Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-01-04

woman who came up To uim III the street at
evening, begging for charity and assistance;
of his protest, and then OF his sudden aHd
inpulsve sympathy; Of his conscntiag t"
90 with her to the Place where he ilcpo'' to
alleviate such deep distress; OF his entering
the room, and her abrupt dcpartnrc-hrr
locking the door, and drawing out the key;
of his overwhelming confusion aud lear
when he made the awful discovery that
awaited him on the bloody bed ; Of his after
reflections and plans Of escape, and ten
thousand terrors such as no man ever had
before; and finally of his fnulisI'ly planning
a sudden escape, and being cangit hy Tie
one who he least hoped would lind him.
The story was i very strange one, and
excited much comment particularly was his
cunning discussed People thought that
such tale, il not true, WAS the very shrewd'
est Of devices
There WAS general inquiry for this wo.
man, whose arltulness had so completely
shielded her. Who was she !-where was
she! Was there any one living near the
murdered person who was known to bear
her such cmmity! Had any such woman
been seen about the place!
lie was asked to describe her dress. As
far as his confused memory helped him, he
did so. No woman thus atllred could any
where be found none such had ever been
seen there.
Now people began to peup their anathc.
mas hig her against him. They said that
this story of his was all Il fabrication, hav.
ing for its design nothing but his final re-
lease. They said that lie thought to impose
on public credulity, and to create false sym.
palhv for himself. And then one began the
assertion that he was baser than even this
crime would seem to prove him. HIS very
stories, already believed false in every par
ticular, served to heap hatred higher Oh his
doomed head.
.Tney found the key of the door of the
murdered womans apartment out''ln the
street. All, said the pubic, this is his ruse
; He thought to hide his own guilt by this
shallow artifice. He first locks the door on
the inside, alter his deed is doue, and then
throws the KEY out of the window TO carry
out his deceit! We can see through it all
There was 10 woman III the case! Ii was
false-ali false story OF his own! Ano
with this prejudice in all minds 10 combat
and no light OF testimony to shine on his
dark side Of the transaclon--with all thl:
positive evidence against him, and not ;
single particle to contravene its straight
forward strength-it is not to be wondered
at that the unfortunate mans guilt was pub
, licly fastened upon him, and that jury de
cided that he ought to die
When brought up for sentence, he wa
asked what he had to say why the sentence
, of murderers should not be pronounced OF
him.
, 81 have nothing to say" answered he
"only that die an innocent man !"
t Such evidence OF confirmed hardlhoo
sent a new shock to the hearts of all. The
i felt that he was doubly deserving OF hi
a awful fate, and hung on the words OF th
!, Judge with sort of satisfaction.
And with his sentence still ringing II
4 death knell in his ears, he was carried bac
r to his cell.
e The day of execution drew near. Il'
It public event was finally announced in til
" papers, and attention freshly called to it.
+! In a city far back from the seaboard,
IT paper containing the announcement chance