Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-10-17

oner's part for such deed, 1t was proved up-
on his own admission, that he had been ILL
treated there, aud that he had sworn to have
revenge. And furthermore, it was proved
that he had been heard to say that his saliva
ton OF soul and body depended upon the de.
strucuon Of that house. Next came more
testimony stronger still
The fire bad been set in q back basement
room where shavngs and other stuff for kind
ling we're kept. Entrance had been gained
through back window, which had been part
! ~ prIed open with stout knife This base
ment wall was brick, and beneath the sash
was the blade of knife which had been bro,
ken OF IN trying to raise the sash The blade
was recognized as belonging TO the prisoners
knite ! A maker of cutlery had made knife
10 order for Ambot d month previous and
he knew the blade at once, aud swore to
it.
| But this was not all The fire had been
evidently set first TO the shavingS which lay
upon the stone floor, but piled up against
II wooden PARTITION. The floor was damp,
ana some OF the outer ShavlngS, even, were
not wholly burned up. But just at the edge
where the fire commenced, lay piece Of pa
per rolled up, and about half burned, and
from the manner IN which it lay, it was very
evident that the fire had been ignited with a
| match ID number Of which were scattered
| around, and as soon as 1t on fire il had
J been liId upon the floor, with the burning
end just ia the ShayinLS. OF course. these
shavIugS were IN blaze instantly but the
paper torch being upon the damp stones,
/ had not turned wholly mp
And tins paper was Iound to be q part Of
a letter belonging to ;he prisoner A letter
which he rrcel cd from friend Of his { aud
Il friend OF mine) only I week before That
/ friend had to come forward aud swear that
piece OF charred paper was part OF a letter
ne bad written to The prisoner The friends
name was Stephen Grant. lie was a young
merchant. The letter had been written for
the purpose OF inducing AnnOIt to reform
Stephen tried hard to avoid testifyiug for
he knew as dt others, that the fire must
have been set with that identical paper but
he was summoned, aud be could not d ny his
own chJrography.
The case looked dark. Many witnesses
were willing TO testify TO the prisoners good
qualities, but no oae could swear that be was
cot dl>slpated aud degraded That those had
been TO hun. indeed, Il region Internal It's
destruction cred out for his bodily lie aud
I its existence had long been eating away his
soul Poor Charley | had before been
. snre of his innocence hut nOw | could only
shake NY head aud pity him
Finally he was allowed to speak for him
self H. SAID be VA, innocent OF The crime
imuuteG TO him He sad he had threatened
to hnra that house dOwu-'hat he had said
! about all that had been sworn to. And far
( lhermorp, that he was round the house on the
night OF the fire. He was not ten rod, of
. whru the flames burst forth, and he was one
o. the FIST to give the alarm He had Ut
tered one cry of fire when he noticed where
/ the flames must hqve originated. and the
/ thought came TO him, if he were found there
/ he might be suspected of having set the fire.
50 he ran away He also said that three
hours before the fire, he had been robbed in
that house. His pockets had been emptird
OF everything in them, aud his pock t book,
containing forty dollars 10 money and some
valuable papers, had been taken. He had
gone there on the night Of the fire to try and
| persuade them to give him back his money aud
! paperS-Or least to get what he could. When
! hr got there. he saw man 20 in wHom he
did not wish TO See so he had hung around
waiting for him to depart He was around
by tie back of III bull t.ns-Gnd that vas
an hour before the fire broke out. He
knew nothing-uorhiug. He clasped his
hand with his fearless eyes, towards heaven,
he called on COP to witness that he was in
nOCent.
have told you that | knew him we'll |
knew him so well that, from that moment,
knew him to he innorent | knew his very soul
i knew how free aud open it waS-ah. how
Siufuly so | knew there was 40 falsehOOd
in the story he told us.
My boy is innocent My boy is nno-
cent !"
heard the cry and saw an old women sink
back into the arms of male companion. 1t
was his poor mother Her heart was well
nigh broken Yet | saw that all this has had
but little effct upot the mass Of spectators.
rne prisoners course OF dlSSipation--his
many threats against the houSe-and the very
fact of his having been robbed and abused
there were heavy against him.
The counsel for the prisoner made his speech
which vas ab0rpd and hard He was foolish
enough to intimate that if his client ocas around
at the back part Of the house more than once,
he mnSt have been intoxicated. In short, his
plea had better been left out. The evidence
he could not shake, and he all he conld 10
suppose evidence, some of il most absurd and
rrdiculouS | afterwards learned that Moulton
Warren eugaged the lawyer for the youthful
priSoner The Government attorney made his
plea. 1t was PLAIN, straight forward and very
conclusive
The Judge fnollv gave his charge. Hewas
fair ana candid He reviewed the evidence
carefully, and pointed ont such as bore heavi-
Iy upon the case He told us if there was
lingering doubt in our minds we must give the
prisoner the benefit of it,. But | could PLAIN
ly see that there was no doubt in his mInd.
Wp-the iurv-were conducted to our room