The Shasta courier., 1869-11-06
NUMBER "a.

"They have given the verdict according
to their own honest convictions | do not
blame them for finding me guilty of MUIR
der Everything was against me. Yet /
repeat again that am an innocent man |"
He paused, and wiped away the moisture
that had started into his eyes Have YOU
anything more to say ?" asked the Judge.
Yes" replied Herbert, in frmer tone,
I" Will you allow me to address few
words to the principal witness against me?"
The Judge nodded his head in the afir-
native.
"John Clements" began the prisoner,
turning to his former friend and compan-
ion; "John Clements, you have done a
deed which only our Father in heaven can
pardon. Do not look at me with such a
scowling face and vengeful eyes. am
now beyond your vengeance. know that
L must die an ignominous death. know
that within few moments | will stand be-
fore the judgement seat of the Almighty,
and with these thoughts on my mind I
freely and fully forgive you for what YOU
have done to me. | do not car e to live.
since you have robced me of the dearest
treasure that have on earth. God saws:
Forgive thine enemies 1t is hard, hard
command to obey | ought not to have
said that you have robbed me of nv ioy-
no, Ella has only gone before me, and
within few hours l shall rejoin her in a
better world. John, once my best and
truest friend, do you still recoilect that
few years ago, when in the heat of battle
at Cerro Gordo, a Mexican vaquero had
thrown the lasso over yoar head and shoul-
ders and was dragging you towards the
chaparral, l jumped from my horse and cut
the deadly coil? AT that time you said,
Herbert, | owe my life to you Do you
recollect that few weeks before Ella, nv
dear, murdered Ella, came to this camp, I
again saved your life at the peril of my
own? Yes, bow your head upon your
breast. You dare not look into the face of
an innocent man. What did you say at
the time when 1 applied my lips to the
wound inflicted in your leg by the poison
our fangs of the rattlesnake ? You said
God bless you, Herbert; can l ever repay
you for what you have done?
Again the prisoner paused.
Let me out, let me out; am choking!'
exclaimed John Clements in shrieking
tone, as he started from his scat and sushed
through the crowd to the open door, Close
by he sank upon bench and buried his
face in his hands.
| have nothing more to say" conclud-
ed Herbert, sinking upon the bench.
Prisoner of the Vigilance Committee"
began the Judge, in solemn tone, "the
sentence of this Court is that within one
hour you shall be taken from this room to
the large oak tree near the hotel, and then
and there be-"
Hold for Gods sake, hold shouted
a voice, and about dozen miners rushed
into the crowded room. Three of the new
corners took hold of the arms of John
Clements and pinioned them to his side-
while another whispered few words into
his ear
It's lie, lie p shouted John Glenn.
ents, trying to free himself; but his en-
deavors were in vain. The next minute
young girl, pale ard wan, supported by two
men, entered the ROOM
was an eyewitness of the murder of
my dearest and best friend p beggan the
girl, in trembling tone. Then, pointing
to the still struggling John Clements, she
said: q He is the murderer Of Ella Tracy.
| saw him take the knife from the belt of
Herbert and thrust it into the bosom of nv
friend. He had caught glimpse of my
face through the half open door, and after
Herbert lad been taken prisoner he re-
turned and.seized me with violence. In the
struggle to escape from him tainted
When awoke | found that l was bound
hand and foot and thrown into an abandon
ed mining shaft. cried for help until
was hoarse, but no assistance came. | saw
that the stars began to disappear. Hour
after hour waited and prayed to God for
deliverance. The sun at last shone into
the shaft. Hour after hour passed away.
l began to prepare my soul for Heaven, for
starvation was staring me in the face, when
two miners came to the mouth of the shaft.
They threw in a small stone, which hit me
on the arm. | moaned with pain when it
hit me, but was not heard. 'We didn't
hear it fall said one. sIt,s very Deep
said the other, bending over the mouth Of
the shaft l saw his face. He caught
glimpse of my white dress. Somebody is
in there, cried he, and they both ran away.
But soon they came back with ropes and
drew me out ofmy living grave, and, thank
Heaven, came in time to save an inno-
cent man p concluded the little girl, who
was servant at the st. Charles Hotel.
Scarcely had she finished when the min
ers dragged John Clements out of the log
house toward the large oak near the hotel.
In vain were his pleadings for pardon. -
The crowd of exasperated miners knew no
mercy Ten minutes after, his corpse was.
dangling from the limb of the oak.
The writer OF the above narrative was
mere boy when he witnessed the principal
events described, but the terrible scenes
still remain distinctly impressed upon his
memory. The names of the locality and
Of the persons are assumed, but the main
occurrences have been given as they actual
ly transpired.
But little more remains to be said
Long did Herbert Tudor mourn the un-
timely death of Ella Tracy At length,
when his fair deliverer had grown nm to-