruin But the beautiful stranger
| rejected them all with unutterable scOrn
and loathng.
Among these rejected admrercs was
one of a character from which the fair
miliner had everything to fear. Hiram
Shore belonged to family, at once opu-
lent, influential and dissipated. He was
| himself licentious, brave and ferociously
| revengeful-th the most famous duelist in
the Southwest. 1t was generally known
| that he had made advances to win the
favor of the lovey Emma. and had shared
| the fate of all other wooers-a disdainful
repulse.
| AT nine O'Clock OH Christmas night,
S37. the people Of Lewlsburg were star
tied by loud scream as Of some one in
mortal terror; while following that, with
scarcely an interval, came successive re-
ports of firearms. one, two, three-a doZ
EN- deafening roars. They flew to the
| shop of the milliner, whence the sounds
proceeded; pushed back the unfastened
| door. and scene Of horror was presented.
| There she stood in the center of the room,
with 6 revolver in each hand every barrel
discharged, her features pale, her eyes
flashing wildly, but her lips parted with
fearful smile. And there at her feet well
tering in his warm blood. mis- bosom liter
ally riddled with bullets, lay the all-dread
ed duelist Hiram Shore, gasping in the
last agony!
He articuated but single sentence:
Tell my mother that I am dead and
gone to heIl!' and instantly expired
"In the name of God who did this?'' eX-
claimed the appalled, spectators.
II did it" said the beautiful millineI,
i'm he: sweet silvery accents: 81 did it to
save my honor
|
caused an intense sensation. Public opin-
ion, however was divided. The poorer
classes, crediting the girls version of The
facts, lauded her heroism in terms of
measurless eulogy. But the friends of
the deceased and of his ealthy family.
gave a different and darker coloring to
the affair, and denounced the lovely hon.
icide as all atrocious criminal. Unfor-
tunately for her. the officers of the law,
especially the Judge and sheriff, were de-
voted comrades of the slain and displayed
their feelings in a revolving partiality.-
The Judge committed her without the
privilege of bail, and the sheriff chained
her in the felon's dungeon.
| Such is brief abstract of the circnm-
stances developed in the examination of
witnesses. The testimony closed and
the pleading began.
First OF all, three advocates spoke in
succession for the prosecution; but neither
their names nor their arguments are worth
preserving. Orators of the blood and
thunder genus. they about equally parti-
toned their bowling eloquence betwixt
the prisoner and her leath-robed counsel,
as if in doubt who of the twain was then
on trial. AS for the stranger he seemed
to pay not the slightest attention TO his
oppouents but remained mOtionless with
his forehead bowed like one buried in
deep thought, or i'll slumber.
When the proper time came, however,
he suddenly sprang to his feet, crossed
the bar. and took his position almost
touching the jury. He then commenced
in whisper, but it was whisper so wild,
SO clear, so unutterably ringing aud dis
tinct, as to fill the hall from floor 10 gal
| IprlpS