Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-10-05


There she sat, proud and cold hearted as
ever, whilst the Judge proceeded to pass
sentence on Richard Thompson who was
now alone in the dock, leaning over the
front rail- with his face buried in his
hands. He had stood up sternly enough
during the trial and while his companions
were receiving sentence, but now he
seemed to have broken down His lord
ship briefly recapitulated the evidence,
and observed that it was impossible for
any man of sense TO doubt that he (the
prisoner) was guilty, and had been one of
the leading perpetrators, if not the leading
one, in that most serious crime. II had
evidently been carefully planned and only
too successfully carried out; but the hand
OF the law had reached the guilty parties,
and | should be strangely wanting in my
duty" said the Judge, ''if did not pass
upon you a severe sentence; and the sem
tence of the court is tnat you be trans
ported beyond the seas for the term OF
twenty years" Then the convict Ihomp-
son raised his head, and turned to quit the
dock; and IS he turned his features were
revealed to me. They were those OF Char
ley Lawrence
started back in amaze and horror, and
voice beside me exclaimed, "Oh, dear,
dear, look That charming Lady Thorn
bury has tainted What shame 1t Is
that there is not better ventilation in
these courts They are really sitting,
Sitting, indeed They seemed to me as
though they were being whirled round
and round in the crater of a volcano in
active irruption.
Stoppery agt Moss ended in verdict
for our client, the plaintiff; and | received
great commentator on my return to town
for the manner in which had managed
IT. L deserved no praise at al. BY some
lucky chance things went on smoothly;
but / was all the time in Charley cell,
and knew no more about what was going
on in court than the man in the moon.
| was coming from the office of the gov
ernor Of the Jail, where / had been TO get
leave to see my friend, and he was being
escorted from the place of detention under
the dock, when we met again under such
aEfullv changed circumstances, He re
c0gnized nae in a moment, turned aside
and sprang lightly past me-not suppos-
ing that | knew him-into his cell, which
was close at hand. | followed, and then
he turned round upon me almost savagely
demanding what | meant by intruding
upon him Don't you think | am sufi
ciently punished" he said, in a cold, hol-
low tone, without having the friends |
have disgraced coming here to gloat over
mef'
ooh, Charley" I replied, "you cannot
think that | have come with such mo-
tive Besides you have disgraced no one.
There is some horrible mistake; you are
not guilty, Charley, you know you're
not"
Were you over yonder when l was
tried p he asked:
'sYes but up to the very last did not
know it was you.
Have YOU heard the Judge say that ii
was impossibie for any man Of sense tc
doubt my guilt?
Il did, but
'But what?'
''Charley, you are not guilty, You a
thief
A faint smile crossed his face as spoke
thus but it quickly vanished, and he an
swered gravely, "None Of us can tell what
we may become; You see me as | am
| | had rushed to his side to give him my
| sympathy, to be Indignant with him against
| the conspiracy Of which | supposed hin
/ to be the victim; and to see him standing
/ before me thus coolly, without one word
OF THANKS OF greeting Eek I).iIiliI- hOIiiiiIS
| DENYING nothing, but rather giving me-
tacitly to understand that my presence
was unwelcome, and he would gladly be
! left alone-vexed me, AMI | replied:
tYou must have changed indeed from
what YOU were, if this is your recepticI
of an old friend, Charles Lawrence
Hush" he exclaimed seizing me b,
the arm. Never mention that name
I ial o
dav that Richard Thompson, the burglar
found himself in jail
'Do YOU mean to tell me that you hat
act or part in that robbery p
"a jury of my country have found m
guilty of il" he answered me moodily
lis not that enough?'
"Why did you not write to me2 VIII.
did you not defend yourself? Why, oh
Charley" / stopped, not knowing wha
to say.
Charley" I said; "look me in til
face
He did so.
s.Now, tell me, I continued, "and te'
me truly, implore you, by the memory {
our old friendship, what We're you doin
, that night at Thornbury Hall p
''Go and ask the Jud ge.'
''No; | ask you
"And ] will not indulge your curiosity
) wait till tomorrow, and you will find a
, about it in the newspapers. Confound
t man is it not enough for one day to b
! tried. convicted and condemned to b
transported for the best part of ones life
. without having a confession wrung out {
one, like this 2
Then you refuse to tell me the truth
/ 81 do.
Then it is net true that you partic
1 pated in the burglary? demanded sut
t denly.
A He blushed crimson, then suddenl
, turned deadly pale and stammered, Il
: vou-I-did not say so.
r But | am sure of il, | answered; 9:
{ sure that | mean to seek Arnold, and fin
\ out what YOU really were together abou
: He can have no object in conceaing tt
J. truth now, and then
f "Wellg'
). well. shall beg IN interview with Il
Y Judge. and tell him what ! suspect.
e And what do you suspect?
t THAT you were at Ihornbury Hall
: the time the burglary was committed b.
i were in nowise engaged IN its commI
4 sion"
nStor-razing I suppose