Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-10-04
O6lO: .Sstatesrlrart,
THE FATAL REsEMBLANCE
BY MARY GRACE HALPINE,

into a state of horror and excitement by
the cold bloOded murder Of one of its most
respected citizens, who was found in a
grove about half mile from his house,
shot through the chest. He lived long
enough to reveal the name of his murder
er, which sent a deeper thrill of horror
through the community than the event it
self.
The physician who was summoned to his
aid, d personal friend of the deceased, saw
at q glance, that medical skill was useless.
After striving In vain to stannch the flow
of blood, he bent his ear to the pale lips,
saying:
"Tell me, if you can, who it was that
shot yOuP' rAs.,f
The dying man turned his fast glazing
eyes upon young man who was standing
a few feet from him-a look of terrible re-
proach piercing through the gathering
mis is of death: ..r r..r .......
s. Richard Blakenr. t.r s..
AS he said this, his daughter Susan, who
was kneeling beside him, sprang to her
feet exclaiming: -.s.-..J Ma.
"No-oh, no! it cannot be! He did not
hear your question Alright, doctor. Ask
him again." ... .......-......
Doubling himself whether his ears had
not deceived him, DIR. Grey said:
l.. MY dear friend, this Is terrible charge
do you mean to say that Richard Blake
Is your murderer"
There was 1eath-like stiffness among
the group that surrounded him; every ear
was strained to catch the reply:
Yes I"
With the utterance of this one fatal SEN
tence the spirit departed.
Unable to endure this accumulation of
horrors, the daughter Of the murdered man
81, fl.,n .sarlta tal
less upon the body Of her departed father.
AS for the young man 80 solemnly ac-
cused by the lips now rigid in death, he
stood dumb and motionless, in reality by
horror and amaZement but as those pres
ent believed, by the smitiDgs of guilty
conscience. .... .. ...... o.
When the officers of the law approached
to take him into custody, he submitted
without resistance or the least remon-
STRANGE. ., .ls ...,.. ..
When Susan Huxton awoke from her
deathlike swoon, and recalled her fathers
dying words, the conviction sank heavily
upon her heart that maddened by the
taunts and reproaches of the chOleric old
man, Richard had given him the wound
that had terminated so fatally. But her
very first interview with him dispelled this
terrible fear, and she expressed the tirmest
convictions of his entire innocence. This
siding with one universally believed to be
her fathers murderer, was severely COM
mcnted upon by the community; but in
spite of this the heroic girl remained firm
and steadfast, cheering and sustaining the
mind of the prisoner by the assurance that
his innocence would yet be proved.
AS the day for the trial approached, she
reused herself from the grief OocasiOned by
tile loss of one of the most indulgenJ of
fathers; the hest of counsel obtained and
every means taken to unravel the mystery
that surrounded the whole of this intricate
affair. .a.. ...'.
What tended to inereaseth popular feel
ing of Indignation against the accused, was
the fact of his near kinship to the deceased; /;
he being the orphan sou of his only sister,
reared ana educated by him with all the
care and tenderness of father. When
Richard grew from an active, bright-eyed
boy to a strong stately youth, seemingly
endowed with more than usual excellent
qualities, of both head and heart, the old
gentleman not only viewed the attachment
that sprang up between him and his daugh-
ter, without disapprobation, but with
evident pleasure. 1t is true that of late
there had been some trouble between them,
aioA account of Richards determination 10
abandon the profession of medicine, to
which he had been educated, to bacome an
artist, for which he had strong inclina-
tion and no little genius, but no one ac-
quanGed with the parties anticipated any
serious difficulty .E
Thepapers had sent an account of this
terrible tradegy throughout the country,
and the painful circumstances attending it
made the trial Que OF peculiar interest. 1t
p had spread deep z oOm over the cOmmu-
nifty where it had occurred. The deceased,
though he had been noted for the wildness
of his early manhood, had been for many
, years universally beloved and respected.
Though Somewhat hasty in temper he was
generous and public spirited, and ever
ready to lend helping hand 10 the needy
aud unfortunate. AS for the prisoner, with
the exception of two years spent at a neigh
boring university. he had grown up in their
midst. Some of those NOW to sit in judg-
mentu ion linn had known him when he
was an Innocent happy boy, and fas. he
grew iniyears, had pointed him out to their
sons as aneXamplo worthy OF their imita-
tion. .ail.H tst -arH.. d ,
The dying words of the deceased had
made strong impression on tile eommu-
nifty, still there were many who entertain
ed the hope that, upon the trial, something
would b0rdevelOpeq which, if it did not
prove his innocence would at least palliate
his guilt. g.f.1. a.i.. s.. .s. .t.-
u A murmur of pity arose from the dense
crowd that filed the court room as the
prisoner was brought in. Confinement
and anxiety had done the, work of years;
that pale, haggard face, looked little like
the glad smile and eager glance so familiar
to many of them in other days. lie evil
IDENTIFY felt keenly the ignominy of his posi-
ton, for his cheek flushed and his glance
waVered bene ath the curious eyes that
were fixed upon him. BUTT was but for a
n moment, Raising his eyes they fell upon
the pale countenance of his betrothed. Had
p it been possible, very gladly would Susan
have taken seat at his side; sharlng his
shame and proving to all the world her
gaVeshim reassuring smile, which endued
him with strength aud tOrtitude to pass
f, through the ordeal before-him. rea, 10 ls.,..,
= The counsel for the accused left no stone
!, unturned, no effort, untried to destroy the
array of evidence that was brought for
ward-but as the trialproceeded, the hopes
that some bad cherished grew fainter and
{ fainter, until number who took q person,
. al interest in the prisoner, and who sup
p posed he had committed the deed in the
heat Of passion, urged him to confess and
u throw hfmselfupon the mercy of the court.
But this the accused, persisting In his inno-
cence, steadfastly refused to do.
o Besides the dying declaration of the mur-
5 dered man, which was sufficient, in itself
to convict him, there were other circuni-
stances that were strongly against him. A
I neighbor had overheard aviolent alterca-
tion between theprlsoner and the deceased