Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-14
the most part, but watching every op2ortu-

the most part, out Watching e'ei oPro
nifty to waylay and destroy his rival
At length they met in wild, narrow
mountain pass, deadly and fierce struggle
took place, at the termination OF which W
rich was left upon the ground slam as ms
assassin supposed. Daum fled, and ulrich
recovered and returned to his wife, pale,
bleeding and faint. The officers of justice
sought for Daum in vain; he had fled to
England, where he spent the next SIX years
of his life.
The circumstances had passed away from
the public mind, and the parties most inter
ested had ceased to think ofthem, or to feel
any apprehension of Daum's return. Five
years passed on, and the married couple,
with their children, joined a party who
were emigrating to America and settled
down in the country of Lapeer There
they resided in quiet, comfort and happi-
ness for three years. The wild farm had
begun to assume the appearance of cultiva-
tion-the log house to be encircled with
creepers and towering shrubs, the white
headed children played around the door,
the old German hound lay watchful at the
gate, and the truant sweetheart, now a
comely matron, sang at the wheel the sweet
songs Of her Faderland. All was peace in
this sequestered home, when at the close of
bright day IN August, 1888, knock was
heard at the door, which was answered by
the woman, who upon opening it, met face
to face her old suitor. The recognition was
instant and mutual not word was said
between them, but while the heart of one
of them sank within from very fear, that of
the other was reused to phrenzy which
made itself manifest in wild gloom of long
pent up vengeance.
The husband was absent, having gone
upon distant hunting excursion in pursuit
Of deer, and all that night, with doors and
windows barred, seepiess, fearful, trem.
| bling watcher awaited his return. He came
not, and his step never again crossed that
Threshold. Precisely one year to day
from the occurrence just narrated, Mr.
Thorn, an old resident of Lapeer county,
was walking one balmy Sunday morning
upon the borders of one Of those beautiful
little lakes which lie embosomed among the
Towering openings OF that county found up
on the beach Just within the waters edge,
| human skull. AT loss Tor lis appear
ance there, he followed up the steep bold
bank which oyerhangs the lake. and upon
| its verge found the body to which the skull
had belonged. A jury was at once sum-
moned TO the spot, and the remains were at
once identified by the balf-frantc widew,
whose wounds were opened afresh by the
discovery which shut out forever the last
ray of hope which had fingered in her breast
tor long sad year.
( The cause and manner Of the death of The
murdered man were made obvious by an
examination of the skeleton,-a rifle ball
piercing through the vertebral column from
behind, had passed out through the bone.
The murdered man had never known who
or what took his life. He lay as he fell,
upon his face, with his undischarged yager
rifle resting by his side, and Upon his
bleaching skeleton the hunting-poucb,
brought with him from his country home.
| Autumn had deepened into winter,--wlnter
had frightened into spring. and spring had
bloomed into summer. yet there he lay,
within three miles of his own home, unno'
ticed and undiscovered.
Upoa the discovery Of The body, Daum
was arrested, and his trial, which was very
| long and arduouS. in consequence OF the
necessity taking all the testimony through
interpreters, was had before Hon. Charles
w. Whipple, at the Circnit Court for the
county OF Lapeer, in March, 1910. The
PRINCIPAL counsel engaged in the cause were
| Hon. Peter Morev, titen Attorney General,
Hon. A. II. Hanscom, Hon. I. j. Drake,
Hon. E. H. Thompsoa, and George w.
| Wisner.
During the twelve days occupied by the
trial, the prisoner Daum remained imPas-
sive and Snmoved throughout, except when,
upon PERMISSION being granted by the court,
the bones Of the murdered man, which had
teen wired together and placed under
covered table, we've suddenly drawn out al
The uery feet of The prisoner, when death
ly paleness overspread his face and strong
and involuntary shudder passed through his
frame.
The evidence as may be gathered from
the foregoing sketch, was entirely circum-
s,antia, there being no direct testimony,
whereby to connect the prisoner with the
death of Ulrich, and the jury found them
selves unwilling to convict, and giving the
unhappy prisoner the benefit of the slight
doubt by which the occurrence was sur
rounded, brought in after lengthy CONSUL
tation, verdict of mol guilty. The prison
er left the courthouse amid deep and
thrilling silence, and was never more seen
in Lapeer county.