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


.er, when he heard the sound Of horse 5
feet, and on turning to the spot he found
Simple and Jordan there.
Bilger was questioned severely, but
his testimony was not to be ffawed He
was explicit in all his s'aiements, and at
the same time he professed to feel deep
regret that he was called upon to testify
against man for whom he felt so much
respect as he did for the prisoner.
At length young Adams arose to tell
his story. He spoke clearly, and with
the tone of m who tells the truth
He said that about an hour after Mat
thew Hampton had left his shop, on the
evening IN question, he went to the sink
to wash his hands, and while there he
trod on something that attracted his at
tention. He stopped to pick it up, and
found it to be pock t-book, and on ta-
king it to the light, it proved to Mr.
HAmpton He remembered that after
Mr.. Hampton had paid him for shoeing
his horse, he went to the sink after a
drink of water, and then he must have
dropped the book. The young black
smita's first idea, he said, was TO keep
the book unit Hampton came back, but
on a second til ught he resolved to sad
die his horse and try to ovsr,ake him,
and restore the money Accordingly he
st IF, and Wien he reached the bluff
his horse began to rear and snort. He
discovered something on the roadside,
and upon dIsmounting and going to it,
he found it to be the body of Mr. Hamp-
ton, still warm and bleeding. He frsi
satisfied himself that he could do nothing
alone, and then he started back towards
NJ - for assistance When he was
evertaken by Jordan and Bilger, the idea
broke upon him with stunning force, and
hence his strange and incoherent manner.
When the prisoner Sat down, there
was a low murmur, which told that his
story was believed. But the judge shook
his head, and the lawyers did the same,
and the jury looked troubled and anx-
ious The prisoners council did all he
could to establish his clients character,
and also to impcach the character of
Bi'ger, but he could refute none of the
evidence that had been given in.
When the jud g. came to charge the
jury, he spoke of the testimony against
the prisoner, and of the corroborative
circumstances. With regard to the pris-
oner's story, he said it was very simple
and sounded very much like truth but
he would haFe the jury remember how
easy such stories could be made. 1t 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 showed, by the very hue of
his countenance, that the verdict was to
be fatal. All saw it, and I could hear the
thro bina Of the hundred hearts that
beat about me.
L" Gentlemen of the jury, have you
made your verdict :"
We have"
& Shall your foreman speak for you'''
Yes"
" Abel Adams, stand up and look the
foreman in the face. Now, sir, is Abel
Adams, the prisoner, guilty or not :"
Hark The frst syllable of the word
&C gnilty ~ is upon the foreman's lips,
but he speaks it not. Those who still
crowd about the windows shout with all
their might, and in moment more
man crowds himself into the cou t-room.
He hurries up and whispers to the sher-
lff, and then he goes to the bench and
whispers to tn Judge. Henry Bilger
starts up and moves tow ards the door,
but IN an instant the hand of the Sheriff
is upon him. All is excitement the
most intense. Directly the mass at the
door begins to give way, aud four men
are seen bearing upon their shoulders
chair, = large stuff chair. and III that
chair sits NJ thew Hampton, not dead,
bu alve. True. he Is ale aud ghastl,
hut hls e opa and his lips move AT
length he chair is let d-.wn before tn
bench, and he OIL lihysici # NJ -
asked permission 20 speak As soon as
this fact became known, all was qu'
once more
The physician sad that neithr of the
W lund which Mr. Hampton al rec v
ed were mortal, though he had at first
thought they were. The bl'" upon tn
head and the stab in the breast CON-