The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-03-29

returned with the intelligence that ;
stranger, who seemed desirous o.
keeping bis person concealed, wished
to speak with Mr.. Burnettin private
Mr.. Burnett rose, threw on his dress
ing gown and deccnded to the parlor
lie saw there a stranger, tall per.
son, seated in an easy and familiar
attitude upon sofa, with copy oI
the Morning Post in his hand. The
back of the visitor was turned to Mr.
Burnett as he entered. Rather sur
prised to see stranger conduct him.
self so like an old friend of the house
Mr.. Burnett said aloud, "Sir, may
beg to know your business with
mcI'
The stranger turned round and al
Nanced 10 salute his host warmly and
courteously. Mr.. Burnett started
back and uttered loud exclamation
of surprise und alarm. Well he
might for before him stood his old
friend and debtor, Coldomir, 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. Mr.. Burnett was observed to
issue several times, pale and agitated,
from his dwelling, and to visit the
magistrate charged with the criminal
processes of the colony.
In the course of that day, While
John Moon was rcgaling himself with
tea under the palm trees of his gar
den, in company with a Circassian
female whom he had bought some
ii nc previously, he was arrested and
taken to prison by the officers OF
justice. On the following day he was
brought before the criminal court,
accused of robbing the late Codomir
Frenois, the crime being conjoined
with breach of trust and violence -
Moon smiled at the charge with all
the confidence of man who had
nothing to fear. The judge having
demanded Of him if he confessed the
crime, the accused replied that the
charge was altogether absurd, that
clear testimony was necessary to fix
such a crime upon him; and that, So
far from there being any such evi.
dcncc produccable, neither the wild
ow of the deceased, nor any one per.
son in his service, had ever heard
the pretended robbery even once
mentioned by Frenois during his
life.
"Do you then affirm your limo.
cence?' repeated the judge, gravely,
after hearing all that the other had to
| say.
IL will avouch my innocence" re
piled Moon, "even before the body OF
my late master, if that be necessary.
Such thing often took place under
the 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 in.
nocence; and may God make the
truth appear
A signal from the judge accompa
MED these words, and Immediately Il
door opened and ClodonIir Frenois,
the supposed suicide, entered the
court lie advanced to the bar with
slow and deliberate step, having his
eye calmly but sternly fixed on the
prisoner, his servant. A great sen.
sation was caused in the court by his
appearance. Uttering shrieks OF
alarm and horror, the females pres
ent fled from the spot. The accused
fell on his knees in ahject terror, and
shudderingly confessed his guilt. Fol-
time no voice was heard but his
However, as it became apparent that
a living man stood before the court,
the advocate for the prisoner gained
courage to speak. lie demanded
that the identity of the merchant be
established, and the mystery Of his
existence be explained. He said that
the court should not he biased by
what might prove to be mere ac-
cidental likeness between q man liv-
ing AMI one deceased; and that such
an avowal as that of the prisoner eX.
tracted in moment of extraordinary
terror, was not TO he held of much
weight "Betore being admitted
here as accuser or Witness" contin-
ued the advocate, addressing the re
suscitated merchant, "prove who and
what you are, and disclose by what
chance the tomb which so lately re-
ceived your body, mangled by bull
lets, has given up Its tenant and re
stored you to the world in life and
health"
This firm appeal of the advocate,
who continued steadfast to his duty
under circumstances that would have
closed the lips of most men, called
forth tie following narrative from
Clodomir Flenois: "My story may
be soon told, and will suffice to es-
tablish my identity. When l dis.
covered the robbery committed by
the accused, he had then fed from
the island, and l speedily saw that
all attempts to re.take him would
prove truitless. / saw ruin and dis.
grace before me, and came to the
resolution of terminating my life be
fore the evil day came. On the night
on which this determination was
formed, was seated alone in my
private chamber. l had written {
letter which was found on my table