The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-12-07
The Burch Case..The COME ssiOn.-
Touching Letters of Mrs. Burch.


Touching Letters of Mrs. Burch.
On the goth, the testimony for the COM
plainaDt was closed, by the production o.
the confessions, so-called, of Mrs. BURCH
Previous to this, and during the examiDa
ton of Mrs. FARNAM, a letter to that lady
| from Mrs. BURCR was read. 1t was beau
t;fully written in language SO touching as
to 'iraw tears from many in court. In il
! size a'iudeS TO The inclination she had to ter
min,te her life by poison, in distraction al
her separation from her children The fol-
lowing is a copy Of letter written by Mrs
BURCH, to ner husband:
MY Dear HMsJund-I must for the last
| time Ii lite thus address you. wish 10
thank yUu for all your kindness to me dur
ing our married life, even when | was false
and wicket, anu for the last week particu>
larry. You have been so kind, foroearing
aud good 10 Neon, SO kind-wben only
deserved your hate; out you have said that
you do not hate me. That is indeed con-
selling to your poor, heart-stricken Mary.
| wish again 10 ask your forgiveness for all
that have cone-deception, taisehood, and
everything. know full well, darling, what
a poor, miserable sinner am, aud | feel
that some time my prayers will be answered,
and you have said that you would pray for
me, aud know you will, and You know
that the tervent prayer of the righteous man
availeth much. Yes, | feel that, if you will
join your prayers to mine, may yet find
forgiveness with God. He is very mercitui,
and so kind to his erring, wandering children
that | trust he may have mercy upon me.
peace. | try to feel that all is for the best,
and trust may say from my heart, God
doeth ali things we'll As for you, dearest
husband, you can never know how suffer
for you. and | am so thankful that all our
friends love you so and for you. | can bear
that they should cast me aside and spurn
me, i they will only love, cherish, and ems
deavor to console you in this great affection.
They should do this, for you have done
nothing, while | merit everything that is
had. And for the children, | pray you
again do not let them forget me; 60 not let
them despise me; and oh, at some future
time, do let me see you ali once more Oh,
am SO miserable, and yet | dare not mur-
muir. can only say, God bel p me, and
cry 10 him continually that he will heed me
and make ME pure again. Darling little
Minnie, she must never hear one word said
against her mother without telling you; and
teach her, oh, teach her, to shun all who
reviIe me, howsoever | deserve it. But the
thought is 100 terrible to bear, that my
children, whom | so iondy love, should ever
hear me thus spoken oi-should ever learn to
hate ne. Better, far better, that they should
think me dead indeed, as | shall be, | tear,
to them. And | praF you do not quite
close your heart against me--do not let
any one advise you to shun me entirely.
On, God. let me feel that you will try to
think kindly of me. May l feel ere l die
that you have freely and fully forgiven me,
and tell me before | go that you will not
hate me forever. Oh, dearest. you are SO
good to me that am, oh, so grateful to you.
Your kindness to this poor sinner has been
too much, bat bless you for it. | will ever
bess and love you as do now, and God
knows how tondly love you. Yes, dear
est, do not doubt it. l do truly love you,
and would-oh, God knows | woud--lay
down my poor life for you, if by 20 doing
could relieve your poor, wounded heart. Do
not scold me for writing you this. | feel
that these are, as it were, my last words.
We may never meet again; but, darling,
hpr mo NH w, fo 1I0 arH
possible, let me be with you in that hour,
and, if you or the children should be i'll. oh,
l pray you let me know. Perhaps at such
time you might freely and fully forgive me,
and perhaps love me again. | could die in
peace l think, could l hear you say you
love your poor, feart. stricken wife. Good
bye, goodbye, my much>loved, mucb-iDjur>
ed husband; goodbye. Good bless you !!
Kiss the children sometimes for their poor,
heart broken mother"
The confessions were then produced.
The counsel for defence objected, offering
to produce evidence that the signatures had
been improperly obtained, by duress, coer-
cion, or fraud. A long debate ensued till
the close of the court; but at the COM
mencement of the court, on the next morn
ing, the 9th, the counsel for the defence
waived all objections, and allowed the con-
LESSONS to go before the jury. Mr.. HAYNE
then read, amid profound silence:
FIRST PAPER, IN MR.. BURCH's HANDWRITING.
In the presence of Almighty God, the Great
Creator and Judge of all men, who will save
in Heaven, with an everlasting salvation, or
plunge forever in hell my soul, according to
the sufficiency of His Grace, and as the tenor
OF my life shall be, now solemnly declare aud
swear, under the threatened penalty of eternal
damnation, should declare falsely and utter a
lie,' that my child, Harriet Corning Burch, is
the child and offspring of Isaac H. Burch; and
further solemnly swear that the first criminal
committed with David Stuart. was committed
| on the l4th day of Oct. 1887 and at fine fine