The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-04-10

fOSt In his nnnQ. Inc Dack OF the
visitor was turned to Mr.. Burnett. as
he entered. Rather surprised to see
q stranger conduct himself so like an
old friend of the house, Mr.. Burnett
said, aloud:
"Sir, may | beg to know your busi-
ness with me?"
The stranger turned round, and ad-
vanced to salute his host, warmly and
courteously. Mr. Burnett started
back, and uttered loud exclamation
OF surprise and alarm. Well he
might, for before him stood his old
friend and debtor, Clodomir, whom
he himself had followed to the grave.
What passed at that interview be-
tween Mr.. Burnett and his strange
visitor remained, for the time, q Sc
cret. MIR. Burnett was observed to
issue several times, pale and agitated,
from his dwelling, and to visit the
magistrate charged with the criminal
process of the colony.
In the course of that day, while
John Moon was regaling himself with
tea under the palm trees of his gar
den, In company with n Circassinn
female whom ho had bought some
time previous, ho was arrested and
taken to prison by the officers of JUS
ticc. On the following day, ho was
brought to the criminal court, ac-
cused Of robbing the late Clodomir
Frenois, the crime being conjoined
with breach of trust and violence.
Moon smiled ut the charge with all
the confidence of man who had no.
thing to fear. The Judge having de-
manded of him if he confessed tho
charge, the accused replied that the
charge was altogether absurd, that
clear testimony was necessary to fix
such crime upon him; and that, so
far from there being any such owl
dence produceable, neither tho widow
of the deceased nor any one person
In his service had ever heard the pre-
tended robbery even once mentioned
by Frenois during his life.
'Do you then affirm your inno-
cence?" repeated the Judge, gravely,
after hearing all that the other had to
say.
"I will avouch my innocence" re-
piled Moon, 'teven before tho body
OF my late master, if that be neces-
sary" Such thing often took place
under tho old colonial law.
"John Moon," said the Judge, in
q voice broken by some peculiar emo
ton. sit is before your late master
that you will have to assert your inno-
cence; and may God make the truth
appear!"
A signal from the Judge accompa-
MED these words, and immediately q
door opened, and Clodomir Frenois.
the supposed suicide, entered the
court. He advanced to the bar with
slow and deliberate step, having his
eye calmly but sternly fixed on the
prisoner, his servant. A great sensa-
tlon was caused in the court by his
appearance. Uttering shrieks of alarm
and horror, the females present fled
from the spot. The accused fell on
his knees in abject terror, and shud-
deringly confessed his guilt. For
time, no voice was heard but his.
However, as it became apparent that
living man stood before the court,
the advocate for tho prisoner gained
courage to speak. He demanded that
the identity of the merchant be es-
tablished, and the mystery of his
existence be explained. He said that
the court should not be biased by
what might prove to be n nero acci-
dental likeness between q man living
and one deceased; and that such nm
avowal as that of the prisoners, ex-
tracted in q moment of extraordinary
terror, was not to be held of much
weight "Before being admitted
here rs accuser or witness" continued
the advocate, addressing the resusci-
tated merchant, ''prove who and what
you nre, and disclose by what chance
tho tomb, which SO lately received
your body, mangled by bullets, has
given up its tenant, and restored YOU
to the world"
The firm appeal of the advocate,
who continued steadfast to his duty
under circumstances that would have
closed the lips of most men, called
forth the following narrative from
Clodomir Frenois:
"My story may be soon told, and
will suffice to establish my identity.
When discovered tho robbery com
mitted by tho accused, he had then
fled from the island, and I speedily
saw that all attempts to retake him
would prove fruitless. 1 saw ruin
and disgrace before me, md came to
the resolution of terminating my life
hefOrp tho avil dow oo,oo o. A,