Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-06-26
A Scene in q Jury Room
A THRILLING STORY.

Jury. | plead in all manner Of ways
for release, but to no effect.
/ could not swear. that / was deaf,
nor blind, nor yet non compos; but l
lid tell them that had already formed
an opinion. They asked me if my
opinion would prevent me from receiv-
ing tn, testimony in good faith, and
rendering a verdict according to it.
] replied that Of course should weigh
the evidence carefully, and be governed
by it. l was then Informed that |
"would do"
The case to be tried Was one of ar
son--then capital offence and the
prisoner at the bar was young man
named Charles Ambold, whom I had
known from boynood, and who was nat
urally one of the finest youths of the
town where he resided. He had Wild
owed mother who depended upon him
for support, and his circle of friends
was large and choice. I was morally
0srtlin that he did not commit the
deed, and hence, 1 am sure, those who
were friendly to him got me on the pam
ell, and succeeded in having me retain
ed.
The trial commenced, and we twelve
men took our seats in the jury box. l
had very respectable set with me
only there was one man whom did not
like to see there. This was Moulton
Warren. lie was a very dark faced,
sinister looking man-at least to me.
l knew that young Ambold had one
fault. He had recently been addicted
to drink, and had been known to visit
dlsreputable houses. 1t was one of
those houses that had been burned, for
setting fire to which he had been APP
pretended.
Now l had often tried to dissuade
Charles Ambold from the course he
was pursuing. He had frequently
promised ne that he would reform, and
as frequently had he broken away. l
had often talked to him of his poor
mother, until he had wept like child !;
but the effect was not lasting. There
was power of temptation more effect
i've than any influence l could wield.-
He would fall away into his evil COM
partnership, and for while his man
hood was gone. One or two abandon
ed women had gained great power over
him, and upon them he wasted much of
his substance.
And knew that this very man who
was now on the jury-this Moulton
Warren-was the one who had done
more than all others to lead the poor
youth away. 1t was Warren who had
drank with him, and who had led him
away to those most abominable haunts
of sin and pollution. Why was he up
on the jury? I could only account for
it upon the ground that Charley still
supposed him to be his friend. The
poor scorched insect was still ignorant
Of the fame that scorched him. He
really believed that Warren was his
friend.
The trial commenced. The indict-
mcnt set forth that Charles Ambold
had, "with malice aforethought," and
with all sorts Of wicked and felonious
intents, set fire to certain dwelling
house, thereby endangering human life.
This dwelling, as l have already init
mated, was low sink Of iniquity,
where the abandoned Of both sexes were
wont to congregate, and where the
youthful prisoner had spent much Of
his time.
The evidence for the prosecution
came on, and | was startled. One ard
another gave in their testimony, some
of them very reluctantly, and I was
frightened as I saw how plainly it all
pointed to the prisoner as the guilty
party. Several credible witnesses swore
that they had heard him threaten to
burn the house down, and others had
heard him say repeatedly that he wish
ed it was burned down. Then came
several witnesses-three Of them prom
inent 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
was proved upon his own admission
that he had been ill-treatcd there, and
he had sworn to have revenge. And,
furthermore, it was proved that he had
been heard to say that his salvation Of
soul and body depended upon the de-
struction Of that house. And next
came moro testimony stronger still.
The. fire had been set in a brick
basement room where shavings and 9TH
'cr stuff for kindling were kept En-
trance had been gained by back win
dow, which had been partly pried open
with stout knife. This basement wall
was Of brick, and beneath the sash was
found the blade of knife which had
been broken off in trying to raise the
sash. 1t was recognized as belonging
to the prisoners knife. A maker Of
cutlery had made knife to order for
Alnbol a month previous, and knew
the blade at once, and swore to it.
But this was not alt. The fire had
been evidently set first to the shavings
which lay upon the stone floor, but
piled up against wooden partition.
y This door was damp, and some Of the
outer shavings even were not burned
up. But just at the edge 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 a
match, number Of which had been
scattered around, and as soon as it was
d 6sn Il ha1 hnop La IL 4bo Ano,,