The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-05-16

and created strong prejudice against him
support himself at the bar he pleaded mo
guilty in q faltering voice, and seemed as i
willing to resign himself to his impending
ia'e' without even making an effort to svoit
IT, AiaB, now often are We misled by appear
ances! The hopeless misery of q man deserted
oy ms friends, overwhelmed by damniug
put false accusation, and about to be consigned
TO an lgnominious death, was attributed BY
those around me- to far different causes. Re
morse was said to have palsied his Intellect
and wasted his strength. Guilt was declared
many were the imprecations which / heard
showered upon the head of the wretch who
mad fonlly deprived former friend of life and
heaped neyer-ending obloquy on an aged pa
rent and an honored family.
The gentleman who acted as his second
stated, when examined as o witness, that after
having left the ground, the prisoner insisted
on returning to ascertain the condition of the
wounded man that broken ground interyeR.
ing between the spot which they parted
and the place where the duel had been fought
he the witness) could see nothing of what
might have occurred after the prisoner had
lett his sight; that white awaiting his return
he heard shot, and learned, on the prisoners
relolnlng him, that he had found his adversary
alone and dead. The witness was obliged to
admit that the prisoner was extremely agisa,
seef aad that hls manner AID
The elder of the two boys sworeithat he
and his cousin had been seeking birds nests
amongst the ivy on the tower; that they wit
messed the duel; that Immediately after Col.
Blake left they saw the accused return, take
up the pistol, and shoot Capt. Desmond (who
begged for mercy through the head; aud that
after having placed the weapon with which
he Killed him by the dead mans side he then
made his escape. When cross -exaInined, he
said, that the duel being over. he was in the
act of descending the tower, when Col. Blake
went away, and before he could reach the
ground the prisoner came back after what
then happened he became so terrified as to be
unable to move until Col. Blake and the other
gentleman arrived, when he immediately went
forward and informed them of all he lrad seen ]
His testimony, given in cool, collected and
ingenious manner, carried conviction to the
minds of all who heard it. He was succeeded
on the witness stand by a boy of still more,
tender years, who told a similar story and ful-
iy corroborated the account of the transaction
given by his companion.
Col. Blake and the doctor were produced,
to complete the chain of evidence. They both
had heard the shot, had 10th Seeu the prisoner
running from the place, and found Desmond
dead, with the recently discharged pistol lying
by his side; and the former positively swore
that the wound in the forehead (the imined tie
cause of dGatb1 must have been inflicted dur
Ing the time he Was absent, seeking the doe
tor.
:. The judge charged decidedly for conric-
ton. In the course of his observations, he told
the jury that the murder must have been COM
mitted either by the prisoner, by the two
boys WHO had borne testimony against him, as
present or near the scene of the tragedy ;e that
independent of the mprobability of children of
such tender age having been guilty of such n
grievouS crime, without any assigned reason,
there was fact which spoke clearly for their
innocence-thcy had come forward TO denounce
the assassin, when they mi ht, either by flying
before Col. Blake returned, or by afterwards
lying concealed where they werc, have easily
escaped all observation I they had stool their
ground, conscious of rIefT 0WH hIpIguCU; uurt
at once gave information when they Jaw their
own personal safety was secured. Such con-
duct, he said, was seldom practiced by tie
peasantry--it deserved tho highest eulogium
he should take care, he added, that the govern
ment protected and rewarded those who acted
in so exemplary and praisewUrthy manner
verdict of guilty was northumberland sentence,
ofdeath pronounced.
% was borne from the court house by the.
issuing crowd, and as we returned into bye
path, to avoid observation, the fostercr,' with
a confident air, told mo to- cheer up, for We
should save him STILL This glimpse of hope,
slight as it was, banished all weakness and in
sPiFed me with courage and resolution of
which believed myself before incapable To
aid i'll my husbands escape by any 1nfeahS
available, was now my, fixed deteEmipatien,
and TO accomplish this. duty became the CON
slant study of my mindsq The sentence was to
be carried out where She lsTimsl had been COM
mitted the escort would not be strong and we
Pos S6Ss on sasSsiRs 5ssc2s attempt
sure the. aasistBnre 9th s M tite&oyEXe
ant and iptRadH ned Do q y q aoIkEWAo was
pernittRd % Eeinain NtRaiHa as HIS seEealt,
ihouf Sndeavor to d Rps q last inter
7iew with my hpAl nOiodical as
lenblage of tlN<t " to take
place on the tl ~ Ahad pro-
Josed for me t6 81 81 BE = lsieeEing in dis
suise, avow mEself SqRirey plicl's -5yife,z5fif
NJ QthsE tea9Fts fSiisdir to jgain fhs5E asset
lnce, pledge my tsiith Tor his ifpocence, and
lemapd their armed fnterfef III yisit 80
he 1aif Wis frlEiig Tor atEle day }SIi6ssfSg,
IHd enc sttcceedFf one tgisE "a 81 if5oiR Tor
The execution. 1t waS18NAB9ltSel ssBsa1yl
hatatlgs dfIfaf HesOluSi Ona69ieSle 'Fhite1uSdVs'
hould be at once ascertaiued, so as to enable |
ne to communicate to your father any plans |
which might be adopted. Tho meeting was to |