Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-01-06


Of the prisoner, when caught sight of the
constable Ind sent in search Of her. He
nodded in reply to my look Of inquiry, and
al the moment slip of paper was placed in
my hand, on which was written, 81 have
cot her" ~
The trial went on, and as II proceeded, it
was not difficult TO see that the evidence for
the prosecution was telling icarfnlly against
the prisoner, in The opinions of the jurymen.
| cross excmined Levcrscdgc with such Sc.
verify that even the Judge seemed to think I
was abusing the privilege Of counsel, bu, the
fellow bad had too long time to think over
his tale to be shaken in II now. The case for
the prosecution WAS soon closed, and that for
the defense occupied the Court but a very
little while, All that had ,o.uge..was the
statement made hy the prisoner previous 10
his commttal, the no'orously bad character
Of the principal witness, and the greater
probability that a man of his strength and
tcrocity was the murderer, than that the
crime should have been committed by a com.
para,ively weak youth like the prisoner at
the bar, without nccomplices, and without,
so far as had yet been asccrtaincd, even n
weapon.
| There WAS the usual stir and excitement
in the Court when an interesting witness is
called, as Esther Leversedga took her place
in the witness box. think was never more
surprised at the personal appearances of any.
body. She was bold, coarse looking wo.
man, considerably older than the prisoner,
who, as have said. was Of prcpossessing
appearance, and with thai degree Of refine.
mcnt in the expression of his counteuancc
which indicated man of some education
When called uron to give her evidence, she
declared she had none to give. questioned
her on the prisoners statement, hut she ut
ter'y denied that she had met him ON the
1 n'cht III question, or. in short, that there was
not one word Of truth in wha, he said re
speciing her. ] was completely astouhdcd
at finding that had only callcda witness to
strengthen the case against my client, and
looked at him annoyed and angry that be
| should have deceived me with such false.
hoods; but there was an expression of such
/ intense astonishment in his racc, that want
ed no further evidence to provo that his tale
was true.
by a gesture, | called the attention Of the
jury TO this, aud after asking tho witness n
few more questions, with A. yisw Of eliciting
from her that she made these ds;,ia,s out OF
regard for, or through fear of her father, and
failing to get satisfactory answers, ! disa,is
sed her.
need not ds<crfbc the remainder &c what
took place hc summing up Of tho Judge
1 sho"edgthat ~ MAs not entirely without
he iy ma E s,y rsass ss'o II eai sai.y whf 6s
told them, pYsyi6na n III 4 condetAnation
that he courusvd III slhvtsS Sverdict AMI Or.
dsred the acctsad for exsestion With the
usual formalifies. -
| The grief 81 poor Cd Mr.. spHding WAS
the most painful thing etsf saw. = teiss
to comfort hin, by sssnri,g hsnsita be-
licved his son was ianpcens = I'D i'yl
to draw up petition to Tho At tss,cs
would exercise his prerogst5xcsa " So.
! solicited the inlncrcc iac'fs s{Iaa tLe
bar who wcrc ready sf.oti U III 49, On rs.
ceiving my assurance thar ass 4 l:J .lesi,t 0!
the pr'sonor's innocence Az ssosivh u ielt
snfe That ropggsse uoSld lrgiige sefofas il,e
day Fixed isF .tfa esnrbgioa. us5 After day
passed on stiiil thai fixed for Execution had
arr'vcd, hat siisl no roprieve and no refusal
TO grant asae had been received pnaeay.
ored in every possible way 10 dsl.y lie sxs.
cu'ion TO later hour, and Succeeded 10 4
certain extent, The rormalitics Immediately
preceding 1t were performed as slowly as pos.
sthIe; The prisoner was allowed to spend NJ
un"%p' n long period in prayer, and ever
when on The scaIIold he ms ght have proIong
cd his lie some minutes by addressing IA,
spectators; but he was worn ont by the ex
citemcnt he had undergone, and incapable O.
I speaking -.
! When the last act had been accomplished
went with the sheriff and chaplain to drink
g'ass OF wine, bcirg greatly depressed by
what had taken place. There were scyera
officials and a lcw of the principal person,
belonging to the county in the rooe,, wht
were discussing The argument for and arains,
my clients guilt. was leaving with the
sheriff, when the governor came to him " itt
letter addressed to the sheriff of the county
oi Glouccsior. The style in which il wa.
sddi SEQ and It's appearance showed Il was
J an official letter. looked over him as h,
opened 1t, with an anxiety which cannot b
cohceiVea-t was rcpricyc for llonr,
| Uo"dIng. looked a. my watch he hat
been hanging just twenty minutes.
| " tnrncd out that the reprigye had Lrer
addressed to the sheriff Of Ha,tforlshire in
stead OF Worcestershire, and was not rccciv
; cd 10y hin for some hours later than he MICH
!, have received IT, in consequence Of its hay
, ing been dropped into the post Office lettel
box after the letters for that night had beer
; removed. As soon as he had read il he sen
It 10y messenger, who had Travelled as fits
, as horses could go, but failed to reach Glou
ccster With II IN it was twenty minutes 10,
late. There is no doubt in my mind bu
that Henry Dowding was an innocent man.
- g
: From the Davenport Gazette. o.