Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-02-26

Q too cowardiy to attack him physic
ally again, and cast into prison upoI
, the charge Of murder. And-lis
ten-l could show them now fear
ful scene | could point out thoss
; men who should save the innocent
victim of nll this wrong, barterine
} away his life for bribe! Ay, sell,
Ing bis very. life to the merest scum
of this game cursed place for q pal
try bribt! In Goes name hear me
4 Let not the story be told. As you
value your sacred name here, and
lyour immortal souls hereafter, let
not the tale 60 forth. God forbid
that / should herald the damning
proofs (! Oh let me crush the burn
ing, blightiDg evidence in my grasp,
ere ano:bor eye save mine, aud that
eye that never sleeps, can see It'll
Your honor,I have done. Gentlemen
Of the Jury, ] fear not to trust my
client iu your hands. ] know the
foul tempter who has whispered to
you: ay, and which has dared to
whisper to one higber,than you, but
| fear not his power over you. |
can read the noble spirit in your.
faces now. ! can see in each face
before me free aud Independent
Soul, aud it seems to speak out plain.
ly thus: We are men--God keep
US from temptation. We are jurors
= no power can make us do wrong"
For some moments after Prentiss
sat down all Was silent as DEATH
1t Was not. so much the words that
had been spoken AS the tone, the !
spirit, the keen fire of the eye, the
curl Of the lip, and the signiii- |
cant point OF that finger, moved the |
people there. The Jury had at first
been frightened, but the closing
sentence Of the address had placed |
them on better terms with them
selves and with the speaker. They
knew that be Was aware of the bribe-
~, but they now believed that be
lid not know they bad accepted it.
The judge was nervous and uneasy.
lie dared not meet the eye of Prem
iss, and he hardly dared look up
His charge to the Jury vas all pre-
pared, but-he dared not read it
He bad prepared it as the videncel
vas being given in, but be crushed
t now III bis bands.
But he fnully arose. and after
itammering awhile, he simply Inform !
d the Jury that they had heard all
he evidence, that they might retire
nd make up the verdict. They
vent oat, and were gone only some
fifteen minutes; and when they re.
urned, they brought in a verdict of :
Not Guilty. 10
There was shout of JOY went up
rom the people there assembled,
h9ugh tbers were some low curses,
,he Judge disappeared as soon as .
ossible, and the Jury shrauk away
y a side door. =
'Mr. Prentiss,' asked the young
lerehant, as quite party were as '
embledin the house Of the latter
a the evening, 'what evidence had
ou'obtained of this BRIBERY" 5
"None that would be good for any u
hing 10 court of justice" replied
'reDtiss. 81 managed to gain con- {
iderable information on the subject 7
y paying roundly for it, but ! could a
OF find man who would give his .
anne, or eoRse ut 10 take an OATH :
'ut ! knew wha. the judge and jury a
ere. l knew that they were bribed, y
nd that your death was sure uuless
hey could be frightened off OIL c
curse they supposed my pockets
'ere foil Of edocumentary proof I
'ut it s all as we'll"
And so it was. A joyous evening Z
tretcbed away into the night, and = !.
n the following morning Prentiss [
tarted for bis home. This trial pot
ball in motion, and opened the eyes
f the people, and ere another year :
oiled round, the gamblers had de- = =.
arted, and found other homes =
ONE IN other towns and cities Of the |"
artb, aud some-. "
t. tbo tou,c &C T.bort., Tavoo N r