San Andreas independent., 1858-06-12

the sheet which had been used to fire the
burned house. I went to the table and
found | had taken it from Warren's hat !
[ looked to see if l had been Observed
and | had not. [ put the paper back,
and then took piece from my own hat,
which was the same pattern as the other,
and by its side.
lreturned from the table and sat down
Warren was by my side. He had writ
ten his opinion, and took knife from
his pocket to cut it from large sheet
"Let me take your knife moment, if
you please" | said to him.
Without hesitation he did so. took it,
1T uos Charles Ambold's hnite-he
large blade rods gone!" With all the
power l possessed l restrained my deep
emotion, and having cut my paper han
ded 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 the loss it has sustained
during very peculiar piece of work, to
the execution of which it was made sub
servient
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 recon-
mending the prisoner to mercy. Moulton
Warren was decided. He had no mercy
at all.
Presently I started up and pretended
to 1e faint. | said | must 90 out few
moments. I kicked at the door and the
deputy sheriff came. He heard my plea
and let me out. AS soon as we had
gained safe distance, [ told him all
He was astonished. He went away, and
when he came back he brought the dis
trict attorney, the district judge and the
sheriff. | told them again what l had
seen-that it was no mere suspicion. And
l explained too, Warren's manner in the
jury room, and his former connection with
the prisoner, and his known character.
The officers went away, and at the end
of ten minutes they returned with con-
stable added to their number, and this
constable had afreshly written instrument
in his hand The sheriff babe me point
out the hat to them as soon as they en-
tered the room.
The door of the room was opened, anC
[ pointed to the hat. The sheriff took it
and asked whose it was. Warren leapeC
to his feet and seized it, but he was hel(
back.
Word was instantly sent to the judg
that the jury could not agree. They wer
discharged, and then Moulton Warrel
was searched. The knife was found upol
him, and his behavior at once exposed
his guilt. The presence of that lette
was accounted for by him in a dozen diff
ferent ways within an hour.
A new jury was impanneled, and Chas
Ambold was acquitted. Shortly after
ward Warren was tried, and it was plainly
proved that he had set fire to the house
and the woman who kept it was to have
been burned up in it, as he had contriveo
to lock her into her room shortly after set
ting the fire. She had incurred his dis
pleasure in various ways, and this was his
revenge. Not only she, but two of hel
girls had suspected him from the first
but they dared not complain, for fear he
would not be convicted, and would then
be sure to murder them.
The hardened villain confessed his guilt
after he had been condemned, and then il
was that he told how he happened to be
so careless in regard to the letter and
knife. 1t was he had robbed Ambold
and when he took the old letter from his
hat to use for a torch in setting the fire
he did not notice what it was, and ever
when that partly burned half had beer
exhibited in court he had entirely forgot
ten that he had torn off the other hal
and put it back in his hat, as he mus
have done. The letter had been founC
in Ambold's pocket-book, and he had KEEP
it because in it the youth was warned
against his influence. He confessed tha
he held a slight idea of calling the write
, to an account when it should become con
venient. With regard to the knife, it wa
as [ before stated. He took that ais
from Ambold's pocket, and put it in hi
own; and on the night of the fire he use,
it to pry up the sash, and when he ha,
broken it he put it back in his pocket an,
forgot it.
Thus was Charley saved-and save'
from more than an ignominious death, too
He was saved to be noble, virtuous man
and his mother once more took ampl
delight and JOY in the love and tende
care of her only child.
When Charles Ambold knew that Moul
ton Warren had expiated his crime upor
the gallows he sat down and ponderec
upon his past life. The thought of his
old companion being hanged, sent strange
thrill through his frame. But he was
able to trace out, clearly and logically, thi;
terrible result from the course of life the
ill-fated man had pursued. He shudderec
as he remembered how far he had gone
in the same course himself, and he was
able to see the only safe path forany youth
Not only must he shun temptation
not only keep clear of even the appear
ance of vice-but, above all, must he shun
L A IL L