Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-12-17

Z
ing about for fortnight amidst the wild
solitudes of Caernarvonshire, took the
stage for the city which / knew the court
was to visit, and arrived on the day pre-
vious TO the opening of the assizes.
"Well, are we to have heavy calendar :"
l inquired next morning of brother bar
rister on entering the court.
"Rather light for March assize," re-
piled the impatient counsel as he hustled on
ward. "There's Cartwright's case-high-
way ro5bery-in which l am for the pros
ecution. He'll swing for it, and perhaps
four or five Others"
"a good hanging judge is A." /"
said the under-sheriff, who at this moment
joined us, rubbing his hands, as if pleased
with the prospect ola few executions. "No
chance of the prophecy yonder coming to
pass, suppose?"
"Not in the least" replied the bustling
counsel. "He never looked better. His
illness has gone completely of. And this
days work will brighten him up" a-i
Cartwright's trial came on. had never
seen the man before, and was not aware
that this was the same person whom Har-
vey had accidentally told me he had dis
charged for theft; the truth being that till
the last moment of his existence, that un-
fortunate man had not known how much
he had been a sacrifice to--this wretch.
The crime of which the william now stood
accused was that of robbing farmer of
the paltry sum of eight shillings, in the
neighborhood of Ilfracombe. He pleaded
not guilty, but put in no defence. A YER
dict was recorded against him, and in due
form A. sentenced him to be hang
ed. An expression of fiendish malignancy
cleaned over the haggard features of the
felon as he asked leave to address a few
words to the court. 1t was granted
Leaning forward, and raising his heavy,
scrowling eyes TO the judge, he thus began: !:
"There is something on my mind, my lord
"a dreadful crime-which, as l am to die
for the eight shillings / took from the farm
er, l may as well confess. You may re-
member Harvey my lord, whom you hang
ed the other day at at--?'
"What of him, fellow" replied the Judge
his features suddenly flushing crimson.
"Why my lord, only this-that ne was
innocent of the crime for which you hanged
him as the child yet unborn! T did the
deed! I put the watch in his trunk p
And to the unutterable horror of the entire
court he related the whole particulars of
the transaction, the origin of his grudge
against Harvey, and his delight on bringing
him to the gallows.
'1nhuman, execrable william! gasped the
Judge in extreme excitement.
"Cleverly done thought Was it not
my lord? 2" rejoined the rufian with bitter
irony. "The evidence you know was ire
sistible; the crime as clear as the sun at
MONDAY; and if, in such plain cases, Just
and necessary law was not enforced, society
would be dissolved, and there would be no
security for property! These were your
words, think. How on that occasion l
admired your lordship's judgment and elo-
quence! Society would be dissolved if
an innocent man were not hanged Hal
ha!-ha! Capital capitalw shouted
the ferocious felon with demoniac glee,
as he marked the effect of his words on
the countenance of the judge.
"Remove the prisoner!" cried the sheriff
An officer was about TO do so; but the
Judge motioned him 10 desist. His
lordship's features worked couvulsively.-
He seemed striving to speak, but words
would not come.
II suppose, my lord" continued Cart
wright in low and kissing tones, as the
shadow of utterable despair grew and set
tied on his face-"I suppose you know
that his wife destroyed herself. The coro-
ner's jury said she had fallen accidentally
into the water. / know better. She
drowned herself under the agonies of bro
ken hearti l saw her corpse, with the
baby in Its arms; and then l felt, knew,
that was lost! Lost doomed to everlast-
ing perdition! But, my lord, and here
the wretch broke into howl wild and ter
rifc-",ce shall godown together-down 10
where your deserts are known. A-h-h! !!
that pinches YOU, does it Hound of q
Judge! legal murderer! coward! I spurn
and spit upon thee~ The rest of the ap-
palling objurgation was inarticulate, as the
monster, foaming and sputtering, was drag
ged by an officer from the desk.
Judge A. had fallen forward on
his face, fainting and speechless with the
violence of his emotions. The black cap
bad dropped from his brow. His hands
were stretched out across the bench, and
various members of the bar rushed to his
assistance. The court broke up in fright
full commotion.
Two days afterwards the county paper
had the following announcement:
"Died at the Royal Hotel, -, on
the 9th instant, Judge A., from an
excess of fever supervening upon disorder
from which he had imperfectly recovered"
The prophecy was fulfilled!
Pearls.
Within thine own bosom are the stars of
Il L