Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-12-10

in their testimony, some OF theHl very IT.
luctantly, and l was frightened when | saw
how plainly it all pointed to the prisoner as
the guilty party. Severalc credible witnesse:
swore that they had heard him threaten tt
burn the house down; and others had hearc
him say repeatedly that he wished it was
burned down. Then came several witnesse;
three of the prominent citizens-who saw
him lurking about the premises on the night
of the fire.
With regard to the provocation on the
prisoners part for such deed it wasproved
upon his own admission, that he had been
ill-treated there and that he had sworn tc
have revenge. And furthermore, it was
proved that he had been heard to say thai
his salvation of soul and body depended
upon the destruction of that house. Next
came more testimony stronger still.
The fire had been set in back basement
room where shavings and other stuff for kind
ling we're kept. Entrance had been gained
throug back window, which had been part
ly pried open with stout knife which had
been broken off in trying to raise it (the
SASH The blade was recognized as belong
ing to the prisoners knife A maker Of
cutlery had made a knife to order for Ambold
only month previous, and he knew the
blade at once, and swore to it.
But this was not all. The fire had been
evidently set first to the shavings which lay
upon the stone floor, but piled up against
wooden partition. This floor was damp,
and some of the outer shavings, even, were
not wholly burned up. Butjust at the edge,
where the fire commenced, lay piece Of
paper, rolled up, and about half burned, and
from the manner in which it lay, it was very
evident that the fire had been set with it.
This piece of rolled paper had been ignited
by match, a numberof which were scatter
ed around, and as soon as it was on fire it
had been laid upon the floor, with the burn
ing end just in the shavings. Of course,
these shavings were in blaze instantly
but the paper torch being upon the damp
stones, had not burned wholly up.
And this paper was found to be a part of a
letter belonging to the prisoner A letter
which he had receiced from friend of his
(aud friend of mine) only week before
That friend had to come forward and swear
that the piece of charred paper was part of a
letter he had written to the prisoner! This
friend'sname was Stephen Grant. He was
young merchant, and the letter had been
written for the purpose of inducing Ambold
to reform. Stephen tried hard to avoid tes.
tifying, for he knew, as did others, that the
fire must have been set with that identical
paper; but he was summoned, and he could
not deny his own chirography.
The case looked dark. Many witnesses
we're willing to testify to tie prisoners good
qualities; but no one could swear that he
was not dissipated and degraded. That
house had been to him indeed, region in
fernal. Its degradation cried out for his
bodily life; and its existence had long been
eating away his soul. Poor Charley! l
had before been sure of his innocence; but
now I could only shake my head and pity
him.
Finally he was allowed to speak for him.
self. He said he was innocent of the crime
imputed to him. He said that he had
threatened to burn that house down-that
he had said about all that had been sworn
to. And furthermore, he was around the
house on the night of the fire. He was not
ten rods off when the flames burst forth and
he was one of the first to give the alarm
He had uttered one cry of fire when he
noticed where the flames must have origin.
ated, and the thought came to him if he
were found there, he might be suspected Of
having set the fire; so he ran away. He
also said that three nights before the con.
fagration, he had been robbed in that house,
His pockets had been emptied of every.
thing in them, and his pocket-book contain.
ing forty dollars in money, and'some valua'
Bile papers had been taken. He had gone
there on the night of the fire to try and per-
suade them to give him back his money and
papers-or at least to get back what he
could. When he got there he saw a man
90 in whom he did not wish to see, so he
had hung around. Waiting for him to de-
part. He was around by the back of the
building once-and that was an hour before
the fire broke out. He knew nothing
nothing He clasped his hands, and with
his fearless eyes raised toward heaven, he
called to God to witness that he was limo
cent.
l have told you that knew him well.
knew him so well, that from that moment |
knew him to be innocent. I knew his very
SOUL knew how free and open it was-ah,
how sinfully SO. 1 knew there was no false,
hood in the story he had told u.s.
My boy is innocent! My boy is limo
cent
| heard the cry-and I saw an old woman
sink back into the arms of male compan.
ion. 1t was his poor mother? Her heart
was well nigh broken! Yet 1 saw that all
this had but little effect upon the mass Of
spectators. The prisoners course of dissi.
pation-his many threats against the house
and the very fact of his having been rob,
bed and abused there were heavy against
him.
The counsel for the prisoner made his
speech, which was labored and hard. He
was foolish enough to intimate that if his