The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-09-15

next disclose itselfe with tenfold curiosity
and eagerness. "There are stabs enough
here, sure enough" exclaimed a constable,
as he turned up his shirt-sleeye on the
prisoners left arm. There were, indeed;
and in addition to them, natural marks of
ttCo Strawberries were distinctly visible.
The countenance of Andrew Bridgman
grew ashy pale, as his straining eyes gar-
ed upon the prisoners naked arm. The
next moment he wrenched himself away,
as with an effort, from the sight, and
staggered to an open window-sick, diz-
zy, tainting-it was at the time believed,
from the closeness of the atmosphere in
the crowded room. Was it not rather
that he had recognized his long-lost BROTH
er-the true heart to the bulk of his de-
ceased fathers wealM, against whom he
might have thought an Indictment would
scarcely lie for felonously entering his
own house He said nothing, however,
and the two prisoners were fully commit
ted for tri.
Mr.. Prince went down "spcciap to
Bury, at the next assizc, to defend a gen
tleman accused of grave offence, but
the grand jury having ignored the bill,
he would probably have returned at once,
had not an attorney brought him brief,
very heavily marked, in defence of "Rob-
ert Williams" strangely enough, too"
remarked the attorney, as he was about
to go away, "thc funds for the defence
have been supplied by Mr.. Andrew Bridg-
man, whose house the prisoner is accused
ofhaving burgIariously entered. But this
Is confidential, as he is very so!citous that
his oddly-generOus action should not be
known" There was, however, no valid
defence. The ill-favoured accomplicc, why.
L know not, had been admitted kings
evidence 10y the counsel for the crown, and
there was no resisting the accumulated
evidence. The prisoner was found guilty.
and sentenced to be hanged. 81 never
intended" he said, after the verdict was
returned, and there was tone of detected
patience in his voice that affected one
strangely, 81 never intended to commit
violence against any one in the house, and
but that my uncle-hc that was shot
said repeatedly that he knew secret
concerning Mr.. Bridgman (hc didn't know,
| am sure, that he was deadD which would
prevent us from being prosecuted if we
were caught, should not have been per-
suaded to 60 with him. 1t was my first
offence-in-in house breaking, mean"
had, and indeed hare, some relatives
in Mildenhall, in the same county, whom
atthe termination Of the Bury assize,
got leave to visit for few days. Whilst
there, it came to my knowledge that Mr.
Andrew Bridgman, whom had seen in
court, was moving heaven and earth to
| procure a Communication of the convict's
sentence to transportation for life. His
Jealous efforts wese unsuccessful; and the
Saturday County Journal announced that
Robert Williams, the burglar, would suf
fer death with four others on the following
Tuesday morning. reached Bury on the
Monday evening, with the intention OF
proceeding by the London night coach,
but there was no place vacant. The next
morning | could only have ridden out
side, and as, besides being intensely cold,
it was showing furiously, l determined on
postPoning my departure till the evening,
and secured an inside place for that pur-
pose. | greatly abhor spectacles of the
kind, and yet, from mere idleness and
curiosity, | suffered myself to be drawn
into the human stream flowing towards
Hang Fair" and once jammed in with
the crowd in front of the place of execu,
ton, egress was, l found, impossible
After waiting a considerable time, the
death-bell suddenly y tolled, and the terrible
procession appeared five human being.
about to be suffocated by human hands
for offences against property the dread.
ful and deliberate sacrifice prcluded and
accompanied by sonorous sentences from
the Gospal of mercy and compassion!
Hardly daring to look up, l saw little
Of what passed on the scaffold, yet one
quickly withdrawn glance, showed me
the sufferer in whom | took most interest
He was white as if already coilined, and
the unquiet glare fhis eyes was, noticed
terribly anxious | did not again look up
| could not; and the surging murmur OF
the crowd, as it swayed to and for, the
near whisperings Of the ribald tongues; and
the measured, mocking tones of the min
ister, promising eternal life through the
mercy of the most high God, to wretches
whom the justice of man denied few
more days or years of mortal existence
were becoming momently more and moro
expressive, when dull, heavy sound
doomed through the air; the crowd swayed
violently from side to side, and the sim.
ultaneous expiration of many pent-up
breaths testified that all was over, and the
relief experienced by the coarsest natures
of the consummation Of deed too fright,
ful for humanity to contemplate. 1t was
some time before the mass of spectators,
began to thoroughly seperate, and they
were still standing in large clusters,spitc Of
the bitter, falling weather, when a carriage,
furiously driven, with the body Of female,
who was screaming vehemently and wav-
ing, white handkerchief, projected hall