The daily press. (Cincinnati [Ohio) 1859-1859, 1859-06-03
CIRCUMSTANTLAL EVIDENCE.
AN ADVENTURE IN WESTERN VIRGINIA.
CON NCLUDED.

lCONCLUDED.
| "The blood fed from my face. 1 owned
myself a manslayer, and with beating heart
related the circumstances My story was too
| improbable to be believed. In the meantime
| the party to which the stranger belonged came
up; they heard of the deed wbich had been
| committed with looks of horror, and shook
their heads at my explanation. The body was
| dug up and placed on O horse, and followed
| with the party.
al was overcome with grief and the fear Of
being known by some of my friends in the
fort If possible to keep it from their know
| ledge, my family must not hear of my ignomi-
| nious death. My relations at the fort were not
advised of my Intended journey, and having
been very young when they left our neighbor-
hood trusted they would not recognize me.
In the evening we arrived at the station and
| was led to log hut, as my prison. The
news of the murder soon spread; the slain
young man was recognized by his brother,
whose name was Saunders; the excitement was
great; it was with difficulty my life was pre-
served that night, from the violence Of those
who thronged about my place of confinement.
| prepared myself for the worst.
"The events of the two preceding days had
completely exhausted my nervous system,
| and | fell into troubled sleep, which did
| not refresh me. | awoke to feel fresh agta-
| ton of mind. l was like the sea, which
casts one wave upon another increasingly.
The TAILOR entered my hut and informed Inc
| that in one hour | would be led into court,
which for greater securitv. was then sitting
| in the fort. oIt was with silence and indiffer2
ence that received this information; indeed
| it was rather satisfactory to think that my
| trial would soon be over. At the appointed
| time followed him. | neither saw nor felt,
as l was placed at the bar. The judge asked
NV name. | was silent Again he demanded
nv name. you shall never know 1T is
| in our mower, Young man, to extort it from
vou.' d expect death, and am ready to meet
| It: | am innocent of Intentional crime no
| torture shall extort from me my name was
nv replv. 'If YOU are innocent, YOU are
brought here to prove it; if guilty, to suffer.
| Do YOU know this face p said he, uncovering
| the body, which had not previously noticed.
| NV agitation answered his question. 'If
| YOU are innocent, touch his face | walked
| up to the CORPSE, but such was the intensity
| of NV feeling, that the blood cushed from nv
nose, and fell senseless on the floor. 1t may
| easily he conceived what effect this pro-
duced upon the spectators not a doubt ex-
| isted of nv guilt. When recovered / was
| asked if I was ready for trial 1 could only
nod assent. The Jury were empanneled; the
| Judge appointed me counsel; some of my rela-
| tions sat in Judgment upon me; my mothers
| DrOtler, VINO WAS foreman, brought In the YER
| dict of guilty One of tho Jurors who had
| taken an eager part against me, showed great
| emotion on the rendering of the verdict, but
| his agitation was unnoticed, so certain were
| all parties of my Guilt. The Judge rose and
| asked me, Have you anything to say, why
| sentence of death should not be passed upon
| you?' what can | say that you will believe?
| have no witnesses. | am innocent of the in
tenton to murder, and am ready to die; let it
/ i ~ I - 7
| heard not the sentence. I was led back to my
| cell in state of stupefaction.
After coming to a state of consciousness,
| continued half the night in great agitation. At
| last my door softly opened and voice said .
| 'You are free, follow me- At first did not
move NV visitor advanced towards me,
| knocked off my chains and said, 'Put on this
disguise and fy.' fell at his feet and sobbed
| out, God bless you.' 'Be calm, or you will
betrav me; pass out of the door softiy-they
are all asleep; take this lantern 1 looked
IN and discovered the iuryman who had ex-
| hibited so much agitation upon the trial.
GAS we passed out into the air, / felt revived
| and nv life appeared renewed. The stranger
urged me on. We had passed nearly through
the fort, when we heard a shot fired, and
cry was raised, 'The Indians In an instant
| the fort was surrounded with hundreds of saw
| ages; in an instant the garrison were engaged
| WIN Incm manu- W iAhoNluS thdo hdu
no means of escape, 1 determined to sell my
life dearly. 1 rushed into the hottest of the
fight. l seized the musket of soldier who
had fallen, equipped myself with his ammu-
milton, rescued the judge who had condemned
me, and hoped to die nobly as a young man
| might, who was vigorous, desperate, and with
out the wish to survive the action. Being
protected by my disguise, was unknown.
saw my preserver in danger when the fight
was nearly ended, and rushing to his aid
succeeded in killing his enemy, but it was too
late to save him; he had received his death
wound. As I raised him in my arms, he cried
out, my crime is punished and you are
avenged 1 thought he raved. I'm my
pocket continued he, you will find paper; it
is a confession of my crime and an acknowl-
edgment of your Innocence. 1t was written
for your eye Having family said these
words, he expired.
"The fight had ended, the victory was on
our side, a crowd had collected around me, and
all praised my valor. You have saved my
life,' said one; 'our honor said another; and
gained the victory, said third. who are
| vnuo' said the ,Iudpe. fIhe man have