The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-07-15
BELFAST MAINE. THURSDAY, JULY Is 1869

of putting the strangers watch in drawer
in which kept my own valuables.
81 found the horse as had left him, and
gave him the food which he was now sulfici-
emily cooled to eat, but his master was no.
where to be seen
"As approachedthe house crowd of men
on horseback dashed up, and was command
ed, in no gentle tones to ''standn' In another
moment | was in the clutches of those who
claimed me as their prisoner.
II was too much stupeiied at first to ask
what it all meant | did SO at last, and the eN-
planation came, it was terrible
My friend, with whom had SO lately set
out in company. had been found murdered
and robbed near the spot at which |, but |
alone knew we had separated | was the
last person known to be With him, and was
now arrested on suspicion Of his murder.
"A search of the premises was immediate
" instituted The watch was found in the
drawer in which 1 had placed il, 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 recognized him myself when saw
him in the light
What said, l know NJ. My confusion
was taken as additional evi ,ence. And when,
at length, l did command language to give
an Ineligible statement. it was received
with sneers Of incredulity.
"The mob spirit is inherent in man--at
least in crowds of men. 1t may not always
manifest itself in physical violence. 1t some
times contents itself with lynchng a charac-
ter. But whatever its form, il is ALWAYS re-
lentless, pitiless. cruel.
Gas the proofs of my guilt one after an
other, come to light, low mutterings grad
ually grew into a clamor for vengeance; and
but for the tirmness Of one man-thc officer
who had me in charge-I would doubtless
have paid the penalty of my supposed offence
on the spot.
'1t was not sympathy for me that actuated
my protector. His heart was as hard as his
office; but he represented the majesty of the
law. and took a sort of a grim pride in the
position.
"As much under the glance Of his eye as
before the muzzlc of his pistol, the cowardly
clamorers drew back. Perhaps they were
not sufficiently numerous to feel the full effect
Of that mysterious reflex influence which
makes crowd OF men so much worse and
at times so much better, then 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.
1.-The absence OF the jury was brief. 70
their verdict l paid but little heed. 1t was a
single hideOus word but I had long antci-
pated it, and it made no impression
'As 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 too lust
to vouchsafe sounded like the hollowest of
hollow mockeries.
at may be hard for the condemned crimi-
nal to meet death; it is still harder for him
shock is over acquiesces in his doom, and
gives himself TO repentance the heart Of the
other filled with rebellion against mans in
justice can scarce bring itself to ask pardon
of God
81 had gradually overcome this feeling, in
spite of the good clergyman's irritating ef-
forts, which were mainly directed towards ex-
tracing a confession, without which he as
sured me, he had no hope to offer
"On the morning Of the day fixed for my
execution, felt measurably resigned. had
SO long stood face to face with death had SO
accustomed myself to look upon it as a mere
licitous save that my memory should one dav
be vindicated
"She for whom l had gone to prepare d
home had already found one in Heaven. The
tidings Of my calamity had broken her heart
She alone Of all the world believed me inno-
cent; and she had died with a prayer upon
her lips, that the truth might vet be brought to
light.
"All this l had heard and it had soothed
as with sweet incense my troubled spirit.
Death, however unwelcome the shape, was
now portal beyond which l could see one
angel waiting to receive me.
i II heard the sound of approaching foot
steps and neryed myself to meet the expected
summons. The door of my cell opened, and
the sheriff and his attendants entered He
had in his hand q paper. 1t was doubtless
my death-warrant. He began TO read it. My
thoughts were busted elsewise The words
FULL AND FREE PARDON were the first to
strike my pre-occupied senses. They affect
ed the bystanders more than nv self Yet so
it was: I was pardoned for an offence | had
never committed.
The real culprit none other, it is needless
to say, then he who had sought and abused
my hospitality, had been mortally wounded
in recent affray in distant city, but had
lived long enough to make disclosure, which
!, had been laid before the Governor barely in
time to save me from shameful death, and
condemn me to a cherries, and burdensome
life.
? This is my experience, My judgment. as
yours in the case before us leads to but one
conclusion, that Of the prisoners guilt; but
not less confident and apparently unerring
was the Judgment that falsely produced my
own"
We no longer importuned our fellow. juror,
but patiently awaited our discharge on the
ground OF inability to agree, which came at
last
The prisoner was tried and convicted at a
subsequent term, and at the last moment con-
tessed his crime on the scaffold
AN OLD ELEPHANT AvENGING AN INSULT
TO Young One. The Milwaukee Wiscon-
sin of June 90 relates the following addition
al illustration ofthe wonderful sagacity Of the
elephant:
The elephant Romeo. who paid our city a
visit on Saturday, and who has won quite a
reputation for cutting up started q sensation