The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1858-02-17
A SCENE IN A JURY ROOM.
A TuRILLIYa STORY.

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ready formed an opinion. They asked me ir my
opinion would prevent me from receiving the
stlmony in good faith; and rendering verdict
according to it. replied that of course
should weigh the evidence carefully, and be gov.
erned by it. was then informed that would
do"
The case to be tried was one ofarson- then
capital ofEence-and the prisoner at the bar was
young man, named Charles Ambod, whom
had known from boy hood, and who was natu-
rally one ofthe finest youths of tie town whero
be resided. He had a Widowed mother who
depended upon him for support;and his circle Of
friends was larger and choice. was morally
certain that he did not commit the crime, and
hence, | am sure, those who wre friendly to
him got me on the plnsl, an hid me retained.
1 The trial commGnce AMI we twelve men
took eur seats in the jury box. l had a very
respectable set with mc-only there was one
man whom I didn't lik. to see there This
man was Moulton Warren. lie was dark.
faced sinister looking felow--tt least to me
l know that young An,1oil had nns fault. H.
hal recently been addicted to drink, AMI had
been known to visit disrepuiabl. houses. Il was
one Of those hoases that had been burned, for
setting fire to which he had been apprchended,
Now had often tried to persuade Charles
Ambold from the course he was pursuing. He
had repeatedly promised. me that he would re-
form and as repeatedly had he broken away. l
had often talked to him Of his poor mother, un-
til he had wept like child but the effect was
not lasting. There was a power of temptation
more effective than any Influence | coull WELD
lie would TALL away INTO this evil companionship,
and for a while his manhood was gone. One
or two abandoned women had gained great pow
or over him, and upon him, and upon them he
wasted much Of his substance
knew that this vary man who was now up
on the jury-this Ntoulton Waaren-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 more miserable hauats Of sin and po lu-
ton. Why was he upon the jury? l could
not account for it but upon the ground that
Charley still supposed him to be his friend
The poor scorched insect was still ignorant o.
the hime that scotched him. lie really believ
ed that Mouton Warren was his friend.
The trial commenced. The Indictments sci
forth that Charles Ambold had, "wih malice
aore,hou!hr," AMI with all sorts Of wick, an
felloniotls intents, set fire to c. rtain dwelling
house, thereby enlan5eriny human life. rhi,
dwelling, as have already iniml'cd was a low
sink OF iniquity where the abandoned Of both
SexaS were won't to congreg'te, an where the
youthful prisoner had spent much orhis time.
The evidence for the prosecution came on, and
was started. One after another give in theiI
testimony, some of them very Reluctantly, and
was frightened when ! saw how plainly i. al
pointed to the prisoner as the guilty party
Sew .ral ere ltahe Witnesses swOre that they
had heard him threlt to burn the house down
AMI others had hearl him say repeatedly thai
he wished it was burned down Then cam
several wtnesses-w saw him lurking about
tho premises on the night oCthe fire.
With regard 10 the proyccation on the pris
oner'S part for such Iced, 1t was proved upor
his own admission that he had been i'll treatel
there and that he had sworn to have revenge =
And furthermore, it was proved that he has
been heard to say that his salvaton OF sould anC
boly depended upon the destruction of tha
! house Next came more testimony stronge
still.
The fire had been, set in back basemcn
room where shayingS and other stuff for kind
ling were kept, Entrance had been gainc,
Il through a back window, which had been partl
Iprqed open with stout knife This basemcn
Iwall was Of brick, AMI beneath the sash wa
found the blade Of a knie which had been brok
en- off in trying to raise the sash. The blad
was recognized as belonging to tie prisoner
kniis A maker ofeutlery had made knife /
order for Arn5old only a month previous am
he knew tha blade at once, anlswore to it!
la m But this was not at ALL Thistflre hrd bee
Ievidently set first TO the shivings which lay up
on the-stone floor, but piled up against woolc
lpartitiohs This floor was damp, and some
the outer shavingS, even, were not wholly burn
led up. But just at the edge where the fir
q commenced, by piece of paper, rolled up, am
about half burned, and from the manner i
V which il lay, itlw very evident that The fir
had been ignited by amatch, a number Of whic
were scattered around, and rs soon as it was o
fire it had been laid upon lhe floor, with th
burning end just in the shavings. or cours,
these shaving were in blaze Instantly; but III
z paper torch being upon the damp stones, ha
not burned whollSNp. #
/ And this paper was found to be a part Of
i letter belonging TO tho prisonerl A letter whic
he had received from friend ofhi (and frien
y Of inine) only-a week before! That friend ha
to come forward and swear that piece Of charre
lpaper was part Ola letter he had written
Z the prisonert This friends maine was Stephe
I Grant. lie was Q young merchant, and the le
ter had been Tor the purpose Of inducing An
i bold to reform. n Stephen tried hard 10 ayoi
at testfyingi for he knew, as did Others thattf
Il FIRE must have been'set with that identical D;
y per; but be was summoned and he could n,
: deny hisOwnlc lchrography. aifa sile ssa ID
y The case looked dark. Many witnesscswe
III willing to testify TO the prisoners good qaal
y ties, but no one coull, swear that he was NJ
y dissipated and degraded That house had bet
= to him inlsed, Q region in ernal. Its. deslru
III tion CRED out for his boJil life; ani lis exjs