The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-11-13

and then cast his eye over the scene.
First came the selecting of the jury.
"You may challenge whom you will,' Prem
tiss whispered, "but IL will make little differ
ence. They wont present disinterested man
there, and | think YOU may as we'll accept the
first one that is called. They will be all bribed
every one OF them. aaaa
f" Do you think SO r returned Masters, turning
pale. lJ a....
81 am sure of it, But don't let that trouble
you" sEaKEH az Eg
Atlength twelve men were called up, and as
Prentiss ran his eye over them, he understood
the game at once. They were poor miserable
feilows--hangers on about the different gaming
houses; and the court supposed they would ev-
cry one be challenged, and in reserve were held
the bold, reckless men who were to follow The
prisoner accepted the jury as il was presented,
much to the astonishment of the spectators, and
the chagrin of the court.
Thus arranged, the trial proceeded. The in
dictment was read, and the prisoner pleaded not
guilty The prosecution opened the case, and
then the witnesses were called up. When Ma
than Knox took the stand the people were eager.
He was the man who had made his escape after
Masters had shot his two companions. He
swore that he, and the two men who were now
dead, had met the prisoner on the night in ques-
tion and that they stopped him, aud asked him
what he would give them if they would put
gaming houses. He told them to get out of his
way This rather offended them, and they told
him he had better keep civil if he knew when
he was well off; and thereupon he drew double
barrel pistol and shot his two companions
dead. -ars.-r
Look ye. sir,' uttered Prentiss, when he
came to cross-examine the witness. Snow mind
that you answer me truly, for il you speak one
single fslsehood to me, you do il at your peril
The EallOyy started IA this fnr thaKa
thing in the fire Of those great, dark eyes of
Prentiss that Mr.. Knox was not used to. But
he had no time for thought
Now why were you and your two compan
ions concealed in that narrow passage ~
we want concealed"
What! Beware, sri Not concealed? What
do you mean BY that7 Why my good man.
you are giving the lie to all you have said. Now
tell me why you went into that dark passage
and staid tn re until the prisoner came along
Tell me ~
we may have turned in there, sir but we
want hid. We Just turned in to wait for the
man 10 come up. -
And how long did you have 10 wait ?"
''NOt over half a minute"
Be careful. May it not have been min
ute7 Remember, sir, a falsehood now will up
set your whole testimony. You were seen =
"Well, sir, 'twasnt over minute, any way
Very we'll. And now which of you stepped |
out first when Mr.. Masters came along.
Med Hammond did" ..
"And you next, eh?"
"No, SIR Jack Nottell did,
Now look We, SIR thundered Prcntiss, in
that tone. and with that look which never fail
ed TO confound an evil mind. You swore that
you three were coming along the sidewalk, and
that you met the prisoner; and you stopped,
and he stopped. What did you mean by
that
The witness stammered out some reply, but
he could not clear himself from the snare he
had got worked into. However, Prentiss let
him 90 as soon as he had sufficiently shown him
up; and the next witness was called
When all was in of evidence on both sides,
the case looked dark for the prisoner. Some
few had testified to his good character; and
some had even dared to testify to the fact that
the gamblers had sworn to get rid of him on
account Of the exertions he had used against
them. And the prisoners own account Of the
affair was also received. The Judge plainly in
TINA ted that the prisoner would be hung, and
the jury winked at each other knowingly
A lawyer named Compton summed up for the
prosecution, and finally Prentiss arose, as was
his right TO do, to make his final answer He
part of the testisnony a second time,
and then went over with the prisoners own
statement. He pointed to the wife and children
Of the young merchant, and drew picture of
such a man doing a foul murder. 1t was so
that even the Judge plainly showed
BY his looks that he didn't believe it. Prentiss
saw that he had fastened the attention Of both
court and jury, and after dwelling few mo-
ments longer on the picture he had drawn
after painting the youth struggling against such
enemies as were arrayed against him. and seek
ing to rid his adopted home of the foul pest of
the gamblers he'll, he stopped, and raised his
finger towards heaven. 1t rested there mo-
ment, and then sank down again! The silence
was breathless-painlIl-b it was not TO last
long. Prentiss raised those strange eyes Of his
to the judge, and the stout man-qusiled.
Your HONOR he resumed, in a tone so
strange with marvellous power and depth that
every breath was instinctively hushed when it
came upon the still air, ~ have one system Of
evidence which have not used, and which may
God grant | may not have to use. OF the per-
jury which has gone up, rank aud reeking from
yonder stand, will not speak. But | will
speak Of more deadly, damning thing which
has crept into this house. mean-BRIBERY
| hold at this moment in my possession evidence
Of the most wholesale bribery that ever heard
Of. In all my intercourse at the bar | never
came across a case which could equal this for
gigantic, boli.faced, deadly bribery. Rake open
the very bottomless pit, and drag therefrom the
worst villains that an incensed God has con-
signed there, and they would shudder upon be-
holding the proofs of guilt which could show
them. | could show them an innocent man,
compassed round about with evil, struggling
for the salvation of his kind from Satan's fell
man shouldering the enmty of
thieves gamblers and assassins--waylaid BY
murderers on his way to his own quiet peaceful
home, and, to save his own life, obliged to shoot
down two men whom you all knew for blood
thirsty-villans. Then should show them that
man seized by his enemies who were too cow
ardy to attack him physically again, and cast
listen--l could show them now fearful scene
| could point out to them those men who should
save the innocent victim of all this wrong bar |
tering away his life for bribe Ay; selling his |
very life TO the meanest scum of this game
cursed place for paltry bribe In Gods name
hear me. Let not the story be told. AS you
value your sacred names here, and your immor |
tai souls hereafter let not the tale go forth God