Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-01-08

Se'SA-J AhC Dte0S " e'S 4CSoe5 5iAiACA LiS OO- 4
longing to the prisoners knife a maker
of cutlery had made a knife to order for
Ambold only month previous, and he
knew the blade at once, and swOrs to
it!
Bnt this was not all. The fire had
evidently set first to the shavings which
lay upon the stone floor, but piled up
against awooden partition. This floor
was damp, and some of the outer shay
ings, even, were not wholly burned up.
But just at the edge, where the fire COM
menced, lay piece Of paper, rolled mp,
and about half burned, and from the
manner in which it lay, it was very evi-
dent that the fire had been set with it.
This piece Of rolled paper had been
ignited by match, number of which
were scattered around, and as soon as it
was on fire, it had been laid on the floor,
with the burning end just il the shavings.
Of course, these shavings were in
blaze instantly the paper torch being
upon the damp stones, had not burned
wholly up.
And this paper was found to be a part
of letter belonging to the prisoner! A
letter which he had received from a
friend of his land a friend of mine)
only week before That friend had
to come forward and swear that the
piece of charred paper was part of a
letter he had written to the prisoner =
This friends name was Stephen Grant.
He was a merchant, and the letter had
been written for the purpose Of inducing
Ambold to reform. Stephen tried hard
to avoid testifying, for he knew, as did
others, that the fire must have been set
with that identical paper; but he was
summoned, and he could not deny his
own chirography.
The case looked dark. Many witness
ses were willing to testify to the prison
er's good qualities, but no one could
swear that he was not dissipated ard de-
graded. That house had been to him
indeed, a region Internal. It's degrada.
ton cried out for his bodily life; and its
f existence had long been eating away hi;
soul. Poor Charley! had before beer
sure of his innocence; but now I coulC
only shake my head and pity him!
= Finally he was allowed to speak fol
| himself He said he was innocent of tht
e crime imputed to him. He said that b,
had threatened to burn that house dow1
D that he had said about all that ha,
I been sworn to. And, furthermore. h,
e was around the house on the night of tn
I fire. He was ten rods OF when III
i flames burst forth, and he was one c
0 the first TO give the alarm. He had ui
# tered one cry Of fire when he notice
b where the flames must have originated
t and the thought came to him if he wer
= found there, he might be suspected {
T having set the fire; SO he ran away. H
e also said that three nights before tn
conhagration, be had been robbed in ths
: house. His pockets had been emptie
Of everything in them, and his pockt
+ book, containing forty dollars in none,
!, and some valuable papers, had bee
Il taken. lie had gone there on the nigl
7t of the fire to try and persuade them
y give him back his money and papers,
2, or at least to get back what he could
W When he got there, he saw a man 20
Of whom he did not wish to see, so he hs
ID HING around, waiting for him TO depal
Mt He was around by the back of the bull
ing once-and that was an hour befo
le the fire broke out He knew nothing
er nothing. He cIasped his hands, al
m with his fearless eyes raised iowa
d heaven, he called on God to witness tn
to he was innocent!
V have told you that 1 knew him we
7y l knew him so well thai from that II
Sc ment knew him to be innocent !
ay knew his very soul knew how fr
- and open it was-ah, how sinfully s
Of I knew there was no falsehood in the st
n ry he had told US.
ht My boy is innocent! My boy is
nocent p
he I heard the cry-and 1 saw an old Y
W man sink back into the arms of nj
ad companion. 1t was his poor mothe
ad Her heart was well nigh broken ! J
sr- I saw that all this had but little eff
en- on the mass of spectators. The pris'
,ul er's course Of dissipation-hi5 ma
on threats against the bouse-and the w
ST. fact Of his having been robbed and a
sed there were heavy against him.
Sc The counsel for the prisoner name
Ter sDeech which was Iabored and l.,