Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1857-09-10

some noble qualities but he inherited his fail
er's passionate temperament with his mother
I obstinacy; and the education of such circun
J stances as have described turned his energie
} and feeling into the wrong channels. The re
mark 1t isn't his horse what business is it I
him9' heard in his boyhood, expressed the view
: and habits of his later years. But this menta
growth, such as it was, pleased his father, VIII
J often said exultingly, There is no danger o
} Joe, He knows how to fight his way throug
the world
u Such was their mutual product of character
when Mr.. Barker was summoned to jury in
J case involving death. He was vexed to be call
ed away from his employments, and had neve
reieced at at all upon the fearful responsible,
of a juryman. James Lloyd, the prisoner, wa
very young man, and his open, honest counte
nance gave no indication of capacity for crime
but he was accused of murder, and circumstan
tial evidence Was strong against him. 1t wa
proved that previous quarrel had existed be
tween Linn and the murdered man. and that the,
had been seen TO take the same road, the prise
4 ner in state of iatoxieaton, the night the vic
lent deed was committed Most people though
there was no doubt of his guilt; although 9th
i ers deemed the case by no means certain. 1--WE
| of the jury were reluctant to convict him, anC
wished to find the evidence insufficient the
penalty was so dreadful, and their feelings were
SO much touched by the settled misery of hi
youthful eountenance. Others talked sternl,
of justice, and urged that the Scripture demand
ed blood for blood. Ofthis number was Pete
Barker. From the beginning he was agains
the prisoner. The lawyer who pleaded for hin
had once been employed in law suit agains
| Mr. Barker, and had gained the cause for his eli
ent. The juryman cherished grudge agains
| him for his sarcastic eloquence on that occasion
Moreover, it so happened that neighbor Good
win, who years ago had reproved him for his Sc
| a. fnfA
| in the accused. He often consulted with the
lawyer, and seemed to watch the countenanc o.
the jury anxiously. 1t was busy season of tbs
year, and the Jury Were anxious to be at theil
work shops and farms. Mr.. Barker would mo-
have admitted it, even to himself but all these
circumstances helped to increase his hardness
| against the prisoner BY such inconceivablC
slight motives is the conduct of men often sway
ed on most important occasions.
If the poor young fellow really did commit
the act, said one of the jury, it seems likely
that he did it in a state of intoxication, l was
once drunk myself, and they told me afterwards
| that quarreled with man and knocked him
down high fight of steps; but had no recol-
lection of it. If had killed him and they had
hung me for it, what an awful thing it would
have been for my poor father and mother. II
| taught me lesson, for l was never again in
toxicated. Perhaps this poor youth might pro
allowed him. He is so young; and there is no
thing bad in his countenance.'
AS for his womanly face replied Mr. Bark
| err, there is no trusting to that. The worst vii
lains are not always the worst looking. As fol
his being intoxicated there is no telling wheth
er it is true or not. That cunning lawyer may
have made up the story for the sake OF exciting
compassion, and the witnesses may be more
than willing enough to believe everything
strange in the prisoners conduct was the result
of intoxication. Moreover, it won't do to admit
that plea in extenuation for then, don't you
see, man who wants to kill his enemy has on
ly to get drunk in the first place. If anybody
killed my Joe, drunk or not drunk, / should
want him to swing for it,
BY such remarks, urged in his vehement way,
he swayed minds more timid and lenient than
his own, without being fully aware of what he
was doing. He was foreman of the jury, and
! when the awful moment arrived on which de-
| pended the life of human beingThe pronounc
ed the word Guilty. in strong, firm voice.
The next instant his eye fell on the prisoner
standing there so pale, and still looking at him
with such fixed despair. There was something
in the face that moved him strongly. He turn
ed quickly away, but the vision was before him
always, everywhere before him. This is weak
ness he said to himself, have merely done
my duty But still the pale yonng face looked
| at him, always and everywhere 1t looked at him,
He feared to touch newspaper, for he wish
ed not to know when the day of execution wo'd
arrive. But offcious neighbors, ignorant of his
state of mind were eager to talk upon the sub
ject and when he was drawn into such discour'
SEES, he strove to fortify his own feelings by
dwelling upon all the worst features of the case
Notwithstanding all his efforts, the night prece-
ding the execution he had troubled dreams, III
which that CHASTITY young face was always con
spicuous. When he woke, he saw it in the air
/ Il IL x-,1 katA
stood before him on the threshold of his OWL
door, All that the merciful juryman had sug
gested came before him with painful distinct
| ness Could there be any doubt that the con
demned had really committed the MURDER Was
he intoxicated Might he have happened to be
intoxicated for the first time in his life AND
he so young. But he drove these thoughts a
way, saying over to himself, The law required
it. l merely did my duty Still everything
seemed like funeral pals, and pale despair
ing face gazed at him forever.
| For the first time in his manhood, he craved {
companion in the darkness. Neighbors came IL
and described the execution; and while they
talked, the agitated juryman beat the firebrand'
into a thousand pieces, and never spoke word
| They told how the youth had written letter t.
his mother, and had died calm and resigned
: BY the way, perhaps you know his mother
Mr.. Barker said one they tel, me she USED
| to live in this neighborhood Do you remem
Der a girl by the name of Mary Williams 2
| The tongs dropped from Mr.. Barker hand a:
he gasped out, Mary Williams Was he hei
SOM God forgive me d! And then the strong
man LAID his head upon the table and wept.
There was silence in the ro- m. At last the
| loquacious neighbor said, in a subdued tone,
am sorry / hurt your feelings. l didn't know
she was friend of yours
! The troubled juryman rose hastily, walked tC
the window, looked out to the stars, and clearing
his choked voice, said, 1t is many years since
| knew her But she was a good tempered pref
| ty girl; and it seems but yesterday that we useC
to go together to pick our baskets full OF berries
! And 50 she was his mother. | remember now
there was something in his eye that seemed ia
miliar to me-
Perhaps the mention of Mary's beauty, or thu
melting mood, so unusual with her husband
might have excited vague feeling of Jealousy
in Mrs. Barker. Whatever might have beer
her motive, she said in her demure way, with
out raising her eyes from her knitting, Well, ]
was natural enough to suppose the young MAJ
had mother; and other mothers are likely t.
have hearts that can feel, as well as this Mar,
Williams
1 He only answered by shaking his head slow
ly, and repeating, as if to himself, Poor Mary
and so he was her SON.
! Joseph came in, and the details of the dreadful
scene were repeated and dwelt upon, as human
beings are prone to dwell upon all that excite
to strong emotion, To him the name of Mar.
Williams conjured up no smiling visions of ju
venile love and he strove to fortify his father
relentng feelings, by placing in a strong ligh
all the arguments in favor the prisoners guilt
The juryman was glad to be thus fortified, AM
replied in firm, treasured voice. AT all events
did my duty Yet, for months after, the pal
young face looked at him despairingiy from tn
evening air, and came between him and the sun
shine But time which softens all things, drift
ed the dreary spectre into dim distance an
Mr. Barker's feelings were again completely ab
sorbed in making money for his son.
Joseph was called a fine, promising younI
man but his conduct was not altogether salts