Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1857-08-13

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the effect Of silencing if it did mot satisfy the
examiners; and the affair soon fell, in great
measure, out of the public recollection.
Things remained for seyera months in this
condition, when one morning Mr.. William Bur
nett, principal creditor Of the late Colodomir
Frenos, heard knocking at his gate at very
early hour. He called up one Of his servants,
who went down and opened the door, and nme-
diately returned with the intelligence that a
stranger, who seemed DESTROYS Of keeping his
person concealed, wished to speak with Mr., Bur
nett in private Mr. Rurnet rose, threw on
his dressing gown, and descended to the parIor
The back Of the visitor was turned to Mr.. Bur
nett rs he entered. But when the stranger
turned round and advanced to salute his host
warmely and courteously, Mr., Burnett started
back, and uttered loud exclamation Of sur
prise and alarm. Well he might for before
his eyes stood his friend and debtor, Clodomir
Frenois, whom he thought he had behed near
ly year before mutilatcd corpse, and whom
he himself had followed to the grave.
What passed at that interview, between Mr..
Burnett and the strange visitor, remained Sc
cret. Mr.. Burnett was observed to issue scve-
raj times pale and aegated, from his dwelling,
and to visit the magistrate charged with the
criminal process Of The colony.
In the course Of tina, day, while John Moon
was RECALLING himself in his garden, he was ar
restc and taken to prison by the officers ofius-
tice
On the following day he was brought before
the criminal court, accused with robbing the
Clodomir Frencis, the crime being conjoined
with breach of trust and violence. Moon smil-
ed ct tie charge wi'trall the confidence Of u
man who had nothing to fear. The Judge hay
ing demanded of him if he confessed the crime,
the accused replied that the charge was alto
gether absurd that clear testimony was neces-
sary to fix such II crime upon him I; that so far
from there being such evidence producable, nci
thcr the widow of the deceased, nor any one
person in his service had ever heard the pre-
tended robbery even once mentioned BY Frcnos
during his life.
"Do you affirm your innocence ?" repeated
the Judge, graycly, after hearing all the other
had to say.
Il will ayouch my innocence" replied John
Moon.
A signal from the Judge accompanied these
words and Immediately door opened aud Clo-
domir Frenos, the supposed suicide, entered
the court. lie advanced to the bar, having
his eye calmly sternly fixed on the prisoner,
his servant
Being called upon to testify he gave his
statement, as follows
"Wheh discovered the robbery committed
by Jo ohm Moon, he had fled from the Island,
and speedily saw that attempts to rotako him
would prove iruitless. | saw ruin and disgrace
. k,p 10 +h, ,ocolrtD,, ,,Pt
mating my life. On the night on which this
determination was formed, was seated alone
in my private chamber. had written the let
ter which was found on my table, and loaded
my pistol. The end of the pistol was at my
head, when knock on the outer door startled
me. concealed my weapon and went to the
door. A man entered, whom recognized to
be the sexton of the parish in which lived
He bo,e Il sack ON III, -corldcrs and in it the
body of man newly buried, which was destin-
ed for my nephew, the physician then living
with me. The scarcity OF bodies for dissection,
as the court is aware compcls those who arc
anxious to acquire skill in the medical profess
sion, to procure them by any possible secret
means. The sexton was at first alarmed when
he met me. Did my nephew request you to
bring this body 2 said |. No. replied the old
man, 'but knew his anxiety to obtain one for
diss ,ction and took it upon me to offer him
this body. For mcrcys sake continued the
sexton, do not betray me, sir or | shall lose
my situation and my family's bread.
"Who this man was speaking, a strange
idea entered my mind. | stood for few mo-
monts absorbed in thought, and gave to the resu.
rectonist the sum which be had expected. Tel
ling him to keep his own counsel, and that all
would be well, | sent him away and carried
the body to my cabinet. The body was tortu.
natey the same stature as myself and like me
in complexion.
IL then dressed the body in a suit Of my own
cloths. This accomplished, then took up my
pistol, and fired it close at the head Of the de
ceased, and at once caused such Disagreement
as rendered it impossible for the keenest eye tc
detect the substitution which had been made.
9 "Choosng the painest habit | could get,
then dressed myself anew, shaved off the wills
, kers which was accustomed to wear, and took
other means to alter and disgpise NV oTro'r
g ancc in case of being subjected reg
f to the risk Of any betrayal. wv 81 morning
$ saw mo on board of a French vessel, on my
, way to a distant land-thc native country 0
n nv ancestors The expectations which had lee
me to the execution of the scheme were not dis
E appointed. | knew John Moon was the mar
= who robbed me, and who now stands at the ban
= of this court. and that he had formed conncc
tons in the Island which would in all proba
Q bity bring him back to it as soon as the intel
= lgencc of my death gave him the promise o
It security In this have not been disappoin
ted. have been equally fortunate in othc
respects. While my unworthy servant remain
:. ed here in imaginary safety, have been sue
&c cesstul in discovering the quarter in which, no
n daring at first to betray the appearance ofweaItl
n he had logged the whole of the stolen money.
n have brought sufficient proofs to convict him o
v the crime with which he stands charged. B,
!: thn ammo mama Will | he nnahnl 10 rnstnr