The Republican journal., 1869-07-08
SECRET MURDER.
From the New Orleans Picayunc.


ed of killing his wife. Although convicted,
| have always been doubtful if his sentence
were just. He came here a stranger; silent
and repellant in his manner, making no ac-
quaintance and stunning society. He was a
foreigner, too, speaking our language but inl-
perfectly, and relying solely for sympathy and
confidence on the beautiful woman whose
warm sunny, loveness seemed chilled by the
cold, rigid manners Of her husband. She
was very Young, too and those who knew
them best, from seeing them most, declared
that her glad utterances Were often frozen,
her childish laughter stilled, BY a gloomy
look or a stern command. He seemed man
at war with mirth, brooked no 10Y in his
too; for thoss- who saw how the young Great
nre gladdened when the sunlight flung its
beauty around her. when the flowers bloom
ed in her way, or Nature answered back her
smiles saw, too, her furtive glancc> to
if he noted the transient JOY she felt. and saw
her sadden at the frown she met.
One night the people in the house al which
they stad heard her scream in terror, but th,'
mans gloomy nature had made them fear to
enter his room unless invited, and several
minutes elapsed before they summoned cour-
age to ascertain the cause of her alarm.
When at last servant opened the door, the
young wife lay dead upon the floor, stabbed
to the heart, the man was gone. Mr.. 7. and
myself We're sent for at once and came I'M
mediatelv The window fronting the street
was open--a leap of nearly twenty feet to th.
banquette-but through this it was certain the
man escaped. The knife that still pierced
her heart was a Spanish dagger, and usually
| Law upon the mantle; its sheath was throw IL
upon the floor. 1t looked as if it had been
snatched up in sudden passion to Ito 4 drrd
of blood,
| Ii wa, late Al night and the woman A:d
been aroused from sleep. Her long gov il
was stained red with blood, and clung I" TIN
beautiful frame like winding sheet. buj
the face shone ashen in the gas light with
fear. There was borrow in the stony oru
! lines. and the parted lips seemed open for .,
cry of despair | shuddered A. | looked al
the spectacle. So young, So lovely. so tull ~
witching grace, one could hardly think be-
| ing beautiful could die.
! Only the day before [ had seen her, With
eyes flashing like the sunlight, a form ut
beauty, and laughter ripping like the SOM
of waters on her lips looking. indeed like {.
thing of beauty and JOY forever And
now she lay dead. noted well each marx
essential in the search | had To make, ant
then, sick nj heart, turned from the place IL
look for the murderer
| At the threshold [ met her hu>land /
put my hand on his shoulder:
| Iou are my prisoner.
''Sir, he Indignantly exclaimed, chow dar.
yonoi The tears were Vet in my eye, tn,
horror OF his deed still before my vision
| could scarcely retain my patience, hul
did.
Il arrest You, ,n', for The murder of youl
Wife,
His cry was like that of some wild animal.
as he sprung by me up the stairs and disap
peared in his lH,om The people stood grooli
ed around the dead bod, tender hands wash
ing of the blood stains These he hung
side and knelt, with a cry. IL her ~idr-a cry
like that despair might wiring from couragv
when hope had lied and lite was At lis eih =
cry like that '.of some strong swimmer in III
agony OF such a, virtue gives when hon
or'S fled. Sohbing, crying. calling her name
in accents pileouS and tender. he At last sunk
back, fanting and we carried him away.
II seemed so certain that he killed her that
none could believe him nno,ent but hi man.
ner showed no guilt Ii may have been IN
sanity, or another may have done the deed
but iury said ht did it, ~ the Years 70 bl
the mystery may be cleared hul my hear
acouits him now of the law less deed done
wears ago Ii robbed him of the only sun
) light his manhood knew it took from hi
path the only flower that gave lo him it. III
cense and perfume But he never dcnird j
only looked At You when h. was spoken to
in an aimlesS, wandering way aS if the -hocA
that had deprived him Of the only being thH.
he had loved had destroyed bis reason.
long years have passed since then hul thy
memory of that horror fingers IN my mind
an episode 50 sad and Wrctchcd that -hit
der Al the thought of it.