The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-12-12

young merchant, and the letter had been writ
ten for the purpose of inducing Ambold to
reform. Stephen tried hard to avoid testify
ing, for he knew, as did other. that the fire
must have been set with that identical paper;
but nc was summoned, and he could not DENY
his own chirography.
The case looked dark. Many witnesses
were willing to testify to the prisoners good
qualities but no one could swear that he
was not dissipated and degraded. That house
had been to him indeed, region internal.
Its degradation cried out for hi. bodily life :;
and its existence had long been eating away
his soul. Poor Charleys had before been
sure of his innocence; but now could only
shake my head and pity him!
Finally he was allowed to speak for him
self. lie -ad he was innocent of the crime
imputed to him. He said that he had threat
cncd to burn that hou,c down-that he had
said about all that had been sworn to. And.
furthermore, he waS around the house on the
night of the fire lie was not ten rods off
when the flames burst forth, and he was one
of thr first to give the alarm. lie had utter
cd one cry of fire when he noticed where the
flames must have originated, and the thought
came to him if he were found there he might
be suspected of having set the fire; SO he ran
away. He also said that three nights bcfo,e
the contlaSration, he had been robbed in
that house. His pockets had been crptied
OF everything III them, and his pocket book,
containing forty dollars in money, and some
valuable papers, had been taken. lie had
gone there on the night of the fire to try and
persuade them to give him back his money
and papcrs-or at least to get back what he
could. When he got there, he saw man 60
in whom he did not wish to sec. so he had
hung around. waiting for him to depart. He
was around by the back of the building once
and that va. an hour before the fire broke
out ltc knew nothing lie clasped
his hands. and with his fearless ewes raised
toward heaven. he called on God to witness
that he WAS Innocent
| have told You that knew him well.
knew him so we'll that from that moment |
knew him to be innocent knew his very
soul knew how free and open it wa>-ah.
how sntully so. | knew there was no false
hood IN the story ne had told U.s.
"Ny boy is innocent. My boy is inno-
cent
heard the cry-and saw an old woman
sink back into the the arms of male COM
panlon. 1t was his poor mother Her heart
was well nigh broken, Yet saw all this
had but E,t!c effect on the mass of spectators.
The prisoners course of di>>ipa,ion-his
many threats against the houSe-and the
very fact of his having been robbed and
abused there were heavy against him.
The counse! for the prisoner made his
speech. which WAS laborcd and hard. He
was foolish enough to intimate that if his
client was around at the back part OF the
house more than once, he must have been in
toxicatcd. In short his plea had better been
left out. The evidence he could not shake,
and he did all he could to suppose evidence,
some of it most absurd and ridiculous. | at-
terwards learned that Moulton Warren had
engaged that lawyer for the youthful prison.
cr. The government attorney made his plea.
1t was plain ght-forward. and very conclu-
sivc.
The judge finally gave his charge lie was
fair and candid. lie reviewed the evidence
carefully, and pointed out .uch as bore hcavi-
ly upon the case. lie told US if there was 4
lingering doubt in our minds we must give
the prisoner the benefit of it. But could
plainly see that there wa. no doubt in his
mind
Wc-the jury-wcrc conducted to our room
10y an officer, and there locked up. \ silence
OF some minutes cnsucd. Moulton Warren
was the first to speak.
"Wcll, he said, Il s'posc there's no need
OF our BEN here great while. Ofcoursc We
all know that the prisoner must have So. fire
to the house,
There was something in the manner of tha,
man, as he said this, that e>citcd nv curosi
ty-l won't say it was suspicion then-onl,
curiosity. He spoke with forced effort a,
calmness, which at once perceived. The
more looked at him the more became
strangely nervous and uneasy; wondered VIII,
he should be so anxious to be rid of the cast
and have Ambold convicted. knew that he
had frequentcd that evil house, and that he
had done much towards tempting Charley tc
dissipation. knew he was in that house on
the night when Charley was robbcd-fol
Charley had told me so when visited him in
his cell. l had then asked the unfortunate
youth if he was sure Warren was his friend
y, he was sure of it. lie should have hunt
ed him up OH the night of his robbery, only
they told him Warren had gone.
sS:By the by, the foreman proposed that We
should. each take a piece of paper and writ,
down our opinion, and then compare notes.
went to my hat, which had placed upon
table with a number of others, and took oul
a sheet of paper. l had got half way hack
to the table when l found had made mis-