East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-05-25
THE DEAD ALIVE


rich bachelor about forty years of ago,
called Peter Gortz, who had the rep
utation of being very pious but rath-
austere and thrifty man. He kept
one servant, an orphan, whom, as a
child, he taught to wait on him, and
and afterwards taught her to write
and read, boasting of her fidelity and
indulging her as if she was his daugh-
ter. He was her only friend. At
sixteen Caroline de Burg was as
comely a girl as eyes need see, with
the gait of a peacock and skin like
new milk but from her silent, almost
naughty disposition, the young men
called her prude, the young women
fool; though mothers, even Of less
lowly station, would point out to their
own giddy geese, and cry: take pat
tern by poor Lima ~
Suddenly she appeared to grow
day was seen TO hurry from her 'mas-
ter's house in fearful agita ion
Peter Gortz pursued, but missed her I;
the neighbors sought with better for
tune, and overheard her muttering to
herself, "The Virgin forbid | should
be so rash--yet anything rather than
that / can bear it no longer ~
This man instantly seized and ques-
toned her on the meaning Of these
words, but she only trembled, bluYhed
and wept, he forcibly led her back to
her MASTER who looked pleased nj her
return, and, on what she said being re-
peated to him, merely laughed out,
Il was too strict this morning perhaps
silly wench, don't quarrel with thy
second father" Lima was about to
rstort, when Peter bade tho other
leave them What was this persons
amazemcnt, when, next morning, his
wealthy neighbor ran TO HIM all
alright with the tidings that his house
had been robbed of gold and plato to
a large amount, though no locks were
broken, and his servant either muir
dered and concealed or carried oil
alive, which seemed most likely, as
everything that belonged to her was
missing, and no signs of contention
had disturbed her master during the
night. The menaces she had used
tempted her hearer at once to suspect
her, though the loser did not. She
must it was supposed, have taken the
road to her native village. Officers Of
justice pursued that route, and over
taking a wagon, whose driver looked
alarmed at their appearance, insisted
on searching it. There, indeed, they
found female answering the descrip'
ton given them hidden, with hel
trunk, amid the straw. She denied
her name, but sheath knife was
found upon her person with it engra.
ven on the handle ''Well," she
cried, as if bewildered, ono law car
force my return to him" Not needing
her they lifted out her box. ""Ti'
heavy enough cried one significantly
lis it ?" she screamed to the driver
This appeal caused them TO arrest
him also. Falling on his knees he
swore by ali the saints, that he only
knew this girl as having hired him il
the next town to come privately to .
certain house for herself and baggag,
that he had gone, stolen in, moved tn,
box from his chamber to his wagon
where, by another bribe she induces
him to conceal her. The lid wa
forced, and, at tho bottom of hei
trunk, sewn into some articles of ap
parel, were discovered sum of none,
and several articles Of silver, bearing
the initials of Peter Gortz. In pos
tive distraction Caroline shrieked, q
refused to be his wife, and told him
would leave him. Oh, he threatene,
to punish me, p "You had threat
ened, too" said one of her captors
and now, Of course would fain Grim
mate your accuser."
"Nay, then / am lost in deed" sh
cried, and was conveyed to the.prisoi
of the town she had just left amid tn
excavations of its assembled inhab
itants, who had never before heard G
such a way os hers Of requitting q
offer of marriage from a superior.
She was tried Immediately on he
apprehension. Who could bear wit
ness in her favor? Who knew he
character as well as Peter Gortz, him
self. He gave her evidence with es
treme reluctance; everything tendc
to prove her guilt. She was COZ
demned to die without delay; yet th
priest who attended her could gain n
ovowal Of the theft finding her 60 Il