The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1868-01-16

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distress aud goaded by conscience,
aggravated by tho presence Of
his doting wifc aud dependent chill
dren, until, at last, exhausted nature
could onddro no moro; when the angel
Of death kindly coming to his relief,
not rudely az he had demcanod him
self towards tho poor Indian, but
most gently with balmy consolation
on his wings, whispered softly to his
agonized soul, "Go depart enough
Of sclf-saori6ce and for an example
to fallen humanity" God only knew
the depth Of his oontritiou from cor.
roding remorse during that long year
of bod.riddon despair.
Peter Pork was indicted for the
offence at the April term Of the
Court of Common Pleas, 1880; aud
although defended by able counsel,
backed by the efficient zeal Of the
whole tribe Of Seneca Indians then
residing mostly in tho county. yot he
was convicted aud sentenced to i'm p.
prisoument in tho penitentiary for the
term of three years. The court, 10
passing sentence upon tho criminal,
stated explicitly that although il ap.
proved Of the verdict announced by
the jury, yot thoro were many cxtou.
uating circumstances in his favor,
which, having been duly con sidcrcd,
had induced the court to fix his con
6nement to tho shortest period pro-
vidcd by law for the offence of stab
bing with intent to kill"
The prosecuting attorney, was OF
the opinion that without the proof
clear aud convincing that tho wound
was incurable, Peter Pork would
quite probably have been acquitted
Indeed the opposing counsel used tn e
mitigating circumstances with such
skill and intensity as to give him
somo apprehension as to tho result of
the trial during its progress. But in
conducting the prosecution, ho did
not attempt to shield Or excuse the
conduct of Parker. lie porsistently
urged tho criminality of both; aud
denounced Parker as faithless to his
domestic duties aud social obliga
tions corrupting sappor Of the
public morals; aud altogether the
greater criminal of the two; but he
insisted that he had been already con-
demned,and was receiving punishment /
far more terrible in its severity than
it was within the power aud ingenuity
Of any human tribunal to inAict; that
Peter Pork ought not to escape SCOT
FREQ; that his punishment, at most,
could be only remotely disproportion.
ate to that of Parker; that the altcr-
cation having been continued for half
an hour or more and at times inter.
mitted, the stabbing could not be
considered involuntary; and hence
would be murder, wero Parker
already dead from it; and finally that
Parker being entirely unarmod, thoro
was no possible provocation for the
use of deadly weapon aud still less
under the circumstances to direct it
at vital part with impetuous vio-
Ience presaging certain death.
For several hours after tho rcndi.
ton of the verdict, aud while his
council were making an unaVailipg
effort to arrest the judgment, the
prisoner who had been previously
calm and apparently unconccrned, be-
came strikingly peusivc, mute, and
respondent. Finally the prosecuting
attorney moved the court to pass
sentence upon him. The sheriff con.
Quoted him forward to receive il; aud
tho interpreter took his position on
the witness stand. The prisoner was
attended by the chiefs Of his nation,
stately specimens Of native mo-
hility, who, dignifed yet depressed
with anxiety, stood like ministering
angels near his person in this; his
great tribulation. Despair was visi-
bio on every linoament of his face.
The natural ruby Of his manly cheeks
was blanched with terror His eyes
lost their wonted brilliancy. His
majestic form erect, motionless as
marble statue, was the observed Of
all Observers" But why this won.
derous change from serene indiffer-
ence, during the progress Of the
trial to such unmistakable despond.
ency2 Some attributed it to con-
sciousness Of guilt; others to the
effect Of antecedent assurances Of ac-
quittal by his counsel adequately dis
proved by their elevated moral and
professional character; and others
to his novel and unique positiOni but
ingenuity cOuld not nor did de.
tect its real unsophisticated cause.
Parker was now committing most
fsatfully with bis Maker and it was
meet that Peter Pork, the untutored
red-man Of the woods, agonized by
emotions no less potent, should com
mune with the Great Spirit, For to
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