The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1858-03-18
ths ug lUNN


I Poor girl = exclaimed he, the me-
ment l mentioned her name, she be-
lisvss in my innocence then. Yes, yes
l know it must be so, she knows me too
well to suppose for a moment that l
could commit such horrible dssd =
He paused an instant and hurriealy y
wiped away tear, supposing that l did
not nstice him.
L have now been incarcerated here
for more than = week. be continued af-
ter a pause, and yet cannot realize
the fact, it appear like q hideous dream
to me. l ask myself is it possible can
be arrested for murder And for the
murder of the father OF my own dear
girl !! Bat no jury can bring me in
guilty
Mr.. Johnston l replied, truth CON-
psls me to state that the evidence against
yos is very strong.
Why, Mr.. Melton, you surely don't
believe me guilty Of this hideous crimes"
said he, bis face flushing with indigna-
tion.
Let ne hear your statement l re-
piled, and then will answer your
question. Ysu are aware Of the nature
Of the evidence against ysu. 1t c.a be
summed up in few worcs. A gentle.
man is found murdesed in hi. drawing
rosm-a policeman enters the apart
msnt and discovers you there alope with
the murdered man-and the deed is
found to be committed with your bswis-
knife. besides your clothes being sprin-
kled witk the victim 8 blood
Mr.. Melton, replied the prisoner,
lifting up both hands to heaven, Il
swear before God that I knew nothing
of the murder until the policeman en-
tered the room with his lantern. Ths
discovery of the horrid deed inspired me
With as much surprise aud terror as it
did him.
l lsok at Johnston after he bad utter
ed these words, to see if he were not de-
ranged. But no, his countenancs was
perfectly oal. and collected.
Explain YOURSELF l exclaimed, for
the life of me, cannot understand you,
You appear to me to be speaking para
doxes.'
Il will give ysu plain statement Of
what I know Of the matter. You can
form your own opinion as to bow far l
am i'm plicated in it. On the night in
question l went to pay Mr.. Mcleod
visit, in order to obtain if possible bis
consent to my marriage with his dau.h-
ter Margaret. l found him in the front
drawing-room. I suppose it was about
nine o'clock when l visited the house.
Mr.. Mcleod received me very haughli-
ly. should say some months ago | had
ar interview with him on the same sub
4; y, which passed off anything but sat
.sfactorily. The msmsnt / broachsd
the matter again to hin, he became very
violent, and used very harsh language
to meat length my blood was up, and
| believe l retorted in very strong words.
l have no idea how long this interview
lasted it must have been sometime,
however, for felt it my duty to enter
into considerable explanation, and to free
myself from various charges lie brought
against me. At last l took up ny hat
to go, and had already turned towards
the door, when some one approached
me from behind, aud slapped a hand
kercbicf to my mouth, saturated l sup
poso with cbloroform, for 10 moment
1 was senssless, and God is my witness
that am utterly ignerant Of all that
passed in tho rosm after that. only
recovered ny senses a few minutes be-
fore the policeman entered the reom
with-a light. And this is all know
about the natter
While Johnston was making this sx.
planatiop, | ssru,iniEed bis face slssely
but could not detect the slight appear
sncc Of deception 10 bis features.
but how do you account fer the mur-
der have been committed with ysur bow.
ie.knifc y
1T must have bosn taken from my
pocket while was insonsiblc, for | &C.
isowlsdge the knife is mine, and that |
hsd been accustomed 10 carry u sbou,
mo for sons months past