The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-11-04

" AT the land ONCE, which was some
sixty miles off, I met an old friend,
George C. He too had come to seek
his fortune in the west; aud we
were both delighted at the meeting
He had brought with HIM sum Of
money, which he desired to invest in
land, on which it was his purpose TO
settle.
4 expressed 4 strong wish to have
him for neighbor, and gave him a
cordial invitation to accompany me
home, giving it as my belief that he
could nowhere make better selection
than III that vicinity.
:'Ie readily consented, and we set
out together. We had not ridden
many miles when George. suddenly
recollected q commission he had un-
dertaken for a friend, which would
require his attention at a public sale
on the following day.
Exacting a promise that he would
not delay his visit any longer than
necessary, and having given minute
direction as to the route, continued
my way homeward, while he turned
back.
"I was about to Ietire to bed on the
night of my return, when a summons
from without called me to the door,
A stranger asked shelter for himself
and horse for the night:
"I invited him in. Though stran-
ger, his face seemed not unfamiliar
He was probably one of the men I
had seen at the land Office, place at
that time much frequented.
",Ofering him seat, went to see
to his horse. The poor animal, as
well as 1 could see by the dim star
light, seemed to have been hard used.
His painting sides bore witness of
merciless riding, and a tremulous
shrinking at the slightest touch, be-
tokened recent fright.
"On re-entering the house, found
the stranger not thereS His absence
excited no surprise; he would doubt
less soon return. 1t was a little sim
gular, however, that he should have
left his watch on the table.
cat the end of half all hour, my
guest not returning, l went out again
10 the stable, thinking he might have
found his way thither to give personal
attention to the wants of his horse.
"Before going out, from mere force
of hab1t-for we were as yet. unin-
tested by either thieves OF policemen,
l took the precaution Of putting the
strangers watch in drawer in which
l kept my own valuables.
II found the horse as I had left
him, and gave him the food which he
was now sufficiently cooled to be al
lowed to eat, but his master was no.
where to be seen.
"As [ approached the house, a
crowd of men on horseback dashed
up, and was commanded, i'll no gen.
tie tone, to stand 7 In another mo-
who claimed me as their 'prisonerp
81 was too much stupefed at first
to ask what it all meant. II did so at
last, and the explanation came. 1t was
terrible!
"My friend, with whom | had so
lately set out in company, had been
|
spot at which I, but alone, knew we
had separated. I was the last person
known to be with him, and I was now
arrested on suspicion of his murder !!
"A search of the premises was i'm
nediately instituted. The watch was
found in the drawer where l had
placed it, and was identified as the
property of the murdered man. His
horse, too, was found in the stable,
for the animal l had just put there
was none other. | recognized him
myself, when l saw him in the light.
"What l said I know not. My con-
fusion was taken as additional evi-
dence of guilt. 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 sometimes contents itself
with a lynching charaeteE But what
ever its form, it is always relentless,
pitiless, cruel.
Gas the proofs of my guilt, one af-
ter another, came to light, low NUT
terings gradually grew into c!amor
for vengeance; and, but for the firm
ness of one man-the officer who had
me in charge-I would doubtless have
paid the penalty of my supposed Of
; fense on the spot.
"It was not sympathy for me that
: actuated my protector. His heart
was as hard as his office; but he rep
resented the majesty of the law, and
took q sort of grim pride in his posi-
ton.
CAS- much under the glance of his
: eyes as before The muzzle of his pistol,
, the cowardly clamorers drew back
Perhaps they were not sufficiently nu-
merous to feel the full effect of that
: mysterious reflex influence which
makes crowd OF men so much worse
and at times so much better than any
; one of them-singly.
* X * x
, At the end of some months my tri-
al came on. 1t could have but one re-
: sult. Circumstances too plainly de-
: clared my guilt. l alone knew they
| lied.
| "Thc absence of the jury was very
< brief. To their verdict paid but lit
, tie heed. 1t was single hideous
word but I had 1onu anticinated II