The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-04-11

V ing for revenge. About l o'clock, m
It brother came reeling into the room fro!
one of his usual nightly revel'lngs: II
e was not long in getting in bed, and 500
$ his heavy breathing. told that he wa
enjoying a drunkard's sleep.
? "Towards " morning, after the moo
had gone down. | was SO much fatigue
] by my mental trouble, that | was abou
: to doze when was certain | saw a
| object on top of the verandah. cautiousl..
1 approaching the window OF our room.
lay in breathless anxiety, waiting 70
the next move, when soon a head, thel
an arm, and by degrees the Whole bod,
of a man was in the room cautiously ly al
vancing to the bureau, evidently ben
on plunder I was too much alarmed
to do, or even to think of anything f>
! a few moments. Not until after saw
him place something on the bureau, ane
begin to pick up The diamonds, whicl
were sparkling, ss though they might
be fragments of moon beam lingering
unwilling to leave this world. AS soor
as [ could collect my thoughts, l jump
ed out Of bed for the purpose Of arrest
ing the burglar, but before | could sue.
ceed in getting around the bed, he had
escaped out Of the open window. cried
stop thief p and soon was satisfied from
the hurrying footsteps I heard, that he
was being pursued. I then turned to
the bureau, and found his knife, dan
gerous looking weapon, lying thrown
cautiously down. Ipicked l it up, and
instantancously the thought flashed a.
cross my brain: Now is the time for
my revenge. l felt my brothers heart
beating very irregularly and quite hard;
the sound of each pulsation was quite
perceptible, he was still under the iudu-
ence Of the liquor he had taken the even
ing before all Of these thoughts flashed
through my brain in an instant. I was
crazy; I was mad. | plunged the knife
into his heart. A gurg!ing sound a
heaving of the heart; stiaed moan :;
and all was o~er. I had ny vengance
lf4Ie was dead, and l killed him. No
|Aalge taunts for me. | had told him
that would have my revenge, but it
came sooner than [ had anticipated.
"lly father, hearing my cry of Stop
thief ha@. gotten up and entered the
room, to ffM me&bent over the lifeless
body of my bss,Aer in apparent great
grief: His wit, startled by the noise,
rushed into the room, and Immediately
swooned at the sight Of her murdered
boy. A doctor was sent for, hut be pro-
nouneed the victim to be dad beyond
a doubt. In the midst of our excite
ment, an officer entered to see If we
could recognize some very valuable dia-
lnonds found in the possessiyn of the
burglar, whom they succeeded in ar
resting. They were my brothers. A
knife-sheath was also found on his per-
son, corresponding with the knife sound
in my brothers heart. The body re-
manned as it was until after the inaHest
was held that afternoon, at four o'clock.
l was the first person examined, and
narrated substantially what is ab0yss|
except that also said that i saw hinss
strike my brother with something which, |
to the best of my belief and knowledge,
was the knife now lying on the table
So ~ octor was next examined, and |
ha .the deceased came to his
death cut, inflicted by knife,
which pe< eted the left lobe of the
e, MY father pu1d tell nothing about
the occurrence. -s.-.4
1.-The officer Htitied, that, hearing
the cry, "Stop thiefR" coming from Mr..
Ms house, [ pursued a man running
from that direction, and as was near
ing him, he threw something into the
street; fired at him, snd he gave
Then, returning to where
| saw him ehsow the thing LIZ ad away,
found that diamond pin. rkearchsd
lis person, and these articles: M dia-
nond studs, a knife-slleath, brass-knac-
lie, etc. returned to Mr.. Ms house,
md found that the diamond belonged to
lis step-son.'
"The jury were not long in returning
verdict that, The deceased came to
lis death on account of a wound inflicted
y a knife in the hand of g.
,--n, now in confinement II
"The widest excitement prevailed in
he city. Threats We're made that the
risoner would be taken from the iail /
'ome were for immediate hanging. Ny |,
ars wers continually. assailed with
hreats and oaths pronounced against
he murderer, and I thought my brain te
'ould burst. Things went on this way t
ntil. the fnal trial came off. j
"Of course, I was called to the wit c
ess-stand, and gave my evidence the q
anne as at he ,nqaest. II vas sexerelx 9
ross-d 80 with qelele.
'eling I had previously borne towards t
re deceased; and the counsel for the C
efence endeavored to make that seri. If
us point, .AIhusslassoswg' little did he know a
eas right! But when the evil t
ence for the Commonwealth was brought =
'rward, twas too strong a chain "
lere was not link wanting; his en- h
ance into the room hasty retreat nv e
ath as to his striking the deceased !; the tt
nife found in deceased's heart sheath n
II he same found on person of prisoner: b
of deceased found on person Of Il
risoner; attempt of prisoner to effect Il