The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1855-03-29

lion, that two months before he.had mur-
dered another man on the same road -
This circumstance had excited suspicion
and, being still furthcrquestioned, related
the following particulars
about that time | happened to be in
village public house. Two men on
horse back came in after me-; remarked
that one ofthem had a heavy girdle, filed
with money, fastened around his body
underneath his waistcoat. | began to
consider whether it was not possible to
possess myself of this rich booty F; but
then, how was this to be done. as he had
a companion? However" thought !
to myself, Il lave brace Of good pis
tolls. If shoot one, the other will prob,
ably run away in fright, and before he
can give the alarm and fetch Witnesses
to the spot, my fleet horse viii have car
ricd me far enough out of their reach ;
Iif, contrary to my expectation, the surEi-
vor should stand by hi, companion, what
hinders me from giving him the other
ball ?" Such was my determination,
which ! resolved Immediately to execute.
| had overheard them talking Of the way
they should take, Erode of before, and
having tied my horse TO a tree, conceal.
ed myself in a thcket by the roadside
No sooner had | taken my station than
the travellers approached. Thcy were
quareling violently ! had already ta-
ken aim at the man with the girdle, when
the other took out pistol and discharged
it at his companion, fired at the same
moment. My man fell just as tie others
ball whizzed pastply ear; he dlen.sprnns
from his horse, WAS engaged for short
time with bis dying fellow-t traveller, and
at the instant | was going to fire at him,
be mounted again and galloped away l
had now time to rifle the pockets Of the
deceased, and having done this, rode'ofi
as fast as ! could"
lie described the time, the place. and
the two travellers so minutely, that there
remained not the slightest doubt of bis
having actually committed the murder of
which George accused himself. The lat
ter, trembling with rage, had fired atran-
dom, and was innocent of the death of
his friend.
The local tribunal transmitted all these
particulars to the'supreme courtI the pro
ceedings, with accompqniments, were re.
turned, and the ball exactly fitted the
pistols which were found upon the mur-
derer at the time Of his apprehension.
Let the sympathi2ing reader now en-
deavor TO form some conception Of the
transport of Lewis on having saved his
friend. Let him figure to himself the JOY
of George, when she painful conscious
uoss5f an atrocious crime was thus re-
moved from his bosom. He was unan-
imously declared innocent Of the murder;
his passion cost him two months imprs.
onment; and it was long before bis tears
ceased to flow for his departed friend
Lewis begged the ball, The instrument of
Georges deliverance. as memorial Of
this extraordinary event.
The forms oflegal proceedings may of
ten seem troublesome or useless, but let
them not be arranged 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 only
one innocent person, the wisdom of the
legislator ought to command our graft
tude.