The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1870-12-14

"'ineei' up PIouuly, ne asked that sns
might be cared for.
"Whaterer may bo your purpose with
me-" he said, sat least see if there is moi
life remaining. Take your hands off, and
let me see ifmy skill can be of some avail.
| am surgeon"
scowling brows and clenehed fists were
the only answers ho received. They paid
not the slightest attention to his words,
except it might be to grasp him even more
fruily than before and hurry him before a
neighboriug justice to be examined and
exhibited as q monster. 1t was even a
more unpleasant situation than he had an
tieipated. and the chances were desperate
ly against him; but he retained his COOL
ness and prepared to make the best posi-
bic defense.
The evidence given was with the utmost
Internationally given, perhaps, but
without the slightest leaning toward the
side of mercy, and with the morbid desire
on the part Of the majority to see man
hanged, for such thing had never hap.
pened in that ncighborhood. And what
could be say to rebut the sworn statement
Of dozen witnesses What were his
assertions against the evidence Of their
own eyes and his bloody hands aud cloth.
ing?
But he had the satisfaction, if, indeed,
it could be called by that name, to learn
who the supposed victim of bis murderous
knife was-to learn that her name was
Ethel Loring-that she was comparatively
a stranger upon visit to an old uncle who
lived uear the scene of the tragedy-that
she was an orphan, and rich in her own
right-that she was known to wear costly
jewels, and carry with her considerable
sum Of money, (all Of which was missing }
and that she had gone out to take walk
alone, aud was found as described. These
facts, together with his having been de-
tected leaning over the body, with knife
in his hand, the out-of.the.way place, the
provocation for the deed in pecuniary
point Of view, the almost certainty of re-
naming undiscovered, that he was poorly
dressed; stranger, had been seen lurk-
ing in out.of-the-way places for several
days, and that in his pockets was found
about the same sum of money, and Of the
same description as that known to have
been in the possession Of the murdered
girl. were dwelt upon by the prosecuting
attorney with remarkable force, and tho
prisoner saw it was next to useless to at
teuIpt ueiepec'
To all questions he replied in a simple
and truthful manner, stating that his name
was Alfred Martin, his age twenty-five /;
that he was by profession surgeon, uu-
married. possessed ofsomc means; that a
love of geology had led him thithcr; and
that those who had accused him of loiter-
ing in out-of-tlc-way places would have
seen that he was innocently studying the
formation Of the earth, if they had given
him proper attention to the matter. As
to bis being the murderer of the girl, he
denied it in the most emphatic manner,
and explained how he came to be bending
over the body, with the bloody knife in
his hand.
"You will deny next" sneered the at
torney, that you threatened to kill all your
enemies 10 the same manner"
II believe did use some thoughtless
words to the effect that l could, with such
weapon. kill all my enemies. aud make
myself rich, but none such as you would
put them in my mouth"
"I heard him distinctly" volunteered a
strong, rough.lOoking man, who was said
to have been among the first. if not the
6rst to discover the murder, who had guild
ed the others there. and had been the most
willing and strenuous in his testimony
against min.
Martin turned his gaze upon, and no.
ticeG him more closely than be had done
before caught his eye, and thought that
he shrank back. Itmis hit have been mere
fancy, but be became more and more con-
vinced that the fellow had some object in
getting him convicted, and tried to remem-
ber il he had ever been associated with
ever met him before, and given him any
cause of enmity. lfsuch was the case, it
had entirely slipped from memory, and his
own position gave him little time for
thought, as be was asked to account for
the money that was taken from him being
the same in amount and of the same char