Weekly Calaveras chronicle. (Mokelumne Hill, Calaveras County, Cal.) 18??-1874, 1867-10-05


receive the proper reward for so abom.
Unable crime
Oh [ said, this is all nonsense
Gerald's no murderer, or else he's very
much changed. I'll see what they say
at headquarters
DO, for Gods sake, 90. If anything
has happened to Gerald [ should never
forgive myself, for if l had run away
with him when papa was so cruel, be
never would have enlisted at ALL
Don't talk nonsense, Meggie, but &c
home, and I'll come with the telegraph
news
[ went to headquarters they gave
Inc permission to use the telegraph for
question or two. The report was not
encouraging.
1t was our Gerald-the officer had
seen the fash and heard the report
an extremely loud report, as if there
had been two charges of powder in the
carbiDe
The bullet was found in the saddle
and one cartridge was missing from his
twenty rounds. The Court martial had
declared him guilty, and the Generals
confirmation of the sentence had just
arrived Fifty lashes in the camp
square and four years Imprisonment in
civil Jail. Sentence to be carried out
on the 18th. Everybody very sorry,
but quite convinced he had tried to
murder his superior officer. No one
could understand With what motive
did not know what to think there
was more evidence forthcoming il day
or two, when We had the papers.
His statement il defense was that he
had Just been returning from guard
when he remembered that he had for
gotten to bring in a book one Of the
officers had asked him to bring in froui
the town, some three miles distant
Without stopping to think he walked
off at once, got the book, and was with,
in half mile Of the camp, when be
fancied he saw tiger. He got behind
the bushes 10 watch, and saw one MAX,
ing for the distant camp. Anxious 70
secure the prize, he incautiously broke
open one OF the packages and loaded, tc
have shot at it. He had covered the
beast, aud was firing at the tiger, when
lie heard another report simultaneously
with that Of his own carbine. He saw
the tiger roll right over as if shot, and
then bound away. In another instant
the officer came round the tope bleed
ing, and ordered him into arrest. lie
was quite sure that he hit the tiger,
and equally sure that another rifle was
fred at the same moment that he pull
ed the trigger.
OF course such lame statement had
no effect, and he was sentenced.
l could not help thinking that there
was flaw in the evidence. How was
it if there was, as agreed, loud report
which meant a full charge of powder
that the bullet stopped at the saddle
instead Of going through both saddle
and horse. That was great discrep.
ancy-a full charge would have made q
loud report, and sent it right through
anything at distance of 200 yards. /
felt there was something wrong, and
made up my mind to go on the spot. |
had but six days to go in, but much
might be done. Margaret insisted on
going with me in spite Of all [ could dc
to keep her away
Have I not done all you wished me
to do since we have heen out here
Do, for heavens sake, let me have my
way in this"
So We went up country in post haste.
| was, OF course, as one Of the Stall,
admitted to see poor Gerald, whom
found terribly cut up.
i don't mind the imprisonment ; It's
the disgrace The lashes BY God
shall kill myself directly | get loose after
it, I know [ shall
No, no, said Meggie; don't, fol-
my sake Oh, Gerald if you knew
how l have suffered for weeks past you
would live for my sake. | do not care
about the brand or the lashes know
you are innocent, and that there has
been some horrible blunder committed
in this matter. Oh, Willie, dear, dc
think Of something to save him.
ooh, do, there good fellow get
me some stuff that will make an end Of
me-
Don't talk of that, Gerald, there
some internal mistake in it. Don't
despair yet. Let's 90 over the ground
again step by step;' and [ made him
tell me the whole story over again.
1T seems to me. Gerald, we want but
few things to show you are not guilty.
We want the tiger you shot at, and that
we shan't get; and we want the clue to
the mystery of the other rifle
oh, I've thought of it all till I'm
sick. don care what happens now.
I'll wait till the day before it's to come
off and then break my head against the
walls
yes, I believe you innocent. Sc
does Margaret
yes; so are hundred others but
it's all no use In three days | am dis.
graced for life, if | live.
We'll, L must leave you now, and
see what l can do
Let me have FIVE minutes with
Meggie, will you
/ | left them alone for some ten min
utes, and then told Meggie she must &C
home with me.
[ was beaten I could not see how
could get any fresh evidence, and with
=