Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-01-16

[ was as you have said, sir, upon the
jury. / thought it best, safest to be de-
spite the thing I had to deal with. When
all the evidence, which was chiefly medi-
cal, had been given, I was with the mi
nority for 'Wilful murder against some
person or persons unknown, against the
rest, who were for Death by apoplexy,
and we starved the other out. o, the
shifts and lies I had to invent, the ter
rors that racked me by night and by day
and all begotten by my cunning, dis
honest ways-would have been punish
ment for a murderer indeed About this
greatreward here, Of two hundred pounds,
there was a ceaseless talk and the wild
est surmises as to how it would be gain
ed amongst our neighbors. They came
into our little back parlor just as usual,
and wounded US with every word. Now
mark my words says one, the fellow
will be discovered in the end and hang
ed !; and 'ay, ay, murder will out sooner
or later said the rest, Sooner or later!'
how those words haunted us for now in
deed we played a part which, if discover
ed, would have proved US at once guilty:
my wife took to her bed, and fairly sick
ened from sheer anxiety. She had fever
and was delirious for weeks; and Inever
dared to leave her, or let another watch
by her bedside, for fear of what she might
rave upon. When the end came at last
smy poor wife wanted to see the clergy
man but said I NO. 1t was for the
same reason that I would not send for Mr..
Ronald here, myself; he was a magis-
trate. You're not a magistrate 2" de-
manded poor Charlton suddenly, with the
damps of death upon his forehead. ]
quieted him as well as | was able, and
begged him to set his mind at ease as to
any earthly tribunal After a little time,
and without noticing the warning con-
tanned in my last words, he continued:
" Amongst the folk incur parlor, one
man in particular, a tailor, by name
Deckham seemed never weary oftalking
of Sprigat's murder. He was miserably
poor, ill-favored person, who had drilled
his way into our company by means of a
sharp tongue. One night told him fat
ly enough l did not like such mournful
talk, and was quite tired of that theme.
why, one would really suppose that you
killed the man yourself t' he retorted.
1t seemed as if an arrow had darted
through my brain for a moment, and |
could hardly keep upon my legs but
laughed it off as well as I could. He
stayed however to the last and when
we two were alone, he drew small strap
from an inner pocket and asked me
whether it was mine for found it, said
he, inside your house, betwixt the
back of the door and the WALL NO, it
If is not,' replied, but rather hesitating-
ly, for I saw he had some purpose ir the
question. Il thought so, he went on,
for it is the fellow to that found upon
John Sprigat, the man who was murder
ed fifty yards from here, in the Swaf-
ham Road
" | could not speak at first, nor do
anything beyond making deprecating and
pitiful motions with my hands but after
wards / made shift to tell this Deckham
the whole truth. Likely enough Master
Charlton he said quite cody 'atween
friends, however, such things look better
than before Judge and jury I'll put
paddock On this ere tongue safe enough,
if you'll fit ii, as I'm sure like a sensible
man you will with golden key Ifelt
the halter already round my neck, this
friend jerking it loosely or tightly as
he would; but there seemed to be no
help for it. paid five pounds that even
ing-miserable dolt that / was-as a re-
tanning fee to a villain for working nv to-
tai ruin. Many and many time did my
children and myself go without the barest
necessaries that that man might have the
means TO indulge in debauchery and ex-
travaganee. | sold the shop and remov-
ed with my motherless barins to another
part of the town; but Henborough itself
my tyrant would not permit me to leave.
Loss of custom, loss of health and almost
loss of reason followed, Of which YOU now
know the cause. This incubus bestrode
me day and night, and wore my very life
out. Often and often have / been a
murderer at heart because of that mock
ing fiend once, indeed he confessed to
me, that vague suspicion had alone
induced him to try me in the matter.
and that the strap story was only an in
genious touchstone of his own. Cum