Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-03-28

upon him with stunning force; hence his
strange and incoherent manner.
When theiprisoner sat down, there was
a low murmur which told that his story
was believed. But tho Judge shook his
head, and the lawyer did the same, and
the jury looked troubled and anxious:-
The prisoners counsel did all he could to
establish his clients character, and also
to impeach the character of BigIer, but he
could not refuse the testimony given in.
When the Judge came to charge the jury,
he spoke of the testimony against the pris-
oner, and of the corroborative circumstan-
ces. With regard to the prisoners story,
he said that it was very simple and sound
cd very much like the truth; but he would
have the jury remember how easily such
stories could be made.
1t was long after dark when the jury
retired to make their verdict. They were
gone half an hour, and when they return
ed the foreman showed by the very hue
of his countenance that the verdict was
fatal. All saw it, and | could hear the
throbbng of the hundred hearts that beat
about me.
"GentIemen of the jury, have you made
a verdict %
"We have"
"Shall your foreman speak for you ?''
eyes"
"Abel Adams, stand up and look the
foreman in the face. Now, sir, is Abel
Adams, the prisoner al the bar, guilty Of
murder or not ?''
Hark The first syllable of the word
guilty. is upon the foreman's lips, but he
speaks not. Those who yet crowd about
the windows shout with all their might,
and in moment more, n man crowds his
way into the court room. He hurries up
and whispers to the sheriff-then he goes
to the bench and whispers to the Judge.
Henry Big Ter starts up and moves towards
the door. but in an instant the hand of the
sheriff is upon him. All is excitement
the most intense. Directly the mass at
the door begins to give way. and four men
are seen bearing on their shoulders a
chair-a large stuffed chair-and in the
chair sits Mathew Hampton-not dead,
but alive. True, he is pale and ghastly,
but his eyes are open and Ais lips move.
At length the chair is set down before the
bench, and the old physician Of NJ M--
asks permission to speak. AS soon as the
fact becomes known, all is quiet once more.
The physician says that neither of the
wounds which Mr. Hampton has received
arc mortal, though he at first thought they
were. The blow upon the head and the
stab in the breast, combined to produce a
state OF catalepsy, which resembles death
so nearly that many an experienced per-
son might have been deceived. When he
gave out that Mr.. Hampton was dead, he
thought it was SO. But when he found
that Mr.. Hampton was living, he kept the
secret to himself, for fear that certain
man, whose presence he much needed,
might be missing.
AT this juncture, Mr.. Henry Bigler
made a savage attempt to break away
from the sheriff, but it did not avail him.
The jury were directed to return to their
box, and then Mathew Hampton was re-
quested to speak. He was too weak to
rise, but he spoke plainly, and in man
ner that showed his mind to be clear
He stated that when he reached the
bluff on the night of the disaster, he dis
covered that his pocket book WAS gone
lie stopped his horse, and was trying to
think where he had lost it, when some one
came up from the roadside. He had just
time to see that twas Henry Bigler, when
he received blow upon his head from a
club that knocked him from his horse
Then he felt sharp singing pain in the
bosom, and with momentary starting ol
the muscles he opened his eyes He saw
Bigler was STOPPING over him, and ran
sacking his pockets, He could just re-
member Of hearing the distant gallop OF a
hOrse-that he thought his body was be-
ing dragged to the roadside-and after
that he could remember nothing till he
awokc in his own house and found the
doctor by his bedside.
For little while longer the multitude
had to restrain themselves. l remember
that the Judge said something to the ju,
ry, and that the jury whispered togethel
for moment. Then the prisoner stood
up once more, and the foreman of the iu.
ry said-''Not Guilty !''
Then burst forth the heavy shouts o.
the people. Abel Adams sank back upor
his seat, and in a moment more, was seiz
ed by score of stout men, and with wild
and rending shouts they bore him into 4
free, pure air, whore the bright stars look
ed down and smiled upon them. "A little
way they had gone when they met I
young woman, whose hair was flowing il
the night wind, and who wrung her hand
in agony. They stopped and set thei
burden down. Abel Adams saw the wo
man, and he sprang forward and csugh
her to his bosom.
"Mary- Mary-Pm innocent from
The wife did not speak. She only elun;
wildly to her noble husband, and wep
upon his bosom.
A wagon body was torn from its axle
trees-the blacksmith and his wife wer
placed thereon, and then they were born
away to their homes. and long after the
had passed from my sight, conld hea
1 a