Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-10-14
Translated frem the German Of Paul Klob.l
THE PISTOL BULLET,
Or-The Advantage of Iepal Form.

lHE flNIUL BULLET,
or-The Advantage of I,es,l rorm..
In small town of Saxony lived three young
men, whom we will call George, Ernest and Lew
is, and who from their infancy were strongly at
tached to one another George and Ernest were
merchants Lewis studied the law, and practiced
in his native place.
One summers day Ernest and George set out
on horseback for town about thirty m;,es cfF
where they had business to transact. Ernest was
weak enough to be fond Of discoursing with his
friend on religious subjects, on which they were
OF different opinions, and had often had warm dis
pnes, though George was as irritable and passion
ate as he himself was obstinate in maintaining
his notions. During the journey, Ernest led the
conversation to this unlucky topic They fell as
usual into alteration. which was kept up till they
reached the inn where they had agreed to dine.
The dispute was continued over bottle of wine.
but with temper on both sdes and the travellers
pursued their journey. Ernest renewed the sub
Ject of their former conversation, and both being
rather elevated with the wine they had taken, the
dispute became more and more violent az thew
proceeded; so that by the time they had entered
wood through which their road led, it had deee-
nerated into downright personality and abuse.
Georges passion knew no bounds; unconscious
OF what he did, he pulled out pistol, and pre-
sented it at his companion. The pistol went off
and Ernest fell from his horse, which, frightened
by the report and relieved from his rider, scam.
pered away into the wood.
George, pale as death, slighted to assist his
friend, who was weltering in his blood; the parox-
ism of passion was over, and had given place to
the bitterest repentance. He stopped trembling
to Ernest, who just then breathed his last sigh.
Overwhelmed with despair and anguish, hs
tore his hair, and afterwards galloped back to
the village to surrender himself into the hands Of
justice as the murderer Of his friend, that he might
put speedy end to a life which was now the
most oppressive burden to him. The officer to
whom he delivered himself up sent him under
guard to the town where the friends resided. The
body of Ernest, whose pockets were found rifled,
was also conveyed thither and inferred.
The legal proceedings against George COM
menced. He repeated his confession before the
judges, and implored speedy death. His exam-
nation was closed, and he was informed that he
was at liberty to choose an advocate to defend
him. as the law requires but he declined to avail
himself of this privilege, and with teal. besoueht
the Court to hasten his execution.
Being, however, again urged to appoint an I'd.
vocate to conduct his defence, he named his friend
Lewis. CAT the same time," said he still, athere
needs no defence; wish only for death; but sub.
init to the required formality. My friend may
undertake the bootless task, and thus show his at
tachment to me for the last time.u
With profound emotion, Lewis entered on the
most painful duty that had ever fallen to his lot in
his whole professional career. Though he despair
ed of being able to save his unhappy friend, he de-
termined Of course to make every possible effort
to accomplish this end. ..r .a
With this view he objected that Emest's BODY
had been committed to the earth without anv pre-
vious judicial examination and dissection. The
judges replied that this ceremony seemed unne.
cessary and superfluous, as the murderer had vel.
unfairly confessed the deed; but il he (he advo-
cate) insisted upon the examination Of the BODY,
it should be taken up By the desire Of Lewis,
this was accordingly done. The town surgeon At
tended, and declared that as the bali had passed
directly through the heart, death must naturally
ensue. Lewis wished to know if tho ball were
still in the body; the surgeon sought for and found
it, upon which the advocate sent for the pistol with
which the deed had been perpretrated, and tried
to drop the ball into the barrel. 1t seemed too
large-he accordingly tried it in all possible wsys
still it would not 60 in. That this ball could
not be fired by that pistol was evident 10 every
observer; the judges looked At one another and
shocked their heads. There was not pe,son but
had completely made up his mind respecting the
guilt Of the prisoner but this circumstance quite
confounded them all The confession Of the pri.
soner, made without the employment Of the hast
fear or force, was corroboratsd BY every circun.
stance that had previously come to light; the bali
alone seemed to proclaim his innocence.
Lewis began to conceive the strongest hopes,
and was nearly overpowered with ths sxcsssof
his JOY, his judgment. Hepropesed that the prs.
eeedins', together with the ball and pissol shesld
Be sent to the supreme tribunal, that it might d.
eide in this extraordinary ahAir. This propotal
was the more readily accepted, y the local court
was puzzled how to act, and Absolutely unable to
pronounce any judgment whatever.
While the papers were in the hands of To 81
preme tribunal in the metropolis, hshvsymaa,
who had shot and robbed q traveller a the rosd
not far from the bith-p!aes Of the fie.dA vss
brought to that town. convieted By ssiicisnt evil
dence. be acknowledged biz crime; bat this was
not ALL he eonfsssed, On further sxaaiaatios, ,tbst
two months beloss. he had Murdered anslhes maa
on the sane rad This civcuEstsncs haA sxeited
suspicioa, nd being stillimfhsx x4ueaisuDd hs n