The true Democrat., 1857-03-10
An Unexpected Witness.
A STARTLING COURT SCENE.

| pl osa 1t autumn evening at the village ( Deepwoods, having come in the stage that da from Moody Creek. I found the Inn wei 1 filled, and learned that the circuit court was i session there. At the supper table found tn | judge and some half dozen lawyers besides tn county officers and numerous visitors who ha come to attend the trials had some busi ness to transact with merchant in that place whose name was Landor Wallace, and mad up my mind to call upon him during the even Ing. knew where his store was, and after te walked down to the place. The building wa all fast however, and turned my stepts toward ms dwelling. l knocked at the door, and m summons was answered by a black woman- asked her if Mir. Wallace wa; at home. Sh, looked into my face a few moments and thel burst into tears.
 !" He's to hum, but he's dead" she sobbed with much effort
 managed to learn from the negroes tha Wallace had been murdered three days before and that his murderer would be tried on to morrow. Under such circumstances 1 could not disturb any other of the family, and hay. ing learned from the slave the leading particu lars, l left the door and returned to the Inn.- There learned some further matters touchins the murder, but those who understood the subject were busy, and was forced to wall until tomorrow for the clear knowledge of the case.
 Though the murder had been committed % recently, the body having not yet been buried yet as the court was in session, and the accused and witnesses on hand, the trial was to take place immediately.
 On the following morning l entered the courtroom with the crowd, and the first case which came was that of the murder of Lan. dor Wallace. The accused was young man, Lot over five and twenty, named Edward De- martin. He had been employed several years as Wallace's chief clerk, and was one of the most capable youths in the country. had some dealings with him; and had learned to love and respect him. He was lightly built with native pride which, while it gave him flrmness and dignity, never made his manner naughty or overbearng He was an orphan of French descent, and had been born and reared in New Orleans. As he sat in the prisoners box could see him plainly. He was very pale and seemed to suffer much; yet he did not look like guilty man. I could not be- lieve he had ever committed murder. He was too brave and honorable for that.
 At length the trial commenced. The wit. nesses came on and gave their testimony, and my heart sank within me as l found how strongly the tide of circumstances sat against him. It was proved that he wished to marry with Landor Walace's neice, a young girl named Isabel Wallace, and that the uncle had objected. From this quarrel had ensued, and the youth had left Walace's service. It was proved furthermore that Demartin had chal- lenged Wallace to fight him duel, and that the merchant had refused on the ground that he could not consent to meet one whom be still regarded in the light of son. Then it was proved that the youth was very wroth at this, and that he swore Mir. Wallace should "elther light or suffer the consequences" He was determined to have satisfaction.
 On the morning of the murder the merchant started on horseback for Dantonvlle and in half an hour afterwards the prisoner mounted his horse and started after him, saving as he leaped into the saddle, that he "would easily overtake MT. Wallace" And then, he added in presence of three witnesses, who swore to the words:-" can settle our trouble as well on the road to Dantonville, as anywherer'- This was at six o'clock in the evening At nine o'clock, a man named Harrold--Dunk Harold he was called-was coming from Dan- tonville, and in small piece of wood through which tue road ran, he came upon the body of Landor Wallace, and at the same time he saw Edward Dsmartin riding away from the spot The moon was shining brightly and he recog nized the prisoner very plainly. He leaped from his saddle, and found the merchant sense- less, and bleeding freely from several deep wounds. Close by he found silver handled bowie knife, which had been proved to be the prisoners property. The knife was covered with blood, and the physicians had decided murdered man had also received a blow upon ha So;a
 This Dunk Harold was hard looking cus- toner. He was stout broad shouldered man. somewhere about forty years of age, with dark coarse animal features, and looked the perfect villain. In defence it was proved that Harold had some difficulty with the prisoner, and that he had sworn to have revenge, but this amount ed to but little.
 Surely the case seemed very clear against the prisoner. He had difficulty with the mur- dered man, challenged him to mortal combat sworn to have revenge-folowed him on the road to Dantonvile with the avowed pur- pose of settling the trouble--been seen to flee from the bleeding body-his knife found all bloody by the murdered mans side--and, when he was apprehended, his own hands and clothes were bespattered with blood. We're not these circumstances conclusive? At all events, so they were generally received
 At length Edward Demartin was permitted to tell his story. He arose, and although he was pale and wan, yet his voice was firm. He first called upon God to witness that he spoke the truth, and then went on. He said on the afternoon before the murder he had spent over two hours with Mr. Wallace; and that all their difficulty had been settled, and that the mer- chant had explained to him that his only ob- lection to the marriage Of Isabel had been the fact that he had promised her father on his dy- ing bed, that she should not be married until she was twenty years of age.
 "We made our differences all up at that time," continued Demartin, "and MT. Wallace asked me if I would come back into his ser vice. He said if had been willing to have asked the reason of his refusal of Isabel's hand he would have given it, but I was hot and impetuous, and he was little nettled by it, so he resolved to tell me nothing. He had just asked me if would come back into his ser vice, when some one entered the store who wished to see him. told him 1 had planned to go to Dantonvile that evening, but would call on him when returned. He said he had to go to Dantonville too, and bade me call on him in that place, at the time signifying that we could arrange matters there. After that went over by the lake, and when 1 came back I learned that MT. Wallace had been gone half an hour. got my horse ready at once, and when about to start made the remarks which have been sworn to; but made them joking. ly, in view of the friendly meeting we were to have, little thinking of what was to occur. rode off, and at the distance of some ten miles in the little wood, found MT. Wallace's horse standing by the side of the road. A little fur. ther on found the merchant weltering in his blood. I leaped from my saddle and knel down by the side of the body. turned his face up and called his name several times The flesh was yet warm, but life semed extinct got my hands and clothes thus bespattered with blood, but thought not of that Wher I found that life was gone. and that I could not well handle the body alone. remounted my horse and started back for help.
 "It has been urged that if really sought help would have ridden on towards Danton vile. where 1 could have found it within hall
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