The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-12-12

: and on taking it to the light, it prove
g to be Mr.. Hampton's pocket book. 3
: remembered that after Hampton ha
, paid him for shoeing the horse, he wei
< TO the sink after drink of water, an
s then he must have dropped the bool
The young blacksmith's first idea b
, said, was to keep the book until Hamr
ton came back, but upon second though
J he resolved to saddle his horse and tr
to overtake him and restore the money
Accordingly he set off and when b
reached the bluff, his horse began
rear and snort. He discovered some
thing lying by the road side, and upo
dismounting and going to it, he foun,
i it to be the body of Mr. Hampton, still
warm and bleeding.-He first satisfied
himself he could do nothing alone, anG
then he started back towards M
for assistance. When he was overta
ken by Jordan and Bilger, the idea o
having Hampton's money with him
broke upon him with stunning force
and hence his strange and incoheren
manner.
When the prisoner sat down therc
was low murmur which told him tha
his story was believed. But the judge
shook his head, and the lawyers did the
same, and the jury looked troubled and
anxious. The prisoners counsel did
all he could to establish his clients
good character, and also to i'm mpeach the
character of Bilger, but be could not
refute the testimony which had been
given in.
When the judge came to charge the
jury, he spoke of the testimony against
the prisoner, and of corroboratiye cir
cumstances. In regard to the prisoners
story, he said that was very simple and
sounded like truth; but he would have
the jury remember how easy such sto-
ries could be made.
It was long after dark when the jury
retired to make up their verdict. They
were gone half an hour, and when they
returned the foreman by the hue of his
countenance told that the verdict was
false All saw it, and I could hear the
throbbing of the hundred hearts that
beat about me.
Gentlemen of the jury, have you
made verdict"
We have"
"Shall your foreman speak for you?"
Yes"
4" Abel Adams stand up, and look the
foreman in the face. Now sir, is Abel
Adams, the prisoner at the bar, guilty
of the murder or not ?''
Hark The first syllable of the worl,
Guilty. is upon the foreman's lips, but
he speaks not. hose who yet crowd
about the windows shout with all their
might, aud In a moment more a man
crowds his way into the courtroom. He
hurries up and whispers to the judge.
Henry Bilger starts up and moves
towards the door, but in an instant the
hand of tie sheriff is upon him. All
is excitement the most intense. Di-
rectly the mass at the door begins to
give way, and four men are seen bear
ing upon their shoulders large stuffed
chair, and in that chair sits Mathew
Hampton-not dead, alive True he is
pale and his lips move. At length the
chair is set down before the bench, and
the old physician of NJ asks per-
mission to speak. AS soon as this fact
became known, all is quiet once more.
The physician says that neither of the
wounds which hampton had received
is mortal, though he at first thought
they were. Blows upon the head and
the stab in the breast, combined to pro-
duce case of catalepsy which resem-
bled death so nearly that many an ex-
perienced person might be deceived.
When he gave out that Mr.. Hampton
vas dead, he thought it was so. But
when he found that Hampton was living
1e kept the secret to himself, for fear
hat certain man, whose presence was
much needed, might be missing
At this juneture Henry Bilger made
savage attempt to break away from the
heriff but it did not avail him. The |
ury were directed to return to their
'ox, and then Mr.. Hampton was request
ID to speak. He was too weak to rise, |
nut he spoke plainly, and in a manner
hat showed his mind to be clear.
He stated that when he reached the
duff on the night of the disaster, he
discovered that his pocket book was
yoDe.-He stopped his horse and trying
o think where he had lost it, when
ome one Tcame up from the roadside.
lie had just time to see it was Henry
3ilger, when lie received blow upon
lis head from q club that knocked him
rom his horse.-Then be felt sharp
tinging, b2rning pain in the bosom,
nd with momentary startling of his
n"scle he opened his eyes. He saw
hat Bilger was STOPPING over him and
aEsacking his pockets. He could just
emember of hearing the distant gallop
f a horse-that he thought his booy
Tas being dragged to the roadside; and
fter that he could remember nothing
i'll he awoke in his own house and found
he doctor by his bed side.
For little while longer the multi
ude had to restrain themselves I re-
lember that the judge said something II
D the jury, and that the jury whisper
d together for moment, then the pri-
oner stood up once more, and the fore
ian of the jury said mot guilty.
Then burst forth the hearty shouts of
be people. Abel Adams sank back into
is seat, but in a moment more was selz-
i by score of stout men, and with
lid and rending shouts they bore him
ito the free, pure air, where the bright J
sars looked down and smiled upon, them.
hey had gone but little way with their
,ad when they met young woman, ;
hose hair was floating in the night wind {
nd who wrung her hands in agony. {
hey stopped and set their burthen
own. Abel Adams saw the woman
nd sprang forward and caught her to
is bosom. II
Mary I am innocent--innocent aud
rec.