St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-10-22
VOLUME 33 NUMBER 1850

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and the explanation came-it was terri,
Bile
My friend, with whom | had so lately
set out in company, had been found mur-
dered and robbed near the spot at which
l, but L alone, knew we had separated
| was the last person known to have
been with him, and | was now arrested
on suspicion of his murder.
y search of the premises was immedi-
ately instituted. The watch was found
IN the drawer in which had placed it,
and was identified as the property of the
murdered man. His horse, too. was
found in my stable, for the animal had
Just put there was none other. | recog-
mzed him myself when saw him in the
light
What said know not My confu
sion WAS taken as an additional evidence.
And when, at length, | did command
language to give an Ineligible story, it
was received with snecrs of increduity.
The mob spirit is inherent in man-at
least in crowds of men. 1t may not al
ways manifest itself in physical violence.
1t sometimes contents itself with lynch
ing character. But, whatever its form,
1t is always relentless, ptIless, cruel
As the proofs Of my guilt, one after
another, came to light, low mutterings
gradually rev into Il clamor for vcuge-
ance, aud but for the firmness of one
man-thc officer who had me in charge
i would doubtless have paid the PEN
atty OF my supposed offence on the spot.
1t was not sympathy for me thatjactuat-
ed my protector. His heart was hard "a
his office; but he represented the majes-
ty oi the law, and took sort of grim
pride in the position.
~ much under the glance of his eye
a before the muzzlc OF his pistol, the
cowardly clamorers drew back Per-
haps they werc not sufficiently numerous
10 feel the tull effect OF that mysterious
reflex influence which makes a crowd of
men 50 much worse, and at times 50
much better, than any one of them singly.
AT the end OF some months my trial
came. 1t could have but one result.
Circumstances too plainly declared my
guilt. | alone knew they lied.
The absence OF the jury was brief
To their verdict | paid but little heed.
1t was a single hiieous word; but had
long anticipated it, and it made no I'M
preston.
y, little impression was made by the
words OF the judge which followed it;
and his solemn invocation that God
might have that mercy upon me which
man was tCo just to vOuchsate, sounded
like the hollowcst of hollow mockcries.
1t may be hard for the condemned
criminal to meet death: it Is still harder
for him who Is innocent. The one,
when the first shock is over. acquieSces
iii ms doom, and gives himself to repent
ance; the heart of the other, filled with
rebellion agains; mans injustice, can
scarce bring itself to ask pardon OF God.
| had gradually overcome this feeling,
III spitc Of the GOOD clcrSymun's irritable
efforts, which were mainly directed tow
ards Extracting IL confession, without
which he assured me he had no hope
to oiler.
On the morning of the day fixed for
my execution, | felt immeasurabiy re-
signed. | had long stood face to face
".th death, had 50 accustomed myself
to look upon it As merely momcntary
pang, that | no longer te.t solicitous,
save that my memory should one day be
vindicated.
She for whom L had gone to prepare
home had already found one in heaven.
The tidIngS OF my calamity had broken
her heart. She alone of all the world
believed me innocent and she had died
with prayer upon her lips that the
trulh might yet be brought to light.
All this | had heard, and it had sootl-
ed as with sweet incense my troubled
spirit. Death, however unwelcOme the
shape, was now portal beyond which
could see one angel waiting TO receive
me.
heard the sound Of approaching foot
steps and nerved myself to meet the cx-
pcctcd summons. The door Of the cell
opened, and the sheriff and his attend
ants entered. He had III hi, hand IL pa
per. 1t was doubtless my death war
rant. He began to read it. My thoughts
were busted elsewhere. The words
..JuH and free pudon' were the first to
strike my prcoccupicl senses. They al
fectcd the bystandcrs more than myself
Yet So it was. was pardoned for an
offence | hal never committed.
The real culpril, it is needless to say,
WAS none other than lie who had sought
and abused my hospitality. He had
been mortally wouudcd in a recent at
fray in Il distant city, but had lived long
enough to make disclosure, which had
been laid before the Governor barely i'll
time to save me from a shameful death,
and condemn me to u cherries and bur
dcmsome lie.
This is my experience. My judi
ment, rs yours in the case before Us,
leads TO out one conclusion, that OF the
prisoners guilt but not less confident
and apparently unerring WAS the judy
ment that falsely produced my own"
We no longer importuned our fellow
juror, but patiently awaited our dis
charge on the ground of inability 10 agree,
winch came at last.
The prisoner was tried and convicted
at Il SUBSEQUENT term, and at the last mo-
mcnt confessed his crime on the ScattOld,
An old man whose sight was defective
and had to use glasses, was reading
newspaper on the train between Wheel
ing. Va, and Washington, few days
ago. When the cars reached the first
.......l IL, nnirL .ii.anl1naranrc nf thn