Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1853-04-07

J
4 do she answered, with a long drawn
sigh, that seemed to rcnd her very heart
strings.
The case Immediately proceeded; and
as it had a tinge of romantic mystery, we
will epitomize the substance of the evil
dence. a.. ,r
About twelve months previous, the de-
fendant had arrived in the village, and
opened an establishment of millinery
Residing in room connected with her
shop, and all alone, she prepared the ar
ticlcs of her trade with unwearied labor
and consummate taste. Her habits were
secluded, modest and retiring; and hence
she might have hoped to avoid notoriety,
but for the perilous gift of that extraor-
dinary beauty, which too often, and to
the poor and friondless always, proves
curse. She was soon sought after by all
those glittering frefies Of fashion, the
profession of whose life everywhere is
seduction and ruin But the beautiful
stranger rejected them all, with unutter-
able scorn and loathing. Among these
rejected admirers was one of character
from which the fair milliner had every
thing to fear Hiram Shore belonged to
family once opulent, influential and dis
sipated. He was himself licentious, brave,
and ferociously revengeful-the most
dreadful duellist of the Southwest. 1t
was generally known that he had made
advances to win the favor of the lovely
Emma, and had shared the fate Of all
other wooers-a disdainful repulse.
At nine o'clock on Christmas night, the
inhabitants Of LeWisburg were startledby
a loud scream, as of one in mortal terror;
while following that, with scarcely an inter-
val, came successive reports of fire arms;
one, two, three, dozen deafenipg roars.
They few to the shop Of the milliner,
whence the sounds proceeded; pushed
back the unopened door, and scene of
horror was presented. There she stood
in the centre Of the room, with a revolver
in each hand, every barrel discharged,
her features pale, her eyes flashing wild
ly, but her lips parted with fearful
smile. And there at her feet, weltering
in his warm blood, his bosom literally
riddled with bullets, lay the all-dreaded
duellist, Hiram Shore, grasping in the
last agony. He articulated but single
/ sentence-'telI my mother that I am dead
and gone to he'll" and instantly expired.
'Who, in the name of God, did this!
exclaimed the appalled, spectators.
! 4 did it, said the milliner, Il did it to
save my honor
As may readily be imagined, the deed
caused an intense sensation. Public O.
pinion, however, was divided. The poorer
classes, crediting the girls version of the
story, lauded her heroism in terms OF
measureless eulogy. But the friends OF
the deceased, and of his wealthy family
gave different and darker coloring to
the affair, and denounced her as an afro
cious 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 q
revolving partiality. The Judge commit
ted her without the privilege of bail, and
the sheriff chained her in the felon's dun.
geon.
Such is brief abstract of the circum.
stances developed in the examination o
witnesses. The testimony closed, and the
pleading began.
First Of all, three advocates spoke in
succession for the prosecution; but Meth
er their names nor their arguments are
worth preserving. Orators of the blood
, and thunder genus, they about equally
F portioned their bowling eloquence be-
tween the prisoner aud her leather ro BED
counsel, as if in doubt which Of the twain
was then on trial. As for the stranger
ne seemed to pay not the slightest atten.
, ton to his opponents, but remained mo.
tionless, with his face bowed on his hands
like one buried in deep thought of slum
ber.
When the proper time had come, how.
ever, he sprang to his feet, crossed the
bar, and took his position almost touch.
ing the jury. He then commenced in q
whisper; but it was whisper so wild, SC
clear, SO unuterably ringing and distinct
as to I'LL the hall from the floor to gale
leries At the outset, he dealt in pure 10,
gle; separating and combiDg the proven
facts, ill the whole confused mass of ev-
idence looked as transparent as a globe
glass, through which the innocence Of his
client shone, brilliant as sunbeam and
the jurors nodded to each other signs oi
thorough conviction; that thrilling whis.
per, and fixed concentration, and language
simple as child's, had convinced all.
! lie then changed his posture, so as to
sweep the bar with a glance, and began
to tear and rend his legal adversaries.-
His sallow face glowed like heated fur
mace his eyes resembled living Goals; his
voice became the clangor Of a trumpet
I have never before or since, listened to
such murderous denunciations. Tt was