Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1855-05-12


experienced person MP ght have been de-
ceived. When he gave out that MIR
Hampt was dead, he thought that it
was so. Buf when he found that Hamp-
ton was living, h. kept the secret to hun
self, for fear a certain person, whose
presence was much needed, might be
missing.
At this juncture, Mr. Henry Bilger
made 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 Matthew Hampton
was requested to speak. lie was too
weak to rise, but he SPOKE plainly, and
in man her which showed his mind to
be clear.
He stated that when he reached the
bluff, on the night of the disaster, he
discovered that his pocket-book was gone.
He sto7ped his horse. and was trying to
think where he could have lost it, when
some one came up from the roadside
He had just time to see it was Henry
Bilger, when he received blow upon
the head from club, which knocked
him from his horse. Then he fit a
sharp, stinging, burning pain in his ho-
som, and with momentary starting OF
the muscles he opened his eyes. He
saw that Bilger was STOPPING over him.
ami rarsacking his pockets. He could
just remember hearing the distant gallop
of IA horse, that he thought his body was
being dragged to the roadside, after that
he could remember nothing till he awoke
in his own house and found the doctor
by his bed side.
For little while longer the multitude
had to restrain themselves. I remember
that the judge said nothing to the jury,
am that the jury whispered together
for moment Then the prisoner stood
III ONCE more, and the foreman of the
jury said .'NQT GpILTY."
Then broke forth the hearty shouts Of
the people Abel Ad ms sank back
upon his seat, but in a moment more he
was seized by score of stout men, and
with wild and rendiog shouts they bore
him into the free, pure air, where the
BRIGHT stars locked down and smiled up
on him. A little way had they gone
when they met a young woman, hose
long hair was flowing in the wind, and
who wrung her hands in agony. They
stopped and set their burden down. A
bel Adams SAW the woman, and he sprang
forward and caught her to his bosom.
.'Mary Mary. Tn innocrnt-iHno-
cent-free
The wife did not speak. She only
clung wildly to her noble husband and
wept upon his bosom.
A wagon body was torn from its axle
tree-the blacksmith and his wife were
placed therein, and then they were borne
away towards their home; and long after
they had pass d from my sight l could
hear the glad shouts of the Impulslve
people, waking tn night air, and rever-
beratng among the distant hills.
On the next morning, before the stage
started, learned that Matthew Hamp-
ION had determined to make the young
blacksmith accept of one thousand dol
lars. whether he was willing or not.
Two weeks afterwards, while sitting
in the Off of my Hotel in Cincinnati,
I received newspaper from NJ.
Henry Bilger had been hanged, and on
the gallows lie acknowledged his guilt
Mathew Hampton was slowly y recovering,
and the blacksmith had, after much ex-
poslulatlon, accepted the thousand dol
lars from Hampton's bounty.
.tNow. Now is the constant sylla-
Bile ticking from the clock of time. Now
is the watchword of the wise. Now IS