The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-12-07
SECOND PAPER.

SECOND PAPER.
JANUARY II, 1860.
In justice to my husband and children, make
the following statement: From the early part
of the year 1857, | had the acquaintance with
Mr.. David Stuart: l saw him occasionally pre-.
vious to August in the same year. From that
time (August he was unceasing in his determ
inatiOn and attempts to ruin me. l resisted
him. God in Heaven knows, and for nearly
three months, but seemed as if it were infat-
uated and after so long repelling his advances,
l, to my shame, confess that he finally con.
quered, and, on the l4th day of October, | fell
a victim to his damnable seductive arts. l then
and on that day had criminal connection with
him, and, God forgive me, this was repeated
at different times by six or seven acts OF adul'
terry during the month of November and until
the oath of December OF the same year. This
intimacy then ceased, and | seldom saw Mr..
Stuart. He called two or three times after my
brothers death in February, 1853, but there
was no further criminal intercourse between US.
He was not in the house from that time until
my return from the East, in September, 1859,
when he called once or twice, as other gentle
men did.
About the last of October. 1853, during my
husbands absence in Burlington, where he had
gone for three days and two nights, he called
and said, ''your husband will be away to night;
l am coming here after all have retired"
said, mo Mr.. stuart, | can never do that in the
world" He urged it, and repelled. he then
insisted upon again accomplishing his hellish
purpose, which [ utterly refused to allow, but
without effect, for he threw me upon the lounge
aud insisted. was frightened and told him
could never consent to such thing again. My
infatuation was gone. but alas ! | was in his
power. | strove with him and wept bitterly,
and then told him, in order to have him cease,
that would allow him to visit me that night.
He said then. "when all is quiet, leave the shut
ter open in your room; come down to the front
door, which you must not fasten and let me
in" This promised from fear. He did not,
however, get in. fastened the door, shut the
blinds, and went to bed, and Mr.. Stuart did not
then or any other night visit me.
l should think on or about the 29th of No.
vember. while my husband was at a meeting OF
the Historical Society at Mr.. w. H, Browns,
MIR. Stuart was here, and at that time made ad-
vances to me which l repelled altogether. l
was ill at the time.
This is the extent OF my whole acquaintance
and intercourse familiar or otherwise, with this
vile man, and may God forgive the acts have
committed, for do most humby and sincerely
repent me of them.
time did MIR. Stuart accomplish his most hellsh
purpose without the utmost resistance on my
part In every instance was forced to it.
have written the above with my own free
will with much deberation and pain, and have
read it carefully before signing.
[sgnedl MARY W. BURCH.
Witness F4sSy y y.5TsT1sr BgsGH,
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 18th
day of January, 1860, J. R: VALENTINE,
Notary Public.
The defence opened their case by testi-
mony impugning the veracity of one of the
prosecuting witnesses.
The correspondent of the Chicago Dem
oerot, writing from Napiervile, on Tuesday
afternoon, says:
The scenes OF the last three days of this
trial have been those of unmitigated sad
ness, and of the deepest but most painful
interest. We have seldom been made a
spectator of drama so distressing and yet
so absorbing in its interest. The evidence
of Miss Fanny Burch, MIR. Valentine, Mr..
Farnam and Mr.. Patterson, and the reading
OF those irresistioly affecting and despairing
letters, written by Mrs Burch to her pas
tor, her female friends, and her husband, un-
veiled the sad history of the events which
transpired in that lordIy mansion on Michi-
gan Avenue from the l4th to the 18th of
last January, and made every heart in the
court room ache at the contemplation of the
utter misery thus revealed. And when, as
if to crown this, came the two confessions
of Mrs. Burch, couched in language of fear
full intensity, calling down upon her head the
awful vengeance Of God able "to save in
Heaven with an everlasting salvation, or
plunge forever in hell the SOUL" and attest.
ing her truthfulness under "tbe threatened
penalty of eternal damnation," the impres.
sion upon judge, jury, counsel, parties, re.
porters and spectators, was almost fearful.
I send with this letter these confessions
and, perusing them, your readers can judge
of the effect they must have produced when
read in Court, in presence of the parties
most deeply interested, and under the legal
solemnities of court of justice.
Both the parties to the suit were deeply
affected during the reading of these COMES
sions-Mrs. Burch painfully so. Even in
the eyes of those who believe her guilty, the
great agony which she must have endured
while penning those awful words, the mem.