The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-11-13

guiltness of this dark crime upon him, then it
was that the fendsh genius of the district attor-
be confronted with the face of his victim; the
pale features and Sunken eyes should meet him
at unexpected moments; the grim head SHOULD
be popped at him from beneath common table
blankets and out Of prison buckets; 1t should be
rolled at him in his couch and presented to his
Mortified vision in the dead Of night; thus it was
hoped confession might be wrung from MIN In
the startled moments of his dread when this un-
earthly object should be thrust upon him. And
this scheme was carried out. ] have it through
one OF the gentlemen most prominent in the
prosecution, that the prisoner before his trial
wanted to wash his hands one day, and the
with all that was left OF the murdered man
Fuerter. Maurer, when he repeated the second
time his request was sent into an adjoining cell,
where he was told he would find bucket of water.
He went and he was watched. AS he stopped to
dip his hand in the pail the hdeous face was
there-the grizzly features marked with the hor-
ror Of the death struggle. There was terror mark
ed on the face OF the poor prisoner when ne ran
out of the cell from the ghostly bucket, but his
laughing spectators saw or heard nothing that
they could construe into proof his guilt. Again,
when he sat in the hall OF which his cell opens,
blanket suddenly lifted from the table by him re-
vealed again the cadaverous head. How horrible
is this story in the recital When heard it from
the lips OF one of the most reliable and estlmabe
citizens Of the county, felt terror that II Is
hard for me now to describe or % realize. what
must have been the horror of the puny little pris.
oner when lie met in that gloomy cell the gaze OF
the deathly eyes is more than care to imagine.
could hardly credit these facts, but when learn.
ed that the head Is still within the prison, and
when was shown the can in which 1t is still pre-
seyyed, could no longer doubt that in Rockland
County they have discovered new method OF
procuring proof in cases Of crime.
The district attorney, under whose directions
these little incidents were carried out, is young
man-very young and ineXperienced-and was
appointed to fill vacancy by Governor Fenton.
1t is currently reported that his appointment was
made upon the reception OF telegram by the
Governor, and that 1t was then supposed that the
person named in the dispatch was the appointee's
father who is very respectable gentleman.
Some OF these strange runlors coming TO the ear
OF the French Consul General in New York. he visit
ed the prisoner few days ago In company with
large party OF French gentlemen. 1t Is rumored
that he promised the prisoner to use his inhu-
ence In procuring demand for new trial and
fair play for his fellow -countryman, for 1t Is
stated that there were other "irregularities' con-
nected with the trial and the evidence, which
gave Just grounds for the demand. That there
cannot be much doubt as to Maurcr's completely
in the murder, firmly believe; but 1t Is also Ger
tain that his conviction was accomplished by
circumstances that are blot upon our clvillza-
ton. The French residents OF New York are deeply
interested in the case, and Maurer receives daily
packages Of wine and food from them. He is
visited also frequently by parties OF Frenchmen,
who are anxious to assist him In obtaining fair
play. Maurer has made two or three confessions,
but since the visit OF the French Consul he has de-
cllned to venture any information. The state
ments that he made are conflicting in almost
every particular, and there are those here who
believe that the prisoner had become partially de-
ranged by his confinement and his incessant
thinking over OF the testimony brought forward
against him. His conversation Is certainly wan
dering, and sometimes insane. The same estima-
BILE lady, who took his confession in the French
language now visits him from time to time to
time to pray with him and offer him religious in
struction. He appeared to be well schooed In
the doctrines Of his church, repeating the con-
fession OF faith and his prayers with great nuency