Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1861-05-29

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salute his host warmly and courteously. Mr..
| Burnett started back, and uttered q loud cX-
clamation of surprise and alarm. Well he
might for before his eyes stood his friend
and debtor, Clodoniir FrenoiS, whom he had
bcacld nearly year before, a mutilatcd
corpse, and whom he himself had followed TO
the grave?
What passed at Chat interview, between Mr..
Burnett and his strange visitor, remained
secret. Mr. Burnett was observed to issue
several lin cs, pale and agitated, from his
dwelling, aud to visit the magistrate charged
with the criminal process Of the colony. In
the course Of that day, willie John Moon was
rcgang himself with tea under the palm
trees of his garden, a!o:g with a Circassian
female whom he Lad bought sometime previ-
onslv, he was arrested and taken to prison by
the officers OF JUSTICE.
On the following day he was brought be.
| fore the criminal court, accused Of robbing
the late Clodumir Frenois, the crime being
conjvined with breach of trust and violence.
Mood smiled at the charge with all the conf
dence of man who had nothing to fear. The
Judge having demanded Of him if he con-
icsscd tie crime, the accused replied that the
charge was altogether absurd: that clear tes
timony was necessary to fix such dclict up
on him: and that so far from there being any
such evidence produceable, neither the widow
! of the deceased, nor any one Person III his
service. had ever heard the pretended robbery
even once mentioned by Frcnois during his
life.
s'Do YOU then affirm your innocence? 2
repeated the judge gravely, after hearing all
that the other Lad to say.
81 will avouch my innocence" replied Moon
''eyen before the body Of my late master, il
that be necessary.
(Such thing often took place under Il
old colonial law
John Mool,,;' said tie judge, in yOic
broken hy some peculiar emotion, I" it is
t;ar you late master that you vii! Lave
assert your innocence, and may God NAL
the truth TO appear!
a signal from the Judge accompanied the:
words, and immcdaclya door opened, AZ.
Clodomir Fremuis: The supposed suicide, ci
tered the court. He advanced 10 the bar with
slow and deliberate step, having his eye
calmly, sternly fixed OF the prisoner, his ser
want. \ great sensation was caused in court
~ his appearance. Cttcring s.:rcks Of alarm
and horror, the females present fled from tho
spot. The accused fell on Ills knees in ahjcct
terror, and shuddering confessed lis guilt
For time no voice was heard but his How
ever, as it became apparent that living mi.l
st.ol before tl.c court, the advocate OF thi
prisoner gained courage to speak. lie de-
man led that the identity Of the merchant bt
established, and the mystery Of his existence
be explained lie sail that the court must
not be biassed by what might prove to be q
mere accidental likeness between pcrs"l
living and one deceased; and that such al
avowa US that Of the prisoner, extracted IN Il
momen: Of extraordinary terror, was not tc
be held Of much weight.
'De.Urc Lcing admitted here rs an accusel
or witness, continued the advocate address
Ing the resusciatcd merchant, prove whoanc
what you are, and disclose by what ckanoe
the tomb, Which soatcly received your body
man.lcl with bullets, has given up its tenant
and restored you 10 the world in life AM
health
The firm appeal Of the advocate, who COLI
tinucd stcl' fat to lis duly under circunl.
stances tat would have closed the lips o
most nl.l, called forth the following narr;.,
TIVE from Clotiomr Frcnos:- =
"My story may snon be told and will SUI:
fec to establish my identity. When dis
covered the robbery committed by the ac
crlscd, hc had then ilcd from the island, and
speedily saw that attempts TO rctake him
would prove ruitleSS. ! saw ruin and dis
grace before Inc, and CAME to the resolution
of terminating my life before the evil day
came. On the Ylit in which this detrrmi
ation was formed, was seated alone in my
private chamber. had written the letter
which was found cu my table, and had loaded
my pistol. This done, prayed for forgive.
ness from my Maker for the act was about
to commit. The end Of the pistol was at my
head, and iny finger on the lock, when a
knock at the cutter door of the honsc startled
me, concealed NY weapon, and went to the
door man entered whom ] recognized to
! be the sexton OF tie iafish in which lived.
He bore :. sack OH his shoulders and in it the
body of a man newly buried, which was des-
tined for any nephew, the physician, then liv-
Ing with me- The scarcity Of bodies for dis
section, as the court is aware, compels those
who are anxious to acquire skill III the mcdl-
cal profession TO procure them by any posi-
Bile secret means The sexton vas at rst
alarmed when he met me. "Did my nephew
request you to bring this nudy?" said l.
No." replied the man; "bnt know his
anxiety to obtain one for dissection and took
it upon me to offer him this body" " Fol
mcrcys sake continued the sexton, " do not
be;ray me- sir, Or shall lose my situation
and my Elnily's bread"
"While this man was thus speaking q
strange idea entered my mind. and brought
to my despairing bosom hopes Of confined
life aud honor. stood for few moments