Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-01-12
CHAPTER XXIII.

Tho witness.
Mr.. Grantly frightened up at once,
Grace looked happily TO heaven. and
Roger shouted
"Thank Godlpthank Godl--there's
Ben Burke"
Yes, he had heard miles away Of
his friends danger about an an old
shawl. and he had made all speed.
with Tom in his train, TO come and
bear witness 10 the innocence Of Rog-
er.
The sensation IA Court as may well
be conceived, was thrilling; but n vo-
oiferous crier. and the deep anxiety to
hear this sturdy witnes, soon reduced
oil again to silence.
Then did they swear Benjamin
Burke. who to ths scandal Of Lis cause
would insist upon stating his profess
ion 10 be "poacher;" and ut FIRST.
poor, simple fellow, seemed to have a
notion that "A sworn witness meant one
who swore continually; but he was
soon convinced otherwise, and his
whole demeanor gradually became as
polite and deterrent as his coarse nature
would allow. And Ben told his ad-
venture on Pike Island, as we have
heard him tell il, pretty much in the
Same words, for the Judge and Mr..
Grantly let him take his own courses;
and then he added with a characteristic
10 expletive, (which we may as well
omit, seeing Il occasioned cry Of or
der in the court) "There, if that there
white-livered little villain warn't the
chap that brought the crooks, my
name ant Ben Burke"
"Good Heavensl Mr.. jennings,
what's the matter?" said a brieAess
one, starting up; this was Mr.. Sharp,
a parsonage on former occasions dis
tinguished highly as thieves advocate,
but now, unfortunately out Of work.
"Loosen his cravat, some one there;
the gentleman's in fits"
"0h, aunt, aunt Quarles, don't
throttle mt: I'll tell all, all; let 90,
let gol" and the wretched man slowly
recovered, as Ben said,
GAY, my lord, ask him yourself.
the little wretch can tell you all about
it."
al submit. my lurd," interposed
the briehess one, "that this respecta.
bic gentleman is taken i'll, and that his
presence may now be dispensed with
as a witness in the canse."
"No, sir. no." deliberately answer
ed Jennings, II must stay; the time.
! find, has come; have not slept for
weeks; | am exhausted utterly, |
have lost my gold; | am haunted by
her ghost; | can go nowhere but that
face follows mel can do nothing but
her fingers clutch my throat. 1t is
time to end this misery. In hope to
lay her spirit, would have offered up
victim; but she will not have him.
Mine was the hand that"
"Pardon me" upstarted Mr.. Sharp,
"this poor gentleman is monomaniac;
pray, my lurd, let him be removed
while the trial is proceeding"
"You horse hair hypocrite, you'll"
Roared Ben, "vould you hang the in
nocent, and save the guilty"
Would he? would Nj. Philip Sharp?
Ay. that he would; pd glad of such
famous opportunity. What would
not Newgate rejoice. and Horsemon-
ger be glad? Would not his bag be
filed with briefs from the community
of burglars, and his purse be filed
with gold subscribed by the brother
hood Of thieves? Great at once would
be his name among the purlieus Of in
iquity; and every rogue in London
would retain but Philip Sharp. Would
he? ask him again.
But Jennings quietly proceeded like
a speaking statue.
81 am not mad. most noble-my
lord, / mean. My hand did the deed
l throttled her." "(here he gave scared