The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-05-10
r examination, that two months before

er examination, that two months before
he had murdered another man on the
same road. This circumstance had excl
ted suspicion, and being still further ques-
toned he related the following particulars.
about that time | happened to be in a
village public house. Two men on horse
back came in after me; l remarked that
one of them had heavy girdle filled with
money fastened around his body under
meath his waistcoat. began to consider
whether it was not possible to possess my
self of this rich booty but then how was
it to be done as he had companion p
However thought ! to myself, 1 have
q brace of good pistols. If I shoot one,
the other will probably run away in
fright and before he can give the alarm
and fetch witnesses to the spot my feet
horse will have carried me far enough out
of their reach; if, contrary to my expec-
tation, the survivor should stand by his
companion, what hinders me from giving
him the other ball p? Such was my de-
termination, which I resolved Immediate
ly to execute. had heard them talking
of the way they should take. 1 rode off
before, and having tied my horse to tree,
concealed myself in thicket by the road
side. No sooner had I taken my station
than the travellers approached. They
were disputing violently. l had already
taken aim at the man with tho girdle,
when the other took out pistol and dis
charged it at his companion. fired
at the same instant. My man fell
just as the others ball wbizzed past my
ear; he then sprung from his horse, was
engaged for a short time with his dying
fellow-traveller, and at the instant when
[ was going to fire at him he mounted a
gain and galloped away. l had now time
to rife the pockets of the deceased, and
having done this, I rode of as fast as 1
could"
He described the time, the place, and
the two travellers SO infinitely, that there
remained not the slightest doubt of his
having actually committed the murder of
which George accused himself The lat
ter trembling with rage fred at random,
and wasinDocent of the death of his friend.
The local tribunal transmitted all these
particulars to the Supreme court; the
proceedings, with accompaniment, were re-
turned, and the ball exactly fitted the pis
tolls which was found upon the murderer
at the time of bis apprehension.
Let the sympathiziDg reader now en-
dea9or to form some conception of the
transport of Lewis on having saved his
friend. Let him figure to himself the Joy
of George, when the painful consciousness
of an atrocious crime was thus removed
from his bosom. He was unanimously
declared innocent of the murder his pas
sion cost him two months imprisonment;
and it was long before his tears ceased to
flow for his departed friend. Lewis
begged the ball the instrument of G eorge's
deliverance, as a memorial of the extraor-
dinary event.
The forms Of legal proceedings may Of
ten seem troublesome and useless, but let
them not be arraigned on that account
Now and then, indeed a criminal may
through their means escape the punish
ment due to his guilt; but if in the course
of century, they save the life of one in
nocent person, the wisdom of the legisla-
tor ought to command our gratitude.