New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-03-30


much affected. g cannot allow your life to be
thus thrown away. At the same time thai
admire your frank and open declaration,I feel
that it would be improper in me to take advan-
tage Of it; l shall therefore examine the evi-
denee against You, that every chance Of l!te
which martial law affords may be given you"
The trial accordingly proceeded The wit
nesses were called and examined; but the charge
was too we'll substantiated, and the evidence TOO
strong to admit of the slightest possibility of an
The President shook his head in
despair, as he saw every legal chance of escape
lost to the culprit, was now asked if he had any
witnesses to call in his defence.
fs i make no defence replied Baptiste; '' but
if the testimony Of an irreprOachable life be OF
any avail l believe there are many in this court
who can bear witness in my behalf"
Yes, we can, we cam - echoed the surround
ing crowd. and few Of the bystanders being
then examined, spoke very warmly in his favor.
s' But it is all in vain,' said the President,
with sigh, as he closed the proceedings, and
turned to his brother officers for their opinion
g It is all in vain; the law is imperative; the
crime is proved, and however much we must re-
gret it, his doom is inevitable The other MEM
bers Of the court assented.
The hand of the President trembled with
emotion as he signed the verdict and handed it
to the other members for their approval He
then, with a faltering voice, had begun to read
aloud the sentence on the prisoner, when loud
scream interrupted him.. A commotion was OBJ
served among the crowd, and Annette. led By
her anxiety to the court, at this critical period
rushed forward and fell at the feet Of the Presi-
dent exclaiming, Oh, save him in mercy save
him" He raised the weeping girl and delivered
her to the care of the attendants; but she burst
from them, and, running towards Baptiste,
clasped him in her arms.
ssI have lived but for him, and will die with
him!' said Annette have been the cause
of his crimes, if such they can be called 1t
was on my account he deserted the army But
for me, am sure he would have remained with
out reluctance you will not save him, then,
in mercy, extend the same punishment to me,
for cannot survive him y
Baptise was quite overcome Loud sobs burst
from his anguished heart, as he endeavored in
vain to console the distressed girl The whole
court was in tears at the affecting scene
At last Baptiste regained his composure, and
observing the emotion Of the members he thus
addressed them: G Though you sit as judges,
| see you can feel as men. | was affianced to
this lovely maid, once the pride of our peaceful
village when the harsh laws of the conscription
tore me from her-separated me from her aged
parent who depended on me for support-parted
me from friends of my childhood Is it won
der, then, that entered the service with re-
luctance. Had I been called to the defence Of
my country | would have suffered in her cause
without repining; nay, I would have exulted.
would have gloried in the sacrifice. But was
about to be led into q foreign cline, to undergo
banishment from my home and from all held
dear. Yet bore all this. l rejected the soli-
citations of my comrades who urged me to de-
sert, till the insults of a villain drove me to
despair He struck me, and / returned the
Nho T Eroa,, nh
fatal to me, and therefore followed the advice
of my comrades, and fed. These are my crimes
For this l await the sentence of your tribunal: :
and whatever that may be, | would for myself
bear it without repining, but for the sake Of this
wretched girl, for the sake of my numerous
friends, who anxiously await your decision; If
| it is in your power let mercy be extended to me-
so shall you save soul from the anguish Of
death, and have the blessing Of one who is ready
to perish.
The energy of this appeal for some time shook
the nerves of the President; his eye glistened
and his voice became almost inaudible as he in
| formed the prisoner that the severity Of martial
law would not permit him to commute the SEN
tence but promised to represent his case favor
ably to the Minister of War
The prisoner thanked the President for his
kindness, and the Court then proceeded to pass
sentence of death upon him. Annette accom-
panied him back to prison. The expectation of
mercy which the President held out again in
spired her with hope, and supported her in the
midst of her distress. The sad tidings of Bap-
tiste's condemnation had been communicated to
his grandmother, whose aged frame now sunk
under the load of accumulated misery. She
was unable to remove from the house where she
had waited the issue of the trial; the hand Of
death was evidently upon her, and the ebbine
tide of life was fast rendering her unconscious
of her woes The duty of attending on her
drew Annette from the prison, and in some de-
gree prevented her mind from dwelling too much
on her, misfortunes; but the anxiety of mind
under which she labored was evidently wearing
out her weakly and exhausted frame 1t was
in vain that her friends endeavored to draw her
from the spot it was in vain that they pressed
her to take proper nourishment, and to attend
to the delicate state of her health; she refused
all their solicitations Nothing drew her from
the bedside of her dying friend but the duty of
visiting the unfortunate Baptiste, whose num-
| bered days were now drawing rapidly to close
| Though a strenuous application for mercy had
| been forwarded to the Minister of War in Bap-
tiste's favor, yet the frequent desertions of the
conscripts, together with the various instances
| of mutiny and insubordination which had re-
Gently occurred among them, rendered Govern
ment anxious to make a serious example, and
counteracted all the influence which had been
used in his behalf. After u few days delay, an
order arrived for his immediate execution.
| happened to be with him when the melancholy
intelligence was announced. The anxiety which
the President and members had shown on his
behalf had made him lately entertain hope O
pardon, in which he had not previously ven.
| tured to indulge, and the sudden extinction O
this fondly cherished idea made him at first fee
most cruelty the bitterness of his lot. His agi
| tot tinn hoWayar Soon Suhsilnl and ha haran II