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

!, ed in to wait for the man to con
Z up"
"Aud how long did you have
wait?'
'.Not over half a minute"
"Be careful May it not hav
: been a minute7 Remember, sir,
falsehood now will upset your Who'll
testimony. You we're seen!"
"Well, sir. 1'twasen't over a min
ute any way"
"Very well; and now which of yo
stepped out first when Mr.. Master
came aloDg?'-
"Ned Hammond did,"
1 "And you next, eh?"
"No, sir, Jack Notteil did. -"
"Now look ye, sir" tbunderet
Preutiss, in that tone, and with thai
look which never failed to confound
an evil mind, .'you swore that YOU
three were coming along the side
walk, and that you met the prisoner
that yoa stopped, aud he stopped.
What did you mean by that?''
| The witness stammered out some
reply, but he could not clear himself
from the snare he had worked into
However, Prentiss let him go as soon
as he had sufficiently shown him up,
and the next witness was called.
When all the evidence was in on
both sides, the case looked dark for
the prisoner. Some few had testif-
ed to his good character; and some
bad even dared to testify to the fact
that the gamblers had sworn to get
rid of him on &C count of the exer-
tions be had used against them; and
the prisoner own account of the
affair was also received. The Judge
plainly intimated that the prisoner
would be hung, and the jury winked
at each other knowingly.
A lawyer named Compton sum-
med up for the prosecution, and f.
nally Prentiss arose, as was his right
to 90, to make his fual answer.
He reviewed part of the testimony II
second time, and then went over the
prisoners own statement. He point |
ed to the wife and children Of the |
young merchant. and drew a picture
Of such nan doing foul murder.
1t Was SO preposterous that even the |
Judge plainly showed by his looks |
that he did not believe it. Prentiss
saw that be had fastened the atten-
ion of both court and jury, and af-
-er dwelling few moments longer
"a the picture he had draMn-after
the youth struggling against
such enemies as were arrayec against
lim, and seeking to rid bis adopted
ZONE of the foul pest Of the gam.
'ler's hell, be stopped, and raised bis
niger towards heaven. 1t rested
here moment, and then sank down.
The silence was breathless painful
but it was not to last long. Prem
iss raised those strange eyes of his
o the Judge, and the stout man
Iuailed.
"Your honor" he resumed, in a
one so strange with marvellous pow
II aud depth, that every breath was
nstinctiyely hushed when it. came
lpon the still air, Il have one sys-
em of evidence which have not
lsed, and which, God grant, | may
Tot have, to use. Of the perjury
which has gore up from yonder stand
will not speak. But ! will speak
# more deadly, damning thing
which has crept into this house. /
mean bribery! ! hold at this mo-
aent in my possession evidence of
he most wholesale bribery that
yer heard Of In all my inter
curse at the bar, never came a.
ross case which could equal this
OF gigantic bold-faced, deadly bribe-
y. Rake open the bottomless pit,
nd drag therefrom the worst Williams
hat an incensed God has consigned
here, and they would shudder upon
'eholding the proofs of guilt which
could show them. | could show
hem an innocent man compassed a.
'out with an evil, struggling for the
alvation Of his kind from Satan s
ell grasp-tbat man shouldsring
be enmities of thieves, gamblers
md assassins waylaid by mUrderers
IN his way to his own quiet peaceful
lome, and to save bia own Efe, OBJ
iged to shoot down two men whom
you all know for blood thirsty vii
ians. Then ] should show them that