The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1857-08-19


ness. The country has grown SICK of
them. The people must take the law in
to th>ir own hands
1t was now too late to eXpostulate, for
the bell in the cupola Of the hotel was
swayirg TO and fro, with its iron tongue
sounding an alarm, which arrested the
passerS by and caused wonder and aston.
ishment in every part Of the excitoble and
popuious city. Men might be seer hurry
ing from behind their counters and to the
doors Of their offices and shops, anxousv
questioning the passcrs 10y as to the cause
ot so unusual an alarm. Curious and
troubled faces were seen in tie streets, Of
meE gazing towards the quarter of the
city where the alarm was heard. and ey-
Peciing TO see clouds of reeEing smoke
heralding The beginning Of some mighty
c"nilagration. Shouts were heard in the
distance. and the tranping of excited men
hnrrying along 10 the common centre
where the alarm bell kept up its terrible
c!ang. The fact of a man found murder.
ed in his bed, and Of the arrest Of his as.
sassin while hurrying away with his booty
was whispered in the streets, and flew on
the wings Of the wind to the rcmotest anl
most retired parts Of the city. From cor
ner 10 corner it went, like the lighting up
OF successive beacons over a low tract Of
country.
"a man murdered in his bed ~ That
terrible scntence-so startling--so suggcs.
tive Of midnight darkness aud crime-ot
unguarded repose and hcartless treacherv
stealing through the gloom to consumatc
It's iiendsh desgn-tlew from street, and
awoke tie compassion, the Indignation
and the vengeance Of an outraged peo
pie.
"Nhars the matter here 7" cried an cx-
cited individual, rushing into the barroom
foremost among the crowd tie alarm had
called together.
'Come,an1 you shall see for yourselves
replied llapperscoldt, addressing himself
to the speaker, and to those WHO followed
him but bring on that man., continued he
pointing to Carlton, who was feariulv
pale and silent.
Forcing Tho unhappy man along, the
dense and curious throng followed Hap.
perscholdt and their spokesman, rs they
led the way up stairs TO the chamber,
where the body Of tie murdered man lay
The door Of the Sleeping chamber was
thrown open, and ,Ge Few wisgsvu!d press
near enough, beheld ghastly and horri
bic sight. The throat Of the unhappy man
had been cut from ear to ear, and his
body lay drenched in its gore. The no.
bIe air Of confiGing trankness ana simple
Ity,that had charmed me so much on the
prev'our night, when | met him for the
iirSt time was still stamped on his pale
features, and an agreeable and manly
smile still rested on his lips as though his
wound h ID awakened him from sooth-
ing and halcyon dreams.
As yet, the collected multitude were
qniet and orderly, but their pale and ex.
cited faces told that it was only the still
ness that precedes the storm. Exclama.
tions OF pity for the dead, and OF indigna-
ton against his murderer, we're indeed
heard on every side but, As yet, there
we're no manifestations Of violence aud
misrue.
a foul and dastardly murder OK
claimed the spokesman Of the crowd. as
after an examination of the bodv--be
again arranged the covering, So as to con.
ceal the gore in which tie body lay. A
terrible butchery. indeed, Of a noble and
conhdlng man. whom loved ever AS nv
own brother And is this his murdererr
asked he, appealing to Happerscoldt and
pointing toward Carlton.
i will relate all know of it, answered
iiapperscoldt; and, turning to the crowd,
he impartially recounted the facts already
IN possession Of our readers
"lIang him-hang him! Cut his
throat! Serve him as he served Iar.
grove! Burn the villain aliyer Such
and similar cries for vengeance burst from
the wildly excited moi, when Happers.
co!dt ended his narrative OF the facts
Knives were opened, pistols were drawn.
clubs braud;shed while a few II the more
violent, armed with such weapons as
chance furnished, made rush to inhict
instant and summary vengeance on the
prisoner.
We were now standing in the narrow
gallery, separating the rooms on the up
per floor, and threw myself between the
mob and their prisoner, and endeavored
to expostulate with them. | might as
well have striven with the wild waves of
the Atlantic when they are lashed into
fury by ihe storm. hal nearly fallen a
victim TO my rashness in attempting to
arrest and sem the fierce violence Of a re.
leUtless and infuriai"d mob, when cir.
cumstance for = moment diverted their
wrath, ard gave me a hopo that they
might yet be induced TO surrender their
prisoner to the lawfully constituted author
ities, by whom he would be tried under
circumstances moro favorable to JUS
tice.
While | stood confronting the mob,
ard shielding with my own body the un.
fortunate man for whose blood they were
thirstiog, wild aud piercing scream caus-
ed me suddenly TO look around. Stand
ing in the doorway Of a chamber, that
opened upor. the gallery where we stood,
was a beautiful young girl-a mere child
she was, OF not more than twelve or thir.