, 1869-05-14
He fell back a few PAGES With the ercIa.

tate the conduct Of the children shortl,
before. They rallied, however, at his sum
mons, und fell vigorously to work to exhum,
the body A few shovelsfull of earth, and
she BODY OF woman, without shroud or cof
nn, out full dressed in the ordinary garments
OF life, was exposed About the body was 4
white substance plentitully sprinkIed, aud
was found to be chloride Of lime, doubtles,
P'aeed there to insure speedy decomposition
Every one recognized poor Nancy Buck
son, aLd saw the IigId aud livid mark on The
neck pointed out by the Squire II va,
plain that she hsd.been murdered nv strau.
gulatioii, and tossed, dressed ss she was II
me momeut OF her violent death. into the
r1de grave where the d z had found her.
The neighbor, Pauls, nnw recalled tho
quarrel of the preceding d1y, and told how
Captain John had stOnd before the anyrv wo.
man. playing with the whipcord. The cot,
fsge was searched, aud a cord was found
lying on the hDOr of the room. which when
tried upou the wnmans neck fitted cxqctly
the ridsed and lvid circle Iu the cellar
was II quantity of white substance precisely
similar To- that found in the grave. and those
articles belonging to Mrs. Buckson found
upon the cnrpSe were mi-,inI from the house
There could be no more doubt as tu the
criminal than the crime.
Captain john Burk>on WIS not found in
The village nor in Prnvidrnce but it was
certained that he had sail d with his sloop
and tn" presumption was raised that he in
tended tn touch at New York, and there
leaving the vessel seek to elude theof6cars
OF the law III the abyrinths Of the great CITY,
a messenger was therefore dispatchrd In
great naste 10 reach the city before him,
with requsition for his arrest
This authority was placed in the hands of
Police Captain Leonard-the officer referred
to In my preomble-who searched dilliu.ntIv
among the shipping until he found the sloon
Oregon" " moored at an East River pier
Calling on board Captain LeouArn greeted
Buckson who was seated on the deck.
Good day sir"
The sailor scarcely looked up as he re-
turned the Salutation.
| am sorry to trouble you but have a
warrant for your arrest"
Arrest. For what 2"
The exclamation and succeeding question
were those Of phlcgmatic man slightly as.
toniShed
For the murder of your wife"
Murder of my wife, Squire, that can
not be. Nancy isn't dead"
Yes she iS-strangled with cord"
Buckson rose to his feet, and looking the
officer steadily 10 the face, said slowly aud
solemnly:
esquire, if Nancy's dead don't know it.
| had quarrel with her the night l left
and gave her piece of my mind but God
is my witness that didn't put a hand upon
her :"
The officer looked looked with some inter
est upon mau who could thus deny a crime
with which he was so clearly linked BY cir
cumstancial evidence, but without further
parley took him from the sloop and placed
him in the cell Of the station house lie
made no resistance, aud did not trouble him
self to again volunteer any prote,tation of
his innocence. While in the station house,
and during the journey to PrOvideIce, when.
ever the question was directly put to him,
be always denied his guilt in the same en-.
phatc terms, but he was never the first to
broach the subject, aud it twas especially no.
liced that never made any inquiry Tor the
details of the murder.
When the officer and his, charge arrived
at Seak INK, the latter seemed amaZrd to find
himself the object Of universal execration.
When he reached the village and while he
walked beside his captor through the street
towa ard the jail, he was surrounded by
hoOtihg mob that p,lted him with oppro>
brous cpirhets and with difficulty was re'
strained from ding Violence to his person.
tie bore himself brIvely aud undIsmayed
through it ALL But his conduct was noted
only to his dScredt. and the citizens could
not remember any hardened wretch who had
ever so faunted his c.ime 10 the face Of un
outraged people.
In due time the grand jury was convened
and hiS ease considered There was no
more doubt of his guilt in that ofic al body
than in the community at large, aud h.. was
formally indicted foo the murder OF Nancy
Buck>un.
When the news was taken to him in his
cell hp only said: "uod's will be- done !"
His perfect resignation had. bv this time,
won slightly on the jailor's heart, aud lie
inquired if he did mt wish to engage cuun-
sci tn defend him at the approaching Irial
Bucksun's face frightened with the first
faint sign of sympathy, but he answered:
L shank yoI friend. but don't need a
lawyer. God knows am innocent of this
crime, and He will prove it in his own good
time"
The day appointed for the trial of the
prisoner was close at hand, when the quiet
village was startled by new terror One
pleasant Setember morning ghost descend.
ed from the Eastern coach and wake d
leisurely, with every semblance of life, up
the street to the long deserted cottage. 1t
was horrible ghost, for it nodded familiar
greetings to several persons it met on the
way, and once triedIto pat shrinking child.
1t almost seemed endowed with human pas
sions, for many were ready to make oath
that they saw its cheek flush with anger
when it found the entire town avoiding it in
unconcealed terror. But it was persistent
ghost, for it walked steadily on until it
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