Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-08-04

examined these once before, when Your
attention was too much called to other
points TO notice them much but now you
can give them careful scrutiny, and, of
course, be governed somewhat by what
! you can clearly remember of their appear
anCe before
Il would say, gentlemen of the Jury,
| that we noticed these marks when the
! first examination was held, and YOU re-
member the result as givei, in the doctors 5
testimony. The deceased must have strur-
gied hard, for there were evidently many
blows given by the assassin ere he hi, !;
and that the wounds upon the breast-bone
were made first we know from the fact
that II was from the deep wound that the
prisoner was seen to pull the kufe These
marks are evidently but | wont anti
clpate.--Doctor, give me Your opinion"
These marks" answered the elder of
the two doctors, ''were made by the grip
tof habd. The first grip must have been
upon the shoulder, and only separated
from the skin by the thin shirt, as Payne
had ms coat thrown across his saddle-bow
That grip was the first and the hardest
one. The stricken man must have broken
from his hold, for we find the shirt torn
over tha, SPOT
"..ere," said Parkhill, producing and
exhibiting the bloody shirt, and showing
the rent upon the shoulder.
"Betore the assassin caught his man
again he had got his hand bloody, for two
OF the wounds upon the sternum separated
large veins. With that bloody hand the
assassin caught him by the back of the
neck-you can see the blood-mark plain
iy, as it has been carefully shielded from
contact with anything"
'But that don't look like the grip Of
human hand" said one of the Jurors, ex-
amining very carefully.
$50 /, doesn't" added another.
"But here 8 the mark of a thumb,
vERs plainly made" said the doctor
land here is the mark of the fore-finger,
and here Is the mark of the liltle or fourth
finger"
"fes-it may be-" returned the both
cred Juror -'but what are them marks 2"
These marks alluded to were broad
blotches, between the two finger marks,
and some three inches below their ends.
It was curious looking mark for the i'm
preston of human hands, and no mistake.
at must have been the left hand" re-
sumed the doctor, '.as you can see by the
relative position of the thumb"
''If 'rrs a htnd,' suggested the Juror.
Il must say as how it don't look like a
hand to me-
Suppose" remarked Parkhill, calm
ly and distinctly, Il should tell you that
the hand which fastened Its grip there
HAD LOST ITS TWO MIDDLE rInGnRsl'
'O-oh-yes, YES. Now | see. O,
yes, that's it--that's it. Now it's plain.
Let's have Il look at the prisoners fin
gers -
"O-he has his fingers all safe, - but
here is man who | think has not
Thus speaking the attorney turned to
Richard Payne, and babe him remove
the glove from his left hand The wit
ness didn't do 1t, nor did he refuse to do
1t, hut he sank back, and leaned against
the Judges bench for support. The She
riff was directed to do The work. and he
proceeded at once to perform ii. The wit
ness gave a convulsIve start as the oSiicer
pleced his hand upon him, and drew his
left hand away, but 1t was quickly taken
and the glove removed. The Two middle
fingers of this glove were found to be
made Of some kind of pliable material, SO
that motion of the adjoining fingers
would move them. But the hand was sad
ly mutllated. \ pistol had exploded in
his grasp some years before and carried
away from the left hand the two middle
fingers" The glove had been an ingen-
ious contrivance TO conceal his mishap in
company.
Upon this discovery, Mr.. Richard Payne
tainted entirely away, and was taken In
charge by the two doctors, who soon re-
vIved him. The effect upon the spectators
was electrical. They started up with one
simultaneous shout, and for several miu-
utes, such howling and hoouug aud cheer
ing prevailed as | never heard before or
since.
AT the suggestion of Parkhll four of
ficers were sent off TO Palyne's plantation
TO make search for further evidence. -
Having been thoroughly instructed by the
counsel they hurried off, and the court
meanwhile took recess, the people re-
taining their places for fear of losing
them if they left.
In Just about two hours the officers re-
turned. They brought with them pair
of pahtaloonS. shirt and vest-ail mark
ed with the name RICHARD PAYNE, and
dabbled in blood They had been con-
Quoted to the nephew chamber by an old
negro woman, and these clothes they
found in the bottom Of his trunk.
The case was given to the Jury, and in
Just three minutes they returned a verdict
of mot Guilty = the foreman stating
that the verdict was found upon the fact
that the murderers had been discovered
The scene that followed can be easily
imagined by any one who is acquainted
with the manners of that section. Thomas
Roby was taken up by stout men and
borne out of the house, and carried TO his
| house, where his mother, who could not
/ bear the scene of the court room, was
eagerly awaiting the news Of the result.
! But the return of her noble boy was
not ALL In short time Mr.. Parkhill ar
rived, and informed the widow that Mr..