The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-11-10
Up. "rm regularly sold-the're quite

| he returned 10 tne uOlelJ anu dCCoiu
ing to his express orders, one moiety oi
his ill-omened booty was dressed in
savoury stew, and the other simply
roasted. Of both dishes he partoOk 81
heartily that not q vestige of either re-
mained, and he declared that he hat
never eaten more relishing food. From
that day the major became an object O.
uneasiness to some, of terror to others,
of curiosity to all. Whenever he aP
peared on the public promenade, every
one avoided him: at the theatre, hi
box was generally occupied by himself
alone; and each old woman that met
him on the street invariably stopped tt
cross herself. Major Vernon was never
known to enter a church, or accept III
invitation; at first he used to receive 9
good many of these, and the perfumec
billets served him to light his cigars.
Such, then, was the thirteenth jurol
drawn in the cause of Pierre Granger
and it may easily be understood why
the audience were moved at hearing the
name of Major Vernon. The paper Of
accusation, Notwithstanding drawn VI
by the attorney general with force
and particularly of description which
horrified the ladies present, was read
amid profound silence, broken only b!
the snoring of the prisoner, who had
cody settled himself to sleep. The
gendarmes tried to rouse him from his
slumber; but they merely succeeded in
making him now and then open his
dull, british eyes. When the clerk had
ceased to read, Pierre Granger was with
difficulty fully. awakened, and the pres,
ident proceeded to question him. The
interrogatory fully revealed, in all Its
horror, the thoroughly stupid fiendish-
ness of the wretch. He had killed bis
wife, he said, because they couldn't
agree; he set his house on fire because
it was cold night, and he wanted to
make good blaze to warm himself; as
to his children, they were dirty squall.
ing little things-nO loss to him or any
one else. 1t would be tedious to pursue
all the details of this disguting
trial. NJ. Louraugain and N. Leper-
vier both made marvellously eloquent
speeches, but the latter deserved
peculiar credit, having so very bad a
cause to sustain. Although he well
knew that his client was as thorough q
scoundrel as ever breathed, and that his
condemnation would be blessing to So
ciety, yet he pleaded his cause with oil
a lawyers cOnscientiousness. When he
got to the peroration, he managed to
squeeze from his eyes few rare tears,
the last and most precious, imagine,
which he carefully reserved for an espe-
cially solemn occasion-just as some
families preserve bottle of fine old
wine, to be drunk Mt the marriage OF
daughter or the coming of age OF son.
At length the case closed, and the pres
ident was going to sum up: but u" sverv
heat in court was L in need of refresh
ment. leave was given to the jury 10 re-
tire for half an hour, and the hall was
cleared for the same space OF time, In
order that it might undergo a thorough
During this interval,
while twelve of the jurors were cooling
with ices and sherbet, the
lighted cigar, and reclining
in an armchair, smoked away with the
gravity of Turk. =,
.Wiat capital cigarm sighed one OF
the jurors, as he watched, with an envi-
Gus eye, the odoriferous little clouds es-
Gaming from the smokers lips.
tWould you like to try one ~ asked
the major, politely offering his cigar
case.
'If it would not trespass oomuch on
your kindness"
"By no means. You are heartily well
come"
The Juror took cigar, and lighted it
at that of his obliging neighbor: -,
"Well, how do you like it," asked the
major. -.,
delicious 1t has an uncommonly
pleasant aroma. From whence are you
supplied'' .,.,.
now approached, casting longing eyes
at Major Vernor's cigar-case.
"Gentlemen," said he, 81 am really
grieved that have not sinale cigar
left to offer you, having just given the
last to our worthy friend. Tomorrow,
however, l hope to have fresh supply,
and shall then ask You to do me the
honor of accepting some"
At that moment, an official came in to
announce that the court had resumed
its sitting: the jury hastened to their
box, and the president began his charge.
Scarcely had he commenced, however,
when the juror who had smoked the ci-
gar rose and in n trembling voice beg
ged permission to retire, as he felt very
i'll. Indeed, while in the act of speak
ing, he fell backwards, and lay senseless
on the floor. The president, of course,
directed that he should be carefully con-
yeyed to his home, and desired Major
Werner to take his place. Six strokes
sounded from the old clock of the town
hall as the jury retired to deliberate on
their verdict in the case of Pierre Gran
ger. Eleven gentlemen exclaimed with
one voice, that the wretched assassin's
guilt was perfectly clear, and that they
Could not hesitate for a moment as to
their decision. Major Vernon, however,
stood up, placed his back against the
door, and regarding his colleagues with
peculiarly sinister expression, said
slowly
81 shall acquit Pierre Granger, and
YOU shall all do the samep
"Sir," replied the foreman in severe
tone, "you are answerable to your con-
science for your own actions, but do
not see what right you have to offer us
a gratuitous insult"
"Am then so unfortunate as to offend
Won Z" asked the major, meekly.
Certainly, in supposing us capable
of breaking the solemn oath which we
have taken, to do impartial justice. /
am man of honor" -l.lEE
"Bahw interrupted the major, care
vou quite sure of thatr
A general murmur Of indignation
arose. -, ....,. ,tE,s.
0Do YOU know, sir, that such ques-
ton is a direct insultT
"You are quite mistaken" said Major
Vernon. "What 1 said was drawn forth
by feeling of the solemn responsible
ity which rests with MS. Before l can
resolve to make dead body of living
moving being, I must feel satisfied that
both you and / are less guilty than
Pierre Granger, which, after all, is not
SO certain" rE.
An ominous silence ensued the majors
words seem to strike home to every
breast, and at length one of the jurors
said, "You seem, sir, to regard the ques-
ton from philosophical point Of
view"