Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-09-05

When you reached Sharpe's house,
commenced, "what had been done to ex.
,ingnish the fire! Was there any engine
or people there!"
mo, sir, none; nothing had been done,
as seed, the fire was dying out Of it.
seli--a few pals of water would have
put it out altoge elher; the straw blazed
bit fierce a. first, but there vas nothing
for II 10 catch hold on, there hadn't been
no body of. fire." H
"You say you found the fire burning
in two rooms, the prisoners and the one
under her employers; was there much
light, much glare mean, through the
windows, anything to attract attention.
"No, sir"
at was a light moonlight night, l
,hink!"
"Yes, SIR"
"Was the freight then less visible
from the moon. shining on the windows,
than il would otherwise have been?'
"Yes, SIR"
"How far was the clubhouse where the
prisoner was working at the end of the
orchard, from the dwelling house!"
'About three hundred yards, more or
less" .......
..In going in and out of the out-house,
as you have just told the Court the pris-
oner would have occasion to do, in the
course of her work, was there any thing
in the appearance Of the house to draw
her attention.
mo, sir; | shouldn't have known
there was fire, outside Of the house."
ibid the prisoner express any sur.
PRISE at seeing you"
mo. sir: it seems there was bonnet
of my mississes altering at the shop, and
she though, Id come for it, for she said,
I'm sorry your wife's tuscan isn't done,
Mr.. Harris, but we've been so busy"
"Did she seem regularly at work, as
If she had been at i, some time!"
ayes, sir; there was lots OF bonnets
about as she had been securing and
pressing"
Nv hen you took her into custody
what did she say!"
81 told her nothing q. first, only as
she was suspected of setting fire TO the
house, and then she looked all amazed.
dumbfounded as il were, but after bit
she said very steady like, 81 know moth
ing of il, never had such thought"
The next witness was the servant girl.
Her testimony was clear and short
She had seen Miriam 60 to her bedroom
at the usual time, had retired herself
Immediately after. and slept soundly till
aroused by her mistress, who told her
that Miriam had set the house on fire,
and run away. She was very much
frightened. and by her mistress orders
went to the constable. She did not see
the burning rooms till her return with The
man for whom she had been sent; she
wished TO do SO, but her mistress refused
to let her. She knew Of the quarrel
that had taken place in the evening be-
tween Mrs. Sharpe and Miriam, and
heard the former say lha, her apprentice
should "rue the day she had set her cap
at her MASTER" Ii was unusual to work
at the bonne,-pressing and securing at
night, but once or twice before, Miriam
had worked all night by her mistress's
orders. Mrs. Sharpe was regular Turk
TO her; and her master worried the life
on, of her; she led the life of black
slave between them. Never heard her
swear TO be revenged, or any such thing,
and would not believe il. There wasn't
much burned, only cupboard door and
shelves in one room, and an old bed
stead in another; there was LOT of straw
aud matches under the bed; Miriam had
no call with either.
The apprentice was called next. She
was bold, impudent looking girl, dress
ed in very snowy style, aud stared
round the court in the most insolent man.
ner. She took the oath with great flip
pancy, ard when she turned round, cast
a look at Miriam, which betrayed all
the hatred of her heart, and its cause.
she was jealous.
She swore to many conversations with
the prisoner on the day previous to the
fire, in each Of which she had declared
her resolution to be revenged upon Mrs.
Sharpe, although she did no, say why
Never saw Mr.. Sharpe pay her any at
teniion, although she Gid all in her pow
er TO attrac, him. Considered her a
great flirt, and a very ar,fnl girl. Pur-
chased a finder box and sixpenny worth
of matches for her few days before the
fire. She said she wanted them for a
particula, purpose. Don't know where
she got the money, unless il was from
the young lawyer up the street, who was
always after her. Would swear that on
.ha, very night before she left work,
Miriam said. .Yon'll hear something be-
fure morning as II make you stare" !"
Asked whatshe meant. bu, got no answer,
except vow To be revenged on her mis-
lress. This conversation took place at the
garden gate. There is an old fashioned
lodge al the gate, open TO the road. Peo.
pie can sit and rest in il; any body there
would see all the people who came down
the garden walk. They could not help
seeing.
Cross-examinaiion did very li,lle with
this witness, excep. to show the bitter
feeling with which she regarded Miriam,