Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-12-04

! N'"'"ihihB i"ity uoilaIs IN money! ana some
valuable papers, had been taken. He had
gone there on the night of the FIRE to try and
persuade them TO give him back his money
and papers-or at least to get back what he
could. When he got there he saw man 20
IN whom he did not wish to see, so he had
hung around, waiting for him TO depart He
was around oy the back Of the building once
and that was an hour before the fire broke
out. lie knew nothing-nothing lie claspod
his hands and with his fearless eyes raised
toward heaven, he called on God TO witness
I that he was innocent
have told you that knew him we'll
knew him so well that from that moment
knew him to be innocent! / knew his very
soul knew how free and open it was--ah,
how siniully SO! knew there was no false
hood in the story he had told us
MY boy is innocent My boy is inno-
cent =,
heard the cry-and ] saw an old woman
sink back into the arms of a male companion.
IL was his poor mother Her heart was well
nigh broken Yet ! saw that all ihis had but
little effect on the mass of spectators The
prisoners course of dissipation-his many
threats against the housc--and the very fact
Of his having been robbed and abused there
were heavy against him.
The counsel for the prisoner made his
speech, which was labored and hard. lie
was foolish enough TO intimate that if his cli-
ent was around at the back part of the house
more than once. he must have been intoxicat-
cd. In short, his plea had better been left
out The evidence he could not shake, and
he did all he could to suppose evidence, some
of it most absurd and ridiculous. | after
j. 4f. L..
gagged that lawyer for the youthful prisoner
The government attorney made his plea. It
was plain, straightforward, and very conclu-
sive.
The Judge finally gave his charge He was
fair and candid lie reviewed the evidence
carefully, and pointed out such as bore heavi-
ly upon the case. lie told us if there was
lingering doubt in our minds we must give
the prisoner the benefit of it. But could
plainly see that there was no doubt in his
mind
We-thc iury-vcro conducted to our room
by an oficcr and there locked up a silence
of some minutes onsucd. Moulton Warren
was the first to speak.
"Wcl. hc said, 81 s'posc there's no need
OF our bein here great while. Of course we
all know that the prisoner must have set fire
to the house !'
There was something in the manner of that
man. as he said this, that excited my curiosi-
ty--I won't say it was suspicion thcn--only
curiosity. He spoke with forced effort at
calmness. which 1 at once perceived The
more ! looked at him the more | became
strangely nervous and uneasy; wondered why
he should be so anxious to be rid Of the case.
and have Ambold convicted. knew that he
.. Al ] 4l 1
had done much towards tempting Charley to
dissipation. knew he was in that house on
the night when Charley was robbed-for
Charley had told me so when visited him in
his cell | had then asked the unfortunate
youth if he was sure Warren was his friend.
{ o. he was sure of il. He should have hunt
cd him up on the night Of his robbery. only
they told him Warren had gone.
/ BY the by, the foreman proposed that we
should each take piece of paper and write
down our opinion, and then compare notes.
| went to my hat, which had placed upon a
table with a number of Others. and took out
a sheet of paper. had got half way back
to the table when found had made a mis-
take had got part Of a letter from another
mans hat ! was about TO turn back when
the name of the writer of the letter arrested
my attention J looked more closely, and
rcad--"Stephcn Graut. Next ] caught this
sentences
"And now, dear Charles, if not for your
own, yet for your mothers sake, let me hope
YOU will do better
started as though shot had struck me.
/ / held IN my hand the other half OF the sheet
which had been used to fire the house
went to the table and found that | had taken
it from Moulton Warrcn's hat; | looked to
sec if had been observed-and | had not.
put the paper back, aud then took piece
from my own hat, which was of the same pat
tern as the other, and by its side.
returned to the table and sat down. War
rem was by my side. He had written his
opinion, and took knife from his pocket to
cut it from the large sheet.
Let me take your knife a moment, if you
please said to him.
Without hesitation he did so. | took it,
Il ,cas Charles Aaboid's knife the large
blade was gone With all tho power | pos
sessed, | restrained my deep emotions, and
having cut my paper handed back the knife.
Why should he have that knife so boldly
about him, / afterwards learned. He had
not worn those pantaloons before since the
night Of the fire and now he used the knife,
probably. without the least remembrance of
tho loss it had sustained during very pccu-
liar piece of work, 10 the execution Of which
it was made subservient.
We talked for some ten minutes, and
found that eleven Of the jury were bent on
rendering verdict of guilty. Though most
of them were in favor Of recommending the
prisoner to mercy Mouton Warren was de-
cided-he had no mercy at all
Presently | started up and pretended to be
faint | said must 60 out a few moments.
kicked at the door and the deputy sheriff
came He heard my plea, and let me out
As soon as we had gained a safe distance
told him ALL He was astonshed. He went
away and when he came back he brought the
District Attorney and the District Judge and
the Sheriff told again what had seen
assured them that knew what had seen
that it was no mere suspicion. And | ex-
plained. too, Warrens manner in the jury
room. his former connection with the prisoner,
and his known character
The officers went away, and at the end OF
ten minutes returned with a constable added
to their number, and this constable had a
freshly written instrument in his hand. The
sheriff bado me point ont the hat to-them as
soon as we entered the room.
The door of the room was opened, and !