Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1870-10-21

stobtAL lilf Slt4tt ctliil Oi anu VI
the same description of the murdered
girl, were dwclt upon by the prosecu-
ling attorney with remarkable force,
and the prisoner saw that it was next
To useless to attempt defense.
To all questions lie replied in sim
pie and truthful manner, stating that
his name was Alfred Martin, his age
twenty-five; that lac was by profession
n surgeon, possessed of some means;
that u love of geology had led him
thither; and that those who had ac-
cused him of lettering in out of the
way places would have seen that he
was innocently studying the formation
of the earth, if they had given proper
attention 10 the matter. As for his
being the murderer of the girl, lie
denied it in the most emphatic man
ner, and explained how he came to be
bending over the body, with the bloody
knife in his hands.
You will deny next" sneered the
attorney, 'that you threatened tn
Kill all your enemies in the same
manner
al believe did use some thought
less words to the effect that with such
weapon 1 could kill all my enemies,
and make myself rich, bu; none such
as you would put into my mouth"
II heard him distinctly" volunteer
ed 4 strong, rough-looking man, who
was said To have been among the first,
if not the first, TO discover the murder,
who had guided others there, and had
been the most willing and strenuous in
his testimony against him.
Martin turned his gaze upon him, and
noticed him more closely than he had
done before; caught his eye, and
thought that he shrank back. 1t might
have been mere fancy, but he became
more and more convinced that the el-
low had some object in getting him
convicted, and tried to remember if lie
had ever been associated wi;h-ever
met him before, and given him any
cause of enmIty. If such was the case,
it had entirely slipped from memory,
and his own position gave him little
time for thought, as he was asked Ia
account for tile money that was taken
from him being the same in amount
and of the same character as that OF
the murdered gir's.
at is a case that might happen
II thousand times" was the reply;
but permit ME 10 ask if she is indeed
dead? -
"You will soon see," growled the
stid-necked justice.-''see more than
You want to-"
''If dead, I have no wish to look
upon her again. The horrible sight |
have had is fully sufficient, and L have
seen enough of death not To be curious
in such matters"
No doubt of it! Murder and rob-
berry aie your trade"
The old uncle OF the murdered girl
stepped to the side of the justice, and
they had a short whispered conversa-
tim, but evidently an important one. |
"Alfred Martini" continued the off |
Ger of the law, 'as you choose to call
yourself, though 10 one here is fool
enough 10 believe that to be your cor
rect name, you deny all participation
in the foul deed that has been done ~
al do"
"And are you willing to prove it by
any means within your power ?r
Il am"
"Oficers, guard him safely, and re-
move him 10 the next room. We will |
soon see his guilt clearly proved"
Without tie most remote idea of |
what was going to take place, the
prisoner permitted himself to be led |
into another apartment and saw, to his
surprise and horror, the corpse of the
girl stretched out upon the table, still
as bloody and ghastly as when he first
discnvered her in the gloomy rayine.
It was 4 sight that would at any time
have caused him 10 shusider; but now
it almost unnamed him for an Instant,
as the dress had been cut
away so as To expose n wound in the
fair white flesh. His natural emotion
was at once taken rs an evidence of
guilt, and he heard whispered com
men;s TO that effect. There Il told
you sop of the man who had before
his testimony, particularly !
attracted his attention; and, from thai
instant, he watched him as closely as
possible without being detected, and
his courage, he turned TO
the pompous justice, and demanded
what was intended 10y such unusual
at is the death test" was the
solemn response.
"You Will have to explain more
fully. | do not understand
1--WE believe that the corpse of
murdered person has power to distin-
= iish between the innocent and guilty.
Place one hand upon that wound, raise
the other to heaven, and assert your
y ! .
deed without guilt, ail will he we'll. Ii
not, the blood will flow agaip."
At another time, Martin would have
laughed outright at the stupid supersti-
tom of which he now remem bered TO
have often read. Yet, there was some
thing solemn in thus calling upon the
lead To give evidence for or against the
living, and he would willing have been
spared the ordeal, for the most simple
accident might cau>e drop or two of J
blond To eXI le from tine unciOSed lips l
IF the wound, and then his fate would Z
De- sealed indeed.
'-If guiltless, why do you shrink 81
lsked the man OF law. at is only the
nur lerer that need fear"
He could hesitate no longer without |
.emingly convicting himself in tkeil \
yes; ;- and, stepping to the side of the
-oTpSe, he laid his right hand upon the /
wound, and called God to witness his +"
.utire innocence. Then he stepped; !
,ack so that all could see that nD blood
lad followed.
"God has attested your guiIIleSs- c
less,n said the uncle of the poor girl. v
But, see, the blood is beginning to u
wv, and the guilty man must be near. q
let each in turn do rs this stranger
las done" J.
In the opening of the wound, and u
he oozing of blood, Martin saw far =
ther things than did the afflicted old
nan; but he wisely held his peace,
nd managed to place his back against c.
he door so that no one could go out, 7,
nj watched each as they went through =
he death test. But there were no more y
rimson drops bubbling forth as sign u
f guilt; and, as the justice declared Ii
hat all had gone through the ordeal, c
sigh of intense relief burst from :,
lany lips.
ss\nt all ~ ranliad Martin EFTbara &