The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-08-29
A Scene In q Jury.Room.
BY sYLvANus COBB, yR.


| I once had the extreme felicity Of leaving
my business to serve upon "the Jury"
plead in all manner Of ways for release, but
to no effect could not swear that wad
deaf nor blind, nor yet non eompos; but I
did tell them that had already formed an
opinion. They asked me If my opinion
would prevent me from receiving the testi-
mony in good faith, and rendering Q verdict
according to it. replied that Of course
should weigh the evidence carefully, and be
governed by it. l was then informed that
"would do" 7 va, ~
The case to be tried was one of Arson
then . capital offence-and the prisoner at
the bar was young man, named Charles
Ambold, whom had known from boyhood,
and who was naturally one Of the finest
youths of the town where he resided. He
had widowed mother, who depended upon
him for support; and his circle Of friends
was large and choice. / was morally certain
that he did not commit the crime, and hence,
am sure, those who were friendly to him
got me upon the pannel, and had me retain.
ed. ,-.......- ... -...-.---.. ID -a...... f.
The trial commenced and we twelve men
took our seats in the jury-box. / had .
very respectable set with me-only there
was one man whom I didn't like to see
there. This man was Moulton Warren. He
was dark-faced, sinisterlooking fellow-at
least to me. knew that young Ambold
had one fault. He had recently been addict
ed to drink, and had been known to visit
disreputable houses. 1t was one Of those
houses that had been burned, for setting fire
to which he had been apprehendcd.
Now had often tried to persuade Charles
Ambold from the course he was persuing.
He had repeatedly promised me that he
would reform, and as repeatedly had he bro
ken away. had often talked to him OF his
poor mother, until he had wept like child
but the effect was not lasting. There was
power of temptation more effective than
any influence l could WELD. He would fall
away into this evil companionshp, and for
while his manhood was gone One or two
abandoned women had gained great power
over him, and upon them he wasted much
of his substance.
And ! knew that this very man who was
now upon the jury-ths Moulton Warren
was the one who had done more than all
others to lead the poor youth away. 1t
was Warren who had drunk with him, who
had caroused with him, and who had led
him away to those more abominable haunts
Of sin and pollution. Why was he upon
the Jury ] could only account for it on
the ground that Charley still supposed him
to be his friend. The poor scorehed insect
| was still ignorant of the fame that scared
him. He really believed that Moulton W ar
rem was his friend.
The trial commenced. The Indictment
set forth that Charles Ambold had, with
malice aforethought," and with all sorts OF
| wicked and felonious intents, set fire to
! certain dwelling house, thereby endangering
human life. This dwelling, rs l have alrea-
- l4.., csv1, of ,v,tn
where the abandoned Of both sexes were
wont to congregate; and where the youth
| ful prisoner had spent much Of his time.
The evidence for the prosecution came on,
! and was startled. One after another gave
| in their testimony, some Of them very re-
! luc.antly, and was frightene when saw
how plainly it all pointed to the prisoner as
! the guilty party Several credible witnesses
swore that they had heard him threaten to
burn the house down; and others had heard
! him saw repeatedly that he uished it were
burned down! Then cane several witness
es-three Of them prominent citizens-who
saw him lurking about the premises on the
night Of the fire.
With regard 10 the provocation on the
prisoners part for such deed, II was prov
ed upon his own admission, that he had
been ill-treated there, and that he had sworn
to have revenge. And furthermore, 1t was
proved that he had been heard to say, that
his salvation Of soul and body depended up
on the destruction of that house. Next
came some testimony stronger still.
The fire had been set in back basement
room, where shavings and other stun Tor
kindlnr were kept Entrance had been
gained through q back window, which had
been partly pried open with a stout knife
This basement wall was Of brick, and be-
meath the sash was found the blade Of q
knife which had been broken of in trying
to raise it (the sash.) This blade was recog.
nized as belonging to the prisoners knife
A maker Of cutlery had made q knife to or.
der for Ambold only month previous, and
he knew the blade at once, and swore to it!
But this was not all. The fire had been
evidently set fire to the shavings which lay
I upon the stone floor, but piled up against q
wooden partition. This floor was damp
.. and some Of the outer shavings, even, were
, not wholly burned up. But Just at the edge
where the fire commenced, lay . piece ol
paper, rolled up, and about half burned
and from the manner which it lay, it was
very evident that the fire had been set with
it This piece of rolled paper had been ig
nited by a match, number of which were
scatterei around, and as soon as it was OF
fire it had been laid upon the floor, with thu
,, burning end just in the shavings. OF course
. these shavings were in blaze instantly; but
{ the paper torch, being upon the damp stones
|. had not burned VIII lily up.
And this paper was found to be part o
letter belonging to the prisoner! A letter
which he had received from friend Of hi:
land friend of mine) only a week before
That friend had to come forward and swea
. that that piece of charred paper was par
of a letter he had written to the prisoner
This friends name was Stephen Grant. III
, was . young merchant, and the letter hat
been written for the purpose of inducing
Ambold to reform. Stephen tried hard t
! avoid testifying, for be knew, as did others
that the fire must have been set with tina
l identical paper; but he was summoned, ant
he could not deny his own chirography.
The case looked dark. Many witnesse
were willing to testify to the pr soner's goot
qualities; but not not one could swear tha
{ he was not dissipated and degraded. Tha
: house had been to him, indeed, region in
t fernal. It's destruction cried out for hi
' bodily life; and its existence had long bee,
/, eating away his soul. Poor Charley!
a had before been sure Of his innocence; bu
now I could only shake my head and pit!
. himi
Finally he was allowed to speak for him
self. He said he was innocent of the crim
/ imputed to him. He said that he hat
threatened to burn that house down-tha
: he had said about all that had been sworn to
}. And, furthermore, he was around the hous
on the night of the fire. He was not tel
rods off when the flames burst forth, and n
was one of the first to give the alarm. ID
!. had uttered one cry Of fire when he notices
: where the flames must have originated, ant
r the thought came to him If he were foun'
: there, he might be suspected of having Sc
Q the FIRE; SO he run away.