The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-11-19

"Poor girl!". exclOimed he, the moment
mentioned her name, "she believes in my
innocence then, Yes, yes, I know that il
must be SO, for she knows me too well tC
suppose for a moment that could cJmmi
such h"rrible dgl dT r., -.
He paused an insiuut and hunisdy wiPet
away tyar, suPPOsing that I did not notice
him. Il 4.,a.a..U ..r a %, ..,
81 have now been incarcerated here 70
m re Than u week" he continued, after
pause, sand yet cannot ealize the fact;
appears like a hideous dream to me. | asl
MYSELF is 1t possible I can be arresttd d 70
murder9. And for the murder of the fa'he
Of my own dear gil! But no jury cOn brinI
me in guilty" ,,., ....
"Mr. Johnson,""T replied, "truth compel
me to state that the evidence against you j
tearfully strong" .,g'. ....
"Why, Mr.: Melton, you surely do not be
lieve me guilty OF this hIdeous crime!" SAT-
h q, his ,ace flushing with Indignation.
"Let me hear your statement" ! replied
"and then will answer your question. You
are aware of the. nature of the evidence
against you. 1t c5;I BIZ spmm up in few
words A gentIeIhal is found murdered in
his draNirg room--a' policeman. enters the
,partinent and discovers you there alone
with: the murdered man apG the deed is
found to be commiA with ypur bowie
kni'%, b. sdas your clothes being sprlnkieo
with The vi'tim's blood" "... -... ,-
N'Nir Matolt,' replied the prisoner, lifting
up hi, hnhd 10 heaven, sweur before Cox
that knew nothiag Of tie murdsr until the
p. IicenaU p'tcr d the room with his Ian
strrn The d c vey o The orrid deed in
spf ej me VITA as n,uch surprise and terror
n i did him ~ ..r ... :
o.. I tooky d at J hnson after be had uttered
u Sc " rds, tn see il be were net !derar god
But no, his cuuntenanre was perfectly cain
and collect d ... ... *,.-....3 an
"Exp4in Yourself" exclaimed, for the
it, o. me, cannor understand you. Iot
appear 70 be speaking in. paradoxrs."
y! VII give you plain statement Of wh 4
I sunw Of ihr matter, Yoq can form your
own ophion as To how far i am implicated
in it. On the night in que-tion, went t'
D Y Mr. MI cd visit, in order to obtain !
possible his consent to my marrilse with hl'
daughter Margaret. tound him in the fro
drtWin. room. suppose it WIS about min,
o'clork wien visited the house. Mr., NJ
Lend: received NJ" very h nt5htilr. iFhodij
say thnttsnlne months agoI had an ihterviev
with him upon the same subject which passe'
off anything bat satisfactorily. The minute
T broarnedA Ahe matter again to him, he be
came very violent, a'd used very harsh IAN
gu ge 20 mH--at length my bicod was u
and / believe Tretorted in strong words.
huve no idea how long this interview lasted
it must have been sometime, hon ever. for
| felt il nv duty to entrr into considerGbl
| expI nation, and 20 rea myself from tn
ylriCus caarges which he brought aguins
me. AT last took up my hat to 90, an
had already Turned towards the door, " he
some one approached me from behind, an
clupped handkerchief to my mouth, 'tur'
ted, suppos", with chlorotorm, for in M
ment wac scGsclcss, aud God is my WI
ness that am utterly ignorant Of all tn
passed in the room after that. | on'y r
covered my senses few minutes before u
policeman entered with lig5.. And this
al know about the mater :"
=, Whilst Johnston was making this expl
nation, I scruin sed his fnce closely, b
uld not detect the slightest appearance
cepton in his features.
/ "But how do you account FOR the murd
having been committed with your bow
knitep'
eft must h,ve been taken from my poe
ct while | was irsersibe, for | ackno'
2 edge the knife is rnipP, and that had be
. accustomed to carry ii about me Tor so
$ months past.
y "Have you any idea who could have co
mitted the deed! / enquired after pau
$ "Noue in The world" hc replied; sit IN
i have been some one from the outside,
d there were none but women in the hons
After little further conversation on
e matter took my departure, without Civ
is him any decided opinion as to my belief
& h innocence. When reached my off
1t seated mysel' In an easy chair. aud p
Id dered over the matter long and seriously
= Fl was well aware that Johne;on's staten
Is was an impossit..e e inc, and would of cot
i have ;,dS eight III d cou't OF Justice;
~ there was someIhing in his manner oi !
q ing it ,orme--s1methiu2 'nih'< rank o'
Z coun,enauce, which impressed ne strol
i'm in .1ik fuvor, and after MIXTURE cohsldera
z I game to the conclusion that the staten
,at MIGHT be true. But tits one thing to
d lieve in a PERSONS innocence aud ano
n, to prove it, The next question TO be d.
,ou ed was, If Johnston was innocent, who
n the murderer1 Here must confess
I'D totally at fault. had not the slightest
ali to guide me. 1t appeared certain to
her that none 81 TIE Inhabitants Of the
II could have done it., for as I before said,
Nv n consisted s,h only of Miss M'Leod, Miss. L
g nm old maid who acted as kind ofegove'
nc no to Margaret, and The two servant girl
aef, made 9uI''innsy Up insy mind that it must have