Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-05-23

neighD0rhOOu OI Montgomery, an an
| Gent manor-house called Oakfeld,
which, like many Of those old struc-
lures, losing its original Importance
from the increased size and convent
ence OF modern buildings, had been
| converted into q farm house. The late
occupant, one james Morris, had been
an INDECENT and somewhat d~issipated
man; the farm consequently fell into
neglect and became improbable, and
he died in debt, leaving his wife and
only daughter in possession of the
place. Shortly after his death the
widow took into her employment a
young man from Staffordshire, of the
name Of John Newton, the hero of
this little story, who had been strong
ly recommended to her by her brother;
and well and faithfully did he dis
charge his duties rs baiIif, fully JUS
tifying the praise and recommends
tiOns she received with him. He was
an utter stranger in that part of the
country, seemed studiOusly to shun
all acquaintance with his neighbOrS,
and to devote himself exclusively to
his employer. He never left home
but to visit the neighboring fairs and
markets, and to attend the parish
church, where his presence was regu-
lar and his conduct devout. In short,
though highly cireumspect in his be-
haviOr on all occasions, he was q mel
anchOly, reserved man, and even the
clergyman of the parish, to whom he
was always most respectful in his de-
meanOr, entirely failed in making ae-
quaintance with him. The farm under
his management had improved, and
become profitable; and the circum-
stances of Mrs. Morris were, by his as
siduity and skill, both prosperous and
iOurishing. In this manner more
than two years had passed, and the
widow began tOTegard him more Is a
friend and benefactOr than 4 servant,
and was not sorry to observe her
daughters growing affection for him,
which appeared to be reciproeated.
One evening in November, 1921, being
detained longer than usual by business
at Welshp0Ol, Newton, he set out about
six O'Clock to walk home to Oakfield.
1t was an exceedingly dark night, and
he never reached home again. His
family became very anxious, and upon
inquiry early the following morning
at Welshpooi, they aseertained that
he had been brought back to that
town not long after his departure from
it, by two men named Parker and
Pearce, who charged him with high
way robbery, accompanied by viO-
lenee, an Offense then punishable with
death. At the trial of the next assize
he was pronounced guilty, on. the testi-
mOny Ofthese two persons, Which was
clear. positive and consistent through
out, was sentenced to be hanged, and
left for execution. He employed no
counsel, and called no witnesses in his
defense; but upon being asked by the
Judge, in the usual form, "If be had
anything to say why sentence of death
should not be passed upon him." he
made, in substance, the following X
traordinary speech: "My lord, it
is evident all | could say in
Opp0si<RR to such testimony
would De in vain and hopeless.
The witnesses + men of reSpecta-
biIity, and their evidence has ap-
peared plain and conclusive, and my
most solemn prote5tationS of inno-
cence would avail me nothing. 1
have called no witnesses to character,
and upon such evidence the Jury could
pronounce no other verdict. | blame
them not. From my soul L forgive
those men upon whose false testimony
l have been convicted. But, my
lord, | protest most selemnly before
this court. before your lOrdship, and
above all, before that God in whose
presence | must shortly appear, l am
entirely guiltless of the crime for
which am about to suffer. l have
produced no oneto speak in my behalf.
Two years have scarcely passed since
l came to this country an utter
stranger. l have made no acquain-
lance here beyond the household in
which | have been employed, and
where 1 have endeavored to discharge
my duties faithfully, honestly and
well. Although l dare not hope, and
do not wish, that my life should be
spared, yet it is my devOut and earn
est desire that the stain Of this
crime may not rest Upon my
name. 1 devoutly hope that my good
mistress and her kind and excellent
daughter may yet be convinced that
they have not nourished and befriend-
ed a highway robber. L have, there
fore, in humble devotion, offered g
PRAYER to Heaven, and l believe it
has been heard and accepted. l ven
ture to assert that if [ am innocent Of
the crime for which I suffer, the grass,
for one generation at least, will not
cover my grave. My lord, l await
your sentence without a murmur,
without a sorrow; and [ devoutly
pray that all who hear me
now may repent of their sins, and
meet me in heaven" The unfortu-
nate mar was condemned and axe
cuted. and was buried in Montgomery
churchyard. Thirty years had passed
away when saw it, in company with
poor Eliot Warburton, and the grass
had not then covered his grave. 1t is
situated in a remote corner of the
ehurchyard, far removed from all
other graves. 1t is q raised mound of
earth, but is even with the surround
ing ground, which is, for some dis
lance, especially l~uXuriant, the herb
age being rich and abundant. NJ
merous attempts have from time to
time been made by some who are still
alive, and others who have passed
away, to bring grass upon that bare
spot. Fresh soil has been frequently
spread upon it, and seeds of various
kinds have been sown, but not blade
has there ever been kAown to spring
from them, and the soil soon became
a smooth, cold and stubborn clay.
With respect to the unhappy wit
nesses, it appears that Parker's am
eestors had once owned Oakfield, and
that he had hoped by getting rid of
Newton, to remove the main obstacle
there was to his repOssessing it, and
that Pearce had, at the time of Mr..
Morris death, aspired to the hand of
his daughter, in whose affections he
felt he had been supplanted by poor
Newton. The former soon left the
neighborhood, became a drunken and
dissolute man, and was ultimately
killed in some lime works, while in
the act of blasting a rock. Pearce
grew sullen and dispirited, his very
existence seemed a burden to him,
and, as the old sexton of Montgomery
expressed it, " he wasted away from
the face of the earth
= Organists at the New York |" FASH
ionable weddings " now seem to make it
----l.- o,.ko-, A. o-&1e=-. 49, o~-.