The Portland daily press., 1869-06-23
From the New orleans Picayune. ]

From the New Orleans P1cayune.1
A Detectives Experieuce-secrct Murder.
II once arrested man." said Mr.. f., ac-
cused of killing his wife. Although convict
ed, have always been doubtful If his SEN
tence were just He came here stranger
silent and repellant in his manner, making no
acquaintances and stunning society. He
was foreigner, too, speaking our language
but imperfectly, and relying solely for sympa-
ty and confidence ON the beautiful woman
whose warm, sunny loyeliness seemed chilled
by the cold, rigid manners of her husband.
She was very young, too, and those who
knew them best, from Eseeing them most de-
clared that her glad utterances were often
Irozen-her childish laughter stilled-by
gloomy look or stern command. He seemed
man at war with mirth, and brooked no joy
in his aIienated sympathies. She feared him
LOO Tor those who saw how the young crea-
ture gladdened when the sunlight flung Its.
beauty around her: when the flowers bloom
ed in hersway, or Nature answered back her
smiles; saw, too, her furtiye glances to see If
he noted the transient JOY she felt, and saw
her sadden at the frown she met. ga
One night the people in the house at which
they staid heard her scream in terror, but the
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, a servant opened the door, the
young wife lay dead upon the floor, stabbed
to the heart. The man was gone. Mr.I.
and myself were sent for at once. and came
Immediately. The window fronting the
street was open-a leap of nearly twenty feet
TO the banquette-but through this, it was
certain, the man escaped. The knife that
still pierced her heart was Spanish dagger,
and usually lay upon the mantle-its sheath
was thrown upon the floor. 1t looked as ifit
had been snatched up in sudden passion to Co
deed of blood.
1t was late at night, and The woman had
been aroused from sleep, Her long gown
was stained red with blood, and clung to the
beautiful frame like a winding sheet But
the face shone ashen in the gas light with
tear. There was horror in the stony outlines.
and the parted lips seemed open for cry OF
despair. shuddered as looked at the spec
tacle. So young SO lovely, SO full Of witch
ing graces, one could hardly think being SO
beautiful could die Only the day before /
had seen her, with eyes flashing like the sun
light, a form of beauty, and laughter rippling
like the songof waters on her lips, looking. in-
deed like q thing of beauty and joy i0rey-
er" And now she lay dead. i noted well
each mark essential in the search I had to
make, and then, sick at heart, turned from
the place to look for her murderer.
At the threshhold / met her husband /
laid my hand ON his shoulder:
You are my prisoner! ~
"Sir" he Indignantly exclaimed, show dare
your" M
The tears were yet in my eyes; the horror
of his deed still before my vision / could
scarcely retain my patience, but / did. aa1
81 arrest you sir, for the murder Of your
wifer' 81, -, ss ss'ss Il
His cry was like that Of some wild animal,
as he sprung BY me up the stairs and disap-
peared in his room. The people stood group
ing off the blood stains. These he flung aside
and knelt, with cry, at her side-a cry like.
that despair might wiring from courage when
hope had fled and life was at its ebb-a cry
like that "of some strong swimmer in his ago
N.Y." or such as virtue gives when honor's
fed. Sobbing, crying, calling her name in ac-
cents piteous and tender, he at last sunk back,
fainting, and we carried him away.
1t seemed SO certain that he killed her that
none could believe him innocent, yet his
manner showed no guilt. 1t may have been
insanity, or another may have done the deed
but jury said he did it. AS the years 90 by,
the mystery may be clea,ed; but my heart
acquits him now of the laWless deed done
years ago. 1t robbed him of the only sun
light his manhood knew--it. took from his
path the only flower that gave to him its In
cense and perfume. But he never denied it
only looked at you when he was spoken to,
in an amless, wandering way, as if the shock
that had deprived him of the only being that
he loved had destroyed his reason. A tlqs
Long years have passed since then; but the
memory of that horror fingers in my miad,
an episode SO sad and wretched that shud-
Ger at the thought of it,; s.as1 I9