Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-06-18

such evidence as this could be brought against
him. BE fingered near the house till be was
seen by Mrs. Sharpe, then went back to his
lodgings. After having resumed his own
dress, and with tranquil and satisfied heart,
as he says himself, he lay down to sleep.
In the morning the whole town was in ex-
ctement at the horrid deed. Beauchamp's
host suspected him, but bis calm demeanor
died away all suspicion, and he was allowed
to leave Frankfort without molestation. As
he drew near home, his wife, who had been
anxlousy awaiting his return, saw him approach
waving red flag, which had been the token
OF success agreed upon between them. She
was full of joy, like himself, at the ful6llment
OF her just vengeance, as they thought it, and
they talked over all the details of the crime
with fearful satisfaction.
Beauchamp was soon arrested, as he expect
ed to be, but contrary to his expectations, he
found that all his plans to destroy evidence
had been fruitless. Circumstances-the fatal
neutrality-suspicious. too sure witness, and
where link was wanting in the chain of tes-
timony, it was easily supplied by exaggeration
or perjury. He was convicted on the 10Th of
May, 1926, and in spite of the doubts of ma
ny eminent lawyers who maintained that there
was no existing law to punish murder, he was
executed On the Tth of July following. He
had in vain tried to throw the crime on some
other person, and to obtain pardon from
Gov Desda, who to be sure, had pardoned
his own son. twice convicted of murder and
robbery.
These details may seem like those of COM
mon murder-too common in these days, un-
fortunately-deriving their interest only from
morbid craving for knowledge of such
horrors. But there is deeper reason why
the atrocities of Beauchamp and his wife stand
forth in prominence on the sad calend er of
of crime. The feeling which impelled them
was an Unsuitable thirst for vengeance, it is
true but this finds some excuse in the great
ness of their victims guilt ; while it is exalt-
ed above the fury of the ordinary murder bv
the standardization which made them regard
it as duty, and the tenderness of their love
for each other. Nothing can be more touch
ing than the gentleness and reverence with
which everywhere in his confession. Beau
champ speaks of his wife and she, in turn,
seems to have felt the most enthusiastic affec-
ton for him. lie was her chevalier-her
champioa, and the champion of injured virtue
everywhere and in her steady refusal to out
i've him, she showed the coustancy of Ro-
man matron, and died heroically as Brutus'
Portia, or the more famous Lucretia.
After his conviction she spent much time
with him, aud in the hope of dying together
they both took poison, which, however, proved
Intellectual. They were then carefully guard
ed but in spite Of this, on the morning of his
execution, they contrived to stab themselves.
Beauchamp was not mortally wounded but
his wife fingered only few hours after his
execution. AS he was carried to the gallows,
too weak to sit on his coffin in the cart, ac-
cording to the barbarous custom, he asked to
be taken to his wife, then lying unconscious
from her wound. He laid his hand on her
face, and sought in vain to make her recog-
Mise him then bidding her the tenderest fare
well, and bowling to the ladies at the windows
as he passed along the street, he went on to
the scaffold.