Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1862-02-20

now took me completely by surprise. The
constable, in reply to questions by.counsels
stated that the pockets of the deceased
were empty; that not only his purse, but
gold watch, chains and seals, which he
usually wore had vanished, and no trace
of them as had yet been discovered
Many other things were also missing. A
young man Of the name OF Pearce, appar-
emily sailor, had been seen in the vii.
village once or twice in the company Of
Mary Strugnell; lie had not seen Pearce
since the night the crime was committed,
had not sought for him.
Mary Struggled was the next witness
she repeated her previous evidence with
precision and apparent sincerity, and then
| abandoned her 10 the counsel for the de-
fence. A subtitle and able cross-examina-
tion of more than two hours duration fol.
lowed: and at its conclusion, | felt that
the case ef the prosecution was not dam
aged, that verdict of condemnation was,
or ought to be, out of the question. The
witness, in fact, appeared 10 be confused,
and contradicted herself several times de-
stroying all the important points in her ev-
idence. Had the counsel been allowed to
follow up his advantages by an address to
the jury, he would l doubt not, in spite of
their prejudice against the prisoners, have
obtained an acquital; but as it was after a
neutral sort of charge from the Judge, by
no means the ablest that then adorned the
bench, the jurors having deliberated for
something more than an hour, returned IN
10 the court with verdict of guilty,
against both prisoners, and accompanying
it, however with a strong recommendation
to mercy!
The usual ridiculous formality of asking
the wretched convicts what they had 10
urge why sentence should not be passed
upon them was gone through, the Judge
with unmoved feelings, put on the fatal
cap; and then a new and startling light
burst upon the mysterious, bewildering at
| fair
"Stop, nv lord!" exclaimed Armstrong
with rough vehemence; shear me speak
I'll tell you all about it; | will indeed, my
lord. l was gone away, wife and !, for
more nor a week, to receive money, for Mr..
Wilson on account of smuggled goods
that money my lord, as was found in the
way. When we came home that dreadful
Sunday night, my lord, we went in the
back way and hearing noise, | went up
stairs, and found,poor Wilson stone dead on
the floor. were dredful skeered, and let
drop the candle. l called to wife and told
her of it. She screamed out, and almost
tainted away. And then, my lord, all at
once the devil shot into my head to keep
the money l had brought and knowing as
the KEYS of the desk where the mortgeged
writing was kept was in the bedroom,
| crept back, as that false bearted woman
said, got the keys, and took the deed; and
then / pursuaded wife, who had been trem-
bling in the kitchen all the while, that we
had better 60 out quiet again, as there
was nobody in the.house but us; | tried
that woman 5 door, and we might perhaps
be taken for the murderers. And so we
did; and that it is downright truth my
lord.
Twas deeply affected, and felt that the
man had uttered the whole truth. 1t was
one of those cases in which persons liable
10 suspicion damages his own cause BY
resor,ing to a trick. No doubt by act Of
theft, Armstrong had been driven TO an ex-
pedient which would not have been adorn,
ed by person perfectly innocent. And
thus FROM one thing 10 another, the charge
of murder had been fixed upon him and
his hapless wife. When this confession
had been uttered, felt species of sell
accusation in having contributed to his de-
structicn, and gladly would have undone
the whole days proceedings. The Judge
on the contrary was quite undisturbed.-
View ;ng the harangue of Armstrong as 8
tissue of falsehood, he coolly pronounced
sentence of death, upon the prisoners
They were to be hanged on Monday
This was Friday.
"a bad job" whispered the counsel fol
the defence as he passed me. That wit
ness of yours, the woman Sturgnell l.
the real culprit.
tasted no dinner that day; was sicl
at heart: for felt as if had the blood o
two fellow creatures on hands. In th'
evening l sailed forth to the judges ledg
ings. He listened to all had TO say
but was quite imperturable. The obstin
ate old man was satisfied the sentence wa
as it should be. l returned to my inn il
fever of dispair. Without the approra
of the Judge, l knew that the application
, to the Secretary of State was futile. Their
? was not even time to send TO Lcndon' un
less the Judge had granted a respite.
3 All Saturday and Sunday was in mis-
8 cry. On Monday morning l WIS pacin
e up and down my breakfast room in tn
e next assize town, in a state Of great excite
ment, when cbaise and four drove raE
idly up the Hotel, and out tumbled John
g SON the constable. His tale was soon tolt
|. On the previous evening, the landlady
9 the Black Swan, roadside public hous
4 about four miles from the scene Of th
}, murder, reading the name of Pearce i
s the report of the trial in the Sunday cour
n ty papers sent for johnson to state tbs
c the person had on the fatal evening calle
l and left a portmanteau in her charg'
y promising 10 call for it i'll an hour, br
i had not been there sipce. On openin
IS the portmanteaa, Wilson's watch chai
q and seals and other property, were di
Y covered in it and johnson had, as soon {
:. it was possible set off in search of me-
e Instantly. for there was not moment